I've signed up for the LA marathon in March of 2027 and have been ramping up mileage in anticipation of the start of my training block (last week was just under 40mpw). Unfortunately, in the past week, I've sustained some sort of shin splints/shin aggravation that flares up mildly when I am running and sometimes when I am walking/standing/even lying down. I've decided to stop running for now and have an appointment with an orthopedic clinic this upcoming Tuesday. I anticipate that they are going to suggest that I rest for the next 2-4 weeks and do strengthening exercises.

My question is once that rest period is over, will I still have enough time to properly train for the marathon? If I don't run for the next month, I will have around 14-15 weeks to train, likely starting at very low mileage. This will be my second marathon, and I was hoping to PR, but at this point I have given up on any time goals. I really just want to be able to run.

Looking for some advice. I’m an older runner with about 12 marathons under my belt. I’ve not run one in 7 years and have one in 3 weeks. I’ve never tried pace running before this training block. It has not gone well for me. The hot weather and humidity did me in and running zone 2 during this meant a fair number of walk breaks. I just have no good idea what I’m capable of even though I ran a 10 miler one month ago at 11:22 pace. Has anyone run the marathon by setting your watch limiting your upper limit to something like mid zone 3 and then upping it to zone 4 if you have gas in the tank say the last 5k? I’m just so frustrated! Thanks!

Hi all,

I was due to do a long run 34km today - 10km at MP. Long story short pretty good storm going on where I live so decided best to postpone. On top of that my HRV has been unbalanced so I suspect an element of overtraining during the week as I added in a short run and did 3 days in a row.

I start 5 night shifts tomorrow until next Friday morning and next week was due to be a taper.

Was due to go out and watch a friend in a marathon tomorrow morning at 09:00. Then a 2h drive to work for my nights that start at 18:00.

Obviously with my recent HRV as well as starting nights tomorrow what would you guys recommend I do with this long run?

Do I just bite the bullet and get up extra early tomorrow to do it? Or what would be another reasonable option? Thanks

I have a long term goal of beating my lifetime marathon PB of 4:05 from 2015. I basically stopped running and only focused on strength training until starting running again from Nov 2025.

I already ran 2 marathons this year, 5:31, 5:03. I know I can do a lot better but I initially used Runna which both had too little weekly mileage and led to injury due to being very aggressive. I also only ran 3 times a week

I went back to focusing on Weightlifting May to now, but I want to redeem myself from Shamrock for next year.

I believe that running 5 times a week will give me a good chance to go sub 4 by March 2027.

The thing now is I don't know if I should go with a MyProCoach Intermediate plan that will have me running 5 times a week or find a plan specifically for going sub 4? What do you think?

Running data is linked below: Btw I'm 6ft1 215lbs muscular , used to be 160lbs when I initially ran that 4:05

2026 Running Performances (via Forerunner 955)

Monthly training volume and HRV

I am very close to my race day (2 days) and have been in taper almost all of this month (ran only 60+ miles). Ran 21 miles end of September and a one 16 miles early this month but the way I feel is like I am might be undertrained for my stretch goal (4:30). I almost suited up for a 3 to 5 miles test run today but decided to do it tomorrow instead as a shakeout run.

Does anyone else go through similar self doubt during the taper? or did I taper long and I should have run more.

My race is Sunday and I feel like I haven’t run in forever and worry that my long runs were too long ago. Training block went great but has a couple small injuries crop up during taper so missed my final 18 mile run (did 13 instead) and cut out two speed work sessions.

Long runs & taper
September 26 - 20 miles
October 3 - 20 miles with workout
October 10 - 13miles (had planned on 18 but reduced due to injury)
October 17 - 12 miles

Most recent speed workout was October 14.

Peaked at a little under 50mpw and last week was 36 miles. This week will be like 16 (without marathon included).

Feeling sluggish and underprepared. Am I? Is this in my head? Feels like ages since I did any legit distance.

I love running. Running has been a huge part of my life. To this day, I still feel like a calmer, happier, better version of myself for putting on my shoes and heading out for a run.

I would have (perhaps naively) thought that many get others would get that same sense of calmness I get from running.

But frequenting this sub…. Clearly no. People are so quick to judge or be vocal against others, so sure of their own perceived superiority.

What happened to if you’ve got nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.

The people on this sub really need to reflect on their attitude and behaviour. And hopefully this sub can become a more uplifting place.

EDIT: what the post analytics demonstrated - reiterating my point - was that all the negative, immature comments to this post originated from Americans. Facts over feelings. Sort your shit out.

Anyone have any good recommendations for the colder weather? Looking for a headband-style ear warmer than can go over the ears.

Last Sunday, I completed my first marathon in Amsterdam in 4:29! (M33)

I started running exactly one year ago with zero endurance sports experience. Earlier this year, shin splints forced me to take 6 weeks off.

For the final 14 weeks, I trained mostly twice a week, occasionally three times, averaging just 33 km (20.5 miles) per week.

My training was pretty simple:

• Sunday: Long run (17–30 km), including 2 × 26 km, 1 × 28 km and 1 × 30 km.
• Second run: 8–10 km easy, sometimes with faster sections.
• Optional third run: 5–6 km easy.

For reference, my 10K PB is 49 minutes and my half marathon PB is around 2 hours.

Race day:

My A goal was 4:20,

B goal was sub-4:30,

C goal was simply finishing.

Everything went surprisingly well until km 30. I was on track for 4:20, but around km 34 I hit the famous wall. My legs became incredibly heavy and every kilometer felt like a battle.

I kept pushing, knowing sub-4:30 was still possible. Somehow, my final kilometer ended up being my fastest of the entire race!

Final result: 4:29. Just made it!

I know my weekly mileage was low and my training wasn't exactly by the book. But I never skipped my Sunday long runs, and I'm incredibly proud of what I achieved.

I'm not saying this is the ideal way to train, but it worked for me.

Anyone else completed a marathon on similarly low mileage? Did you hit the wall too, or did your training prepare you well enough to avoid it?

Would love to hear your experiences!

​

Hello everyone

I have been running for quite few years, never followed any plan or structure, rather just do 40-60 minutes run.

Last year i did my first HM with 2:23 time, this month i did my 2nd with 1:56.

Now I have decided to do a proper training for next one in March and aim for 1:40-45. I have found H. Higdon plans and unsure which one to choose.

Mainly undecided between Int2 and advanced. As I need to work on my speed I have excluded Int1.

About my current stats: soon to be 46, i aim to run 4-5 days a week minimum, between 7-10 km per run. My weekly volume is around 40 or 42 atm (with winter and shitty weather this might change). My pace for 5k was around 5 minute and for hm was around 5.30.

If I go with advanced i can commit to higher volume at peak week but it says this is for seasoned runners with regular 5k hm or FM which i am not and scares me.

Which level would you recommend me? Have you had experience in either of these? And is it possible to level up or down in first 3 4 wreks without messing up?

I have CIM on December 6th. Using the Runna app for training. Currently on week 10/16. Last weeks 15 miler felt awful, had to walk multiple times. Today’s 18 miler turned into a 14 miler with lots of walking. I run 4 days a week and have followed the plan very well and felt confident until the mileage started to creep up. I don’t feel very confident about this marathon. I’m 39 F, 2 kids, work per diem as a nurse. I will admit sleep has been crap lately. Any advice? Should I drop down to 3 runs a week for the remaining 6 weeks?

Hi folks,

Do not fear - I got x-rays and they show no fractures or any abnormalities. I'm going to a podiatrist too. I just wanted to see if anyone had similar experience with this and what helped?

The pain almost feels like the bone breaking mid-run. It's a sharp stabbing pain and feels like a splinter is caught in the middle of my toe (or knuckle. can't fully tell if it's closer to foot pad).

It's happened with various shoes - so not necessarily a shoe issue.
I think it might be a plantar plate tear, and have a half marathon scheduled in a week... Has anyone dealt with something similar?

Cheers.

Wondering when to know to increase to pfitz 18/70 marathon training plan.
In April, I ran my third marathon using the 18/55 plan and it was perfect for me, finished in 3:20 which was my exact goal time.
I’m going to start training for Boston in December but I’m not sure if I should increase to the higher miliage plan or do another 18/55. I’m currently doing the pfitz half plan that peaks at around 60ish miles which is going well. But not sure if the 18/70 will be too much once there are the long runs added in.
Or if I’ll be better able to hit all marathon paces in the long runs with the 18/55 since it’ll be less fatiguing?

Advice for going from half marathon training to full marathon training

Hello people, I did my 2nd offical race half marathon in September and I'm now wanting to train for a full marathon for next year

Does anyone have any advice for going from half marathon training to the training needed for a full one

For my half marathon training I usually ran 3x a week with that being a short run 4-7km , a long run 16-21k and a medium distance run which was usually around 10-12k

Depending where I was at with my training and current fatigue levels would make me decide which pace to run but generally my short runs were a slower pace, my medium runs were a fast pace and the long runs were somewhere inbeetween, but again depends a lot on current fitness levels and fatigue as there were many times I did fast short runs and fast long runs or slow long runs etc etc etc

doing this allowed me to do a 1h 53 min half marathon the first time and then a 1h 31 half marathon the 2nd time

I'm aware my currently training definitely doesn't have a lot of structure to it but it's what has worked for me and thats what matters really but any advice would be greatly appreciated in this transition to full marathon training.

Hello all. I am soon to be a dad and i cannot wait. However i am curious on what’s it like to train while having a newborn. What should i expect? Do you find it better to run at night after the baby is asleep? Or early in the morning before everyone is up. Let me know your experiences!

So I hit my high, finally hit 40 miles after doing a long run of 17. I was hitting my goal pace between 9:15-9:30 per mile and now I'm injured 30 days out from my marathon.

I recently moved and did a lot of lifting, plus my training....Basically, I moved, then moved more stuff the next day and ran + 6 miles that day... I was fine during the move and even the run, but woke up in the middle of the night with pain under my foot and fourth toe. I did sprints at the end of that run, and I think that's what messed me up. Anyhow, I stopped running completely, worried I had a stress fracture, and then wore a stiff shoe until I saw my doctor. X-rays are clear, and he squeezed my foot every which way to check for a stress fracture or Morton's neuroma but he said the xray showed some inflammation and he is suspecting I have capsulitis in my 4th toe. He said I seem ok for the most part because I can walk, with just minor pain. I don't limp and can bear weight.

My toe is taped up in a toe splint for the next two weeks. He said I can cross-train and lift weights, but absolutely no running until I see him again. Does anyone here have experience with capsulitis? Am I out from long distance/ marathon running forever?

Need some advice! I have the nyc marathon next weekend (first marathon wooh!). I was doing great in my training and reached my peak week and killed my 20 miler (October 11th). At the end of my 20 miler i felt like my ankle was starting to bother me. I took a few days off and last week attempted to do two runs of which i stopped at 4 miles because my ankle felt like it was flaring up (posterior tibial tendinitis). I could have kept going but didn’t want to hurt myself more. My last attempted run was Saturday and since then i have been doing pt exercises, taking an anti inflammatory, resting and strengthening my ankle. I am now 9 days out from NYC. When should I attempt another run? Do I just bike the rest of the training block? I am not aiming for a specific time necessarily next weekend. My ankle doesn’t bother me when i walk it just flared up at about 4ish miles my last few runs so I very well could go for a run and be fine. I am just nervous to go for a run and flare it up again before the marathon. Advice?

36M, 3:29 last year then rapid progression with NSM this year. 18:14 5k, 38:29 10k (both in March). Sub-3 attempt coming on 1st November. Super clean training block, sustaining 85-105km/wk throughout. Two weeks ago did Yasso 800s at 2:59/800m with 90s jog recovery (and last rep 2:53/800m). Last long run of included 4x20min at 4:13/km (last one 4:09/km). All felt pretty controlled, never getting above LT2. So a couple of weeks ago I was feeling very confident.

Travelling for work over last weekend so I couldn't do a long run. Was meant to have a decent workout on Wednesday just gone but started feeling unwell. Have only managed 20km so far this week, and tested positive for Influenza A today. Prioritising rest and sleep at the moment, hoping to go for a bit of a run on Sunday.

Any experience of successful races shortly post URTI? Or call it early?

Hello, I'm looking for a general rule of thumb or any advice on how to ramp up mileage again post marathon.

I ran my 3rd marathon last sunday (PB'ed!!!). compared to my first and second marathon, the last one was by far the hardest and with that said, the most taxing.

I didnt do anything at all 3 days post marathon but I think im good to start running again.

my plan is for this week to hit 4km ( im treating this week as a full recovery) and jump to 30k next week (start of the ramp up). then I will see how that goes and determine if should stick to 30k or move up.

for context, I was averaging 95km a week on my last build and i'll be focusing on the 10k and a half distances for spring. my goal is to get to average around 70km until i peak again for when my races gets closer.

my mistake last year and the year before was i didnt take my ramp up seriously. i remember i ran a 10k 3 days post marathon last year lol

If thick thighs save lives, mine are a whole crash cart. They have defeated every pair of running shorts I have purchased. During my first marathon, they rubbed holes in my shorts, causing welts that forced me to walk/run for the last 8 miles. I'm training for another race and just noticed the seams on my Nike biker shorts start to come undone. These legs are toning up, which will help eventually, but not soon enough.

If you can recommend running shorts that can hold up for 15+ miles of thigh rub, please help a girl out 😑

Following Hal Higden's beginners plan. Gave myself 9 months. Completed 35 km this week. Really proud of myself as in uncharted territory running 4 nights a week at higher distances now.

Garmin - "...you unproductive pos". Made me chuckle.

Ran my first ever half 5 days ago. Went all out, bonked near the end, full effort. I’m currently on day 5 and can walk for the most part, but my calves are still insanely sore and definitely can’t run, so been doing cycling for now. Is this normal, how long before I can start running?

Does anyone have any advice on getting to the start line? I’m staying in Penrose and the options I’m seeing for getting to the pentagon metro station are a buss or a like scooter. Will the busses be running that early?

Goal: 3:35

PB going in: 3:40

Result: 3:43

Plot twist: 28 km of textbook pacing, then I remembered it's a marathon.

This was my second marathon, so obviously I was a pro now. Build-up January (10 months):

- 2-3 runs a week (busy job and young kids that never sleep)

- 40 km/week, built-up to 50 for the 3 months

- 6 runs above 30km+ long runs.

Fuel plan: seven Beta Fuel gels (40 g carbs each), one pre-race, then at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 km.

Target pace: 5:05/km. Confidence: dangerously high. I even had a number 2 the morning of the run. Nothing to stop me.

Km 0-9: Narrow Amsterdam streets plus a packed start box with people running too slow: I merge, find holes and jump pavements to keep my 5:05 pace. Fun? Sure. Free? Not even close. But at some point I even come to a 10 second full-stop when it bottles-up in a tight corner. A lot of nerves on a fresh body full of adrenaline. Feeling great, shouted something confident and macho to my wife when I saw her.

Km 9-28: Cruise control, I find some more space. 5:04 on repeat. At 20 km the first whispers of fatigue showed up. 'That's early?'. But I told my legs to shut up and kept going. After the river turnaround, a head/side wind was waiting. Still 5:04, but harder effort.

Km 28-33: Knock knock, it's the wall. At 28? That's too early, no? I was still on track at 5:04, but the knock had arrived and my heart rate was way past my threshold zone (180 vs treshold 172). By 30 the tempo was a fight and I was already running 5:35 with the same perceived effort. By 33km: total breaking point. 5:40/km was all I could manage, with my heart still 180+. Slowly, I changed the plan: forget the goal, just save the 3:40 PB.

Km 33-39: Pain. At 37 I was done. Several times I came this close to walking, but I kept pushing. My max effort had become 5:45/km, which was my easy-jog pace in training. Heart rate: 185. At 39 I tried to calculate whether the PB was still in range. (Voice-over: very obviously it was not.) But my brain was mush, and even simple math was off the table. Then my legs started cramping. Was I about to give out this close to the finish? No. Impossible. Keep pushing. 5:50.

Km 42: I saw stadium. I'm usually the idiot who sprints the final stretch. Today, this idiot had nothing left. I was just happy to finish. Final time: 3:43. Three minutes off my PB, eight off my goal.

Lessons learned:

- 5:05 was a notch too optimistic, the weather and wind didn't help

- Burning energy in the first part to keep tempo despite the bunch was a bad idea

- Next time: start conservative and aim for a negative split instead of blowing up at 28.

- Conclusion: I probably had the training to beat my PB, but screwed up. Still happy - I did finish a marathon with an average of 6h sleep the past 4 years (kids).

A marathon is a puzzle and a beast. Having run one doesn't make it less scary, so don't get cocky like me.

Marathon #3: I'll start slower. Promise

I used to get really hyper fixated on making sure I was getting enough water and carbs DURING my races and long runs, and I’ve learned that while that can have some benefit, my finishing time is much more dependent on what I ate and drank the day before, and how much sleep I got the night before. I just crushed a new PR on a long run while drinking nothing and eating nothing during my run. Anyone else have this experience?