Starting a marathon programme next week? Take your foot off the gas this week then...

Are you planning a spring marathon? If so, you should now be coming to the end of your 'base phase' of training and have built up plenty of endurance and strength so that you are ready for your marathon programme.

If your programme starts in the new year then you may want to consider taking your foot off the gas a little bit this week and enjoy going out for your favourite runs or even walks without feeling like you need to stick to particular sessions on particular days, after all, you have a long period of structured training ahead of you and it would be good to go into this feeling fresh and excited about what is ahead.

It is important for every runner to have some down-time every now and again so that you can re-charge both physically and psychologically. If you are about to start marathon training, it is very important that you start the programme fresh and are able to build progressively. If you start it even a little bit tired, you are at risk of de-railing. Some runners worry that they will lose fitness by taking an easier week but this couldn't be further from the truth - recovery gives your body chance to repair the damage that is caused by training and, given the right amount of time, it repairs itself stronger and so you get fitter as a result.

It doesn't mean that you have to do nothing though and if you are off work this week you may want to be out running and so why not go out and enjoy your favourite runs but without the pressure of completing them in a particular time and if you still have time to spare it would be a great opportunity to work on your flexibility or core strength so that your body is primed for the start of that schedule!

If you are looking for marathon training programmes, see articles in runfurther and runfaster for 16 week plans.