getting nowhere!

Hi,i am training for my first marathon which hopefully will be edinburgh in may,i train about 4 times a week i've done lots of 10kms and half marathons,i go to tempo training once a week and speedwork once a week,my times don't seem to be dropping or my pace increasing. I feel like im just going round in circles,i eat properly, drink lots of water someone please advise!martin.

I'd advise that you should cut down to one "speed" session per week.... in fact, go further and give it a kick start by having 4 weeks without ever getting out of breath.

Instead, replace fast sessions with slower, but longer runs.  Concentrate on building up your long, slow run mileages over the next month.

You need to build a strong aerobic base in order for your speedwork sessions to be effective.  My strong guess is that you've not got the balance right at the moment.

It takes 6 weeks to have a really big effect... so ideally, keep it long and slow until then and then have a go at your favourite tempo run, and see how you do.  I'd predict that you'll be delighted.

Have a look at the Hadd thread..

Do you add any hills into your training? Since I started adding lots of hills into my sessions, my speed and also my endurance has dramatically increased. Mind you, I moved into an area where you simply just can't escape hills so for me it is more like a necessity than a choice

Martin- you have loads of time- probably over a month before you start a formal training plan- use that time to build your base, as suggested by run wales above.

What disctance are your longest slow runs at the moment?- don't worry about speed just now- go for plodding out the miles.

hi tricialitt,my longest runs at moment are about 10 mile,which i find ok,thanks.

If I've read this right, your training appears to be a set fixture, frequency and volume.

The body is only as strong as it needs to be, so no matter how much you want something or wait or eat or drink. 

To improve, you have to do more training. Increasing any of the variables will lead to improvement. However, trying to just run harder each time won't work.

If you train the same , you stay the same.

I think you need to review why you are doing speedwork/tempo runs for a marathon? I am a 10k, 10m and 1/2 runner who does the odd marathon; consequently I have speed++ My problem is pacing and stamina, the first 10k of a marathon for me is murder...the temptation to go for it is painful; I feel I am standing still. If I start too fast the last 10k is murder... I think you need to focus on your long stamina runs. But the penalty for concentrating on stamina is a loss of speed. I have been told that your target marathon time is twice your 1/2 marathon time +10mins (But mine is +30mins) assuming similar terrain (flat,hilly, on/off road). I would suggest you focus on your longer runs, getting your pacing and stamina correct; get it correct and in the last 10k you will be cruising past the people who got it wrong!