How much training?

I have just joined and would like to ask a question about training.
I was entered in the London Marathon for this year but could not run because I was knocked off my bicycle at work in January( I am a postman).
This resulted in my having my half my cartlidge removed in May. I have taken up the offer of a place next year and am slowly getting back to my January running level.
My question is that when I was following the London Marathon training guide as printed in their magazine I became very tired. I was wondering whether this was because being a postman and walking between 5 and 8 miles every morning, plus about 4 miles cycling I should be religiously following the programme?
Was I doing too much and not taking into account my energetic job?
I am a fit 56. Has anybody any advice?

Did you increase you daily amount of calories. I think that with your type of job coupled with the marathon training you would need to be fueling your body quite well.

Trevor
I'm no expert but I think your assessment is probably right - most training programmes don't assume you're doing a significant amount of energetic work too.

Let's face it some of the people running FLM won't be doing the amount of exercise you're doing without the training.

If you're still unsure, you could try posting the question on the training forum and adding "RW" to the start of the thread name - that way those nice people at Runners World will give you the benefit of their advice too.

Good luck

I have not followed a marathon programme and like you I have an active job. I have been running now for a year and mostly my training has been to have one long run on a Sunday increasing it by 2 miles when I get used to it. Occasionally I do a fast 3 miles and time it as a fitness benchmark. I started on 4.5 miles and now am on half marathon but this is x country with a few hills. So it could be the equivalent of 15 flat road miles. Two months ago [and I recommend this to all who are running or jogging] I joined a running club and turn out twice a week for their training runs. Now too sometimes I add an easy 6 miles along a local hill with my dog and a torch on a well known footpath. I also have ran/ walked some x country marathons that are done by the Long Distance Walkers Assoc. I could do London now but I am wanting to do it in a good time [3.5 hours] so I will be patient. Make your training enjoyable and time yourself and measure the mileage and when you feel energetic go for a good time or just run easy to complete a route. Ideally jogging some hills helps as does the faster short run. After that training can become more technical, intervals etc. Don't run if you feel very tired and sometimes I have ran half my route and stopped. But persevere and join a club soon as it is a great help and source of advice.