Low ferritin and marathon training

Hey all,

I've kind of asked this question already in another thread but think it's a bit lost there so hoping that someone can help if I post it again.

Since I ran the Berlin marathon last year, my running has taken a complete nosedive and I'm struggling on even easy runs.  Went to doc, found I had very low ferritin and started supplements three weeks ago.  I've read as much as I can about this and I know it can take 6 weeks or so to feel the difference and I'm doing my very best to be patient.  I've also adjusted diet etc. to maximise iron intake.

My question is what to do about training?  I can't find the answer to this anywhere!  I'm supposed to be running the Rome marathon in 8 weeks time and I'm into the most intensive part of my training.  I've got 50mile weeks ahead of me but my miles are so slow it's going to take me forever!!  Does anyone know if it's worthwhile putting the miles in anyway (20 miles will probably take me 3.75-4h just now) or does cutting back the mileage help recovery?  And if I cut back the mileage now, will I still have sufficient training for the marathon? I know it's the most important phase of training.

 I still really want to go to Rome and I am trying to come to terms with the idea of a very slow and miserable 26miles  

Thanks in advance!

So. Rome is 8 weeks. Presumably you've booked travel and accommodation, so really you may as well go and get something out of it!

How about switching to training by time and effort rather than by miles and pace? You would probably want to do one 20 miler (for confidence more than anything, do it walk/run if you had to). I have done marathons on the back of a longest run of 18 rather scrappy stop-start miles; they weren't very fast marathons but I finished them comfortably.

You probably won't get the time you had originally planned, because of your physical condition, but this does not mean that you can't, still, produce a performance on the day that you can be proud of. You can still plan and train to cross the finish line knowing you have given all you could on that day.