Advice on taper for noob

[Lee Forester]

I could use advice. I'm preparing to run my first marathon in two weeks, started running about 16 months ago. Ran a 1/2 marathon a year ago and a 25k in May. 50 yr old male, 5'10" 172lb. Averaged about 32 miles a week for 18 weeks with key and long run each week, did a  23 mi run comfortably 4 weeks before marathon (9:40 minute miles with all the stopping and chatting) and hit 50 miles that week.

Then I got sick and had to take 11 days off running (respiratory and then sinus infection) right before my key run 3 weeks out from the marathon. I finally went out for a 4 mi jaunt yesterday, legs felt great (not sore finally!) but cadio was really weak.

My question: I lost my whole 3rd week and have a bit less than 2 weeks. Should I stick to the planned taper this week or try to get some extra miles in? 11 days off is a long time, but I'm also still on antibiotics. I feel OK, call it 80%. And I totally rested those 11 days.

My thought is to scale back my race time goal, pick up my mileage until I hit my taper plan (30 miles this week, 15 next) and hope for the best.

Any advice on how an enforced early taper should be handled? I still have only 2 races under my belt period so to say I lack experience is a pretty huge understatement! I know I can't gain any fitness now, but I want to RECOVER some if that's possible.

[Joe Furse]

If you are through being sick, I would say you've got a pretty good plan to run 30 miles this week and then taper off significantly next week heading into the race.  Or you could run the first half of this week pretty solid with a fairly long run on Wed or Thu and then taper off.  I think you'll be just fine.  However, if you are still feeling the effects of being sick, be very careful about overdoing it.  At this point, the idea is to get everything back to 100% without losing fitness, so whatever needs to happen for that to be the case is what you should do.  Most of the work has been done already, so it will be what it will be regardless of what you do these last few days (unless you do something really boneheaded like running 20 hard miles the night before and eating nothing but Cheetos and diet Coke for a week).  Eat well, rest up, get your sleep, do some relaxed running, and enjoy it.  Then have a fun race!

[Jon Allen]

Yup, I agree with Joe.  You don't need to taper as much this week thanks to your forced taper.  But taper regular next week... and good luck!

[Lee Forester]

Thanks all, the plan is going fine so far, hadn't lost as much aerobic as I feared, we'll see how it goes!