Training Interuption

The 100 day plan after an operation.

"Dear Marius
I have just had an umbilical hernia operation, I was just about to start week 8 in the sub 3.15 program. The marathon is in 7 and a half weeks. I have already been unable to run for a week, do you think I will run out of time to get back on target. If so do you think I would be able to do a 10k?.
It was a small hernia with no mesh insertion just a couple of stitches.

Any info would be gratefully received, I'm not a very patient patient.

Thank you

Debbie"

Answer: Hi Debbie and thanks for your question.

Now, first of all - you have to discuss with the doctor who operated you in terms of how long you should wait until you can continue training.

Until this, substitute some of the runs with walks at a variation of pace (slow, medium, brisk/fast) to keep going a bit. Once you get into running again, spend about 10 days to build yourself up again (for example using the "intro weeks"), until you continue training with the plan again. And when you do so, you HAVE to sort of take one session at a time and see how it works - and maybe adjust the longest sessions down a little bit.

You can for sure make it to the marathon, but you have to take things gradually to not risk anything : and like I said ; do this together with the doctor :)

all the best,
Marius