Best use of six weeks prior to starting 18-week marathon program (Pfitz 18/85)?

Just as background info, I am a 50 yr old female that has used Pfitz 18/70 and then 18/85 for the last 3 + years. I follow the full 5 week post-marathon recovery schedule per Pfitz - found that mentally and physically I just need the break.

I've always belonged to a formal training group, so I just slip into my normal training group's routine after the 5 weeks is up. Right now that is:

2x/day easy runs on Mondays

Tues a.m. - easy 8-10 miler. Tues evening - track workouts.

Wed - easy long mileage.

Thurs - easy 10 - 12 miler.

Fri - off.

Sat - long run per group's mileage and

Sunday is whatever I feel like doing.

I find running with a group keeps my motivation high and yet having some flexibility on mileage/intensity before the 18 weeks officially begins keeps running fun for me. I also do yoga and light weight regimen once a week.

So far (knock on wood!) I have never been injured while training so this has worked for me.

Look forward to seeing what other users of Pfitz or other methods say. Good luck to you, OP, on your training this spring.

Hope others will post

Just jack off furiously to ease tension before all of this hard training.

Think you meant jill off.

Saggy Surprise wrote:

Just jack off furiously to ease tension before all of this hard training.

dude, she's a woman.

secondly, OP...just do a moderate amount of consistent running...basically base building but only run what you want to run at any pace you want to run to make sure you're good to go when the plan starts.

@Gretehund:

Thanks for the perspective. I was supposed to run the Dallas Marathon this past weekend and was fully planning to do Pfitz's recovery mesocycle over the next 5-6 weeks, but with the race getting cancelled, that's obviously not necessary. What your group is running now is consistent with what I figure I'll end up doing in the absence of something more focused.

@BasketCase:

Good advice. I've been in a taper the last couple of weeks, so getting back up to the 55-60 MPW or so Pfitz recommends before starting the 18/85 plan will take some time.

build up mileage. If you have 6 extra weeks, maybe you could average 90-100 instead of 85. But if you're dead set on following your program to the T, have fun in those 6 weeks. Do some long runs, fartleks, tempos when you're feeling good. I'd explore some and run anywhere near you that you haven't run yet.

Sorry about the Dallas cancellation - had a number of friends signed up for that one. Alot have signed up for Cowtown or Austin. Not sure if that is an alternative for you - maybe those races conflict with your spring training schedule and goal race. You might have some luck with a new build-up and attempt in the Austin/Cowtown timeframe. I do not have that experience, but others on the board may offer some guidance on that scenario.

I know you'll be running during these six weeks; honestly, I'd also recommend that you follow the old-school RCAF "XBX" program. It's on the 'Net at several sites, but here's one:

http://fit450.com/HTML/XBX_Intro.html

You might be able to move up from one level to the next a little faster than they recommend--they were pretty conservative BITD--but I promise that doing these (maybe preceding a run, or as a morning session before running in the afternoon) will make you a better athlete/runner.