Are you overtraining? With the fall marathon season arriving, Runners World Magazine offers good advice.

The fall track season has arrived with a large number of 5 and 10k and half and full marathons. NYC marathon was cancelled last year due to hurricane Sandy and many runners who missed it are looking forward to the race this year which is a New York tradition.

Some runners want it all but do not have a great regimen to build up to their race, resulting in avoidable injuries as well as other health problems.

Runners World Magazine offers some good advice to avoid overtraining for the race.

Am I Overtraining for My Marathon?

Having trouble completing your workouts? Here’s how to train smarter to avoid fatigue.

By Jenny Hadfield Published August 22, 2013

I’m running my first marathon since 1990, though I’ve been running consistently for nearly 30 years and ran two half-marathons last spring. For support, I’ve joined a local runner’s group, and for our late fall marathons, coach had us run this week 9, 5, 9, 4, 4, 10 (that 10-miler is on very challenging mountain terrain tomorrow). Next week our long run is 18 miles.
I’m completely exhausted. I’m hydrating, getting lots of sleep, taking multivitamins, and carbs are my favorite food group. I’m finding I can’t complete that last run, so this week, I cut back. I ran a great 7, then speed workout (treadmills), then another great 7, then could only run 2 miles before I had to walk yesterday.
My dream goal is to get near my mother’s marathon PR – 3:46 at the 1985 NYC marathon when she was 44 years old. I’m 46. I have three questions:
1. Am I running on “tired” legs, i.e. my years of running? I’ve only been injured twice in all that time, though, and I figure I’m just built to run. I’ve always been light, and I have a neutral strike.
2. To what extent is it possible to run faster with fewer running workouts?
3. Am I being unrealistic in my time goal? I ran a 1:53 half-marathon in March and a 1:51 in May; both races were super-hilly.
On a personal note, I stopped running races and didn’t run more than 15 miles a week after the sudden loss of my father in 2010. I’d like to honor my parents with this November marathon.
Thank you, Suzanne.

Thank you for sharing your story, Suzanne. What a wonderful way to honor your parents. If I were coaching you, I’d sit down and review what has worked for you in the past, as you haven’t been hurt much and whatever you were doing before seemed to be working for you.