Missed a week of marathon training? Do not try to make up every mile.

First, find out why you missed the week.

Before moving workouts around, ask what interrupted training. Was it a packed schedule? Were you ill, injured, or unusually run down? How do you feel now, and how much time is left before race day?

Those answers change the next step. If life got busy and you feel well, a manageable return may be enough. If illness or injury was the reason, recovery comes first. Do not force a run through fever, worsening pain, swelling, or a change in your stride. If symptoms persist or you are unsure when to return, get guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

A break caused by a full calendar calls for a scheduling adjustment. A break caused by your body needing help calls for a different decision. Treating both the same way is where runners get into trouble.

Leave missed workouts in the past.

It is tempting to add last week's long run to this week's plan, double up on hard days, or run extra miles to pay back what you missed. That can stack more work than you are ready to recover from.

You do not owe the training plan mileage. Look at the purpose of the coming week and decide which sessions still make sense. A quality workout you missed does not need to be squeezed in on top of the next one.

Create a backup week before you need one.

When work and family make the full plan unrealistic, decide what time you can protect without sacrificing sleep or other essentials. Shorter easy runs can preserve the habit without pretending that a packed week is a normal training week.

For example, if you have roughly two hours available and feel well, you might schedule two easy 20-minute runs and one 50-minute easy run, leaving room for warm-ups, strength or rest. That is an example, not a target every runner should follow. Your training history and the reason for the disruption matter.

An intentionally lighter week can be more useful than repeatedly squeezing in runs while stressed and underslept. The goal is to make the next good week possible.

Make the first run back an easy check-in.

After a schedule-only interruption, start with a comfortable easy run rather than the hardest workout on the calendar. You may choose a shorter version of your usual easy run. Notice your breathing, leg feel and how you recover later that day and the next.

If you are coming back from illness or injury, do not assume your usual six-mile run is the right first step. Follow the guidance you received, return gradually, and reassess if symptoms return. Once easy running feels normal again, plan the rest of the week from where you are now instead of where the old calendar says you should be.

Look at the whole training block and race date.

When you are in the middle of a marathon build, one week can feel enormous. Step back and look at the training you completed before it. One interrupted week does not define your race, but several missed weeks or a setback close to race day may mean changing the remaining build or the goal.

For more on preparing without forcing an early pace, read how to pace your first marathon. If long runs have been falling apart even before the missed week, use these four checks to look for a pattern. The Marathon Wall-Proof Checklist can help you review pacing, fueling, and recovery together.

Your next step.

Identify why you missed the week. Choose a first run and a backup schedule you can recover from. Let the missed workouts go, then adjust the plan based on how your body responds.

If you are unsure how to revise the build before race day, my online marathon coaching connects running, strength, fueling and recovery with weekly adjustments. Tell me what happened and what race you are preparing for; I will review your application and follow up about a call.

Further reading

ACSM on modifying activity after injury; NHS guidance on exercise during illness. These are general resources; individual return-to-running decisions depend on the situation.