Another Training Block Done — But Was It Enough?

I signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon late last year thinking, “Okay, one marathon for 2026.” Usually, my calendar is simple: a half marathon in February, followed by a marathon in summer (spring elsewhere in the world). Last year it was Boston in April. After missing out on Manchester registration this year, I settled for Edinburgh at the end of May.

Big mistake.

Waiting for a race while everyone else is in offseason mode, dragging the marathon block six extra weeks into peak summer… I now realise that may have been a bit too much.

And honestly, my post-dengue body hasn’t quite bounced back the way I expected. Recovery has been slower, harder, and far less forgiving.

March and April still had decent mileage, but this marathon block looked nothing like my previous ones; only two 90+ km weeks, more interval sessions than proper tempo runs, and by mid-April, my legs were completely cooked.

I had to pull back on mileage just to recover better. Somewhere in the back of my mind was the fear of the glute strain that ruined my NDM buildup returning again. Somehow, I made it to taper.

So here I am, heading into a marathon with what feels, in my opinion, like a pretty shitty training block.

I just hope race day won’t be that bad.

Though deep down, I know it’s going to hurt… I’m just wondering how bad it can get.

10 more days.

Hopefully, my legs will remember how to run.