I have a place in the London marathon in under one month; I’ve picked up a few niggling injuries, a sore Achilles and a tight hip flexor. I can still run, but not at a great pace. I’m freaking out that if I keep training, something will pop! Should I keep on with the training? Or just completely rest?
Georgie
Running coach answer: Do I keep training for the London Marathon despite injuries?
The month before a major event is always the trickiest to navigate – if all has gone well in your build-up, you will physiologically be at your fittest. You are likely to be pushing a little harder in most of your sessions because you have developed the ability to do so.
At an elite level, about this time, you so often hear from the major marathons announcing that someone of the elite field has dropped out of the event due to back, hamstring, Achilles, you name it, injury. It is because they have become so super fit that the engine is putting enormous stress on their body.
“Depending on what the niggle is, and the cause of it, you will likely find that after four or five days of very reduced training that the niggle settles. You can then pick-up with a few slightly higher quality runs and then aim to taper into the marathon”
Mike Gratton – Head Coach – London Marathon Winner 1983
If you are talking about an accumulation of niggles, that have built up overtime, the usual pattern for overuse injuries, it would make sense to cut back and rest from faster training at this point, letting the injuries settle down. Depending on what the niggle is, and the cause of it, you will likely find that after four or five days of very reduced training that the niggle settles. You can then pick-up with a few slightly higher quality runs and then aim to taper into the marathon – you will not have lost much in the way of fitness and more likely, your fitness will improve as you give your muscles time to repair the cell damage caused by the high level of training, month-after-month.
It’s not an ideal scenario, you would no doubt like to not have any interruption to training, but as long as it is not a new muscle tear the chances are that the taper period will be enough to sort any niggles out. And you are likely to benefit from a bit of rest!
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