Rough marathon this past weekend. How long until I can give it another 100% shot?

I bet you feel in super good shape seeing as you slowed down. You didn't "burn all your matches" so your legs probably feel amazing. A failed race is like a really expensive group long run. C:

Return to your mileage right away. Two days off max, with lots of stretching. Don't lose your fitness gained from the expensive long run.

2months is ~ 9 weeks time... So you're probably gonna peak again in 5-7 weeks then start tapering.

MyLittlePony Size12 Men's Velcro Straps wrote:

2months is ~ 9 weeks time... So you're probably gonna peak again in 5-7 weeks then start tapering.

There is a super flat, cheap USATF certified race in one month down the street from my house. One of those super small races run on a 2-mile loop. I might be the only one racing it. You think that's too soon?

Theyre your legs brother.

I don't know what your legs feel like right now. But you can totally smash a 2mile race in a peak week if theyre fresh like i suspect they are right now. Do first mile in 6:30 pace and fly it in. Get training.

Two months would be pushing it if you really had a meltdown. I PR’d in September and ran another all out effort 6 weeks later. I thought I was recovered until around mile 16 when I just had nothing in the tank. I still finished within a couple minutes of my PR but I definitely still had that first race in my legs. Sara Hall and Lelisa Desisa had similar experiences this fall on 5 weeks rest. I think to really race at 100% you’d need more than 2 months. More like 3-4 months to get a proper reverse taper, build, and taper.

Kid B wrote:

Race went terrible and I already signed up for another one exactly 2 months later. Do you think I can be recovered and have my fitness back in time to run that race at 100% effort between 3-3:10?

Yes, no question about it. When you're in marathon condition, 3 weeks between marathons is plenty of time.

Kid B wrote:

There is a super flat, cheap USATF certified race in one month down the street from my house. One of those super small races run on a 2-mile loop. I might be the only one racing it. You think that's too soon?

Good grief. Ha ha ha ha. Racing every weekend would be better.