Ok posted here before a few times.

Background ran first marthon last year in October and loved it.

I entered Chicago this year with Qualifying for Boston (3hr 10) in mind. Unfortunately at the end of Feb, My left knee gave out on a long run and I tore 3 ligaments in the knee (but not too badly it now appears thankfully).

I had a 14 week lay off and no running, easing into swimming then cycling, and recently started running (painfree) again.

I'm at the point now where I'm running around 45k a week, but all slow, with my longest out door run of 20k in 2 hours.

I worked out I have 16weeks to go, so effective 14 weeks of training, should I still go for it and do the marathon and forget about the time.

I am still waiting for the MRI machine to be set up here in Cayman, as I still need to see who bad the cartilage damage in my knee is (the whole root of the problem).

I'm in half a mind to go for it and try for Chicago , but just do it slow. but the other half is to cut my loses, keep training low, go for some shorter races later in the year, and see what the MRI says

Anyone got any advise.

Stats
Male, 30
Weight, 183, 6 ft (put on almost a stone in my lay off)
running for 4 years

thanks

Here's some advice from a marathon runner who is a lot older than you. Make sure you don't have significant damage before you start doing a marathon training schedule. You said you tore 3 ligaments in your knee, that sounds pretty bad to me. Does your knee feel "loose" at all when you run? I'd get it checked you could be fine or you could be lucky that haven't landed funny or twisted it and really messed it up. You've plenty of time and lots of years of running ahead of you, but if you blow it out bad, that could be it. Not worth the risk, but of course JMO. Good luck

Thanks Pianoman, I've just been diagnosed with anemia as well now.
Iron levels are fine but my red blood cel count is very very low, which explains why I'm a minute and a half per mile even off my long run pace.
Only 30 and this year seems to be one thing after another.

Beginning to think it's a sign

I've been a bit out of sorts as I've had recent sinus reconstruction surgery, so haven't had a chance to respond. I'm sorry to hear that the issues have been piling up for you, but the only sign you should take from it is to work on getting you blood back in order and just build up very carefully and slowly. Don't take it as a sign to give up on running, even marathons!

Thanks formation

Decided to give Chicago a miss, too many unknowns at the moment, and finding running taxing and lacking the enthusiasm. So decided to take off the pressure and run to how I feel for a while.

Don't get me wrong still going to run, but going to try shorter distances for a while as the longer stuff is killing me. Over a 2.5 hour run my HR drift will go from 138-168 at the same pace.

Our local marathon is in December, so may try for that, in the mean time going to keep to around 35 miles a week to try and get the weight down.

sounds like just the right attitude and the right approach. You'll know when the right time comes ...

How have you been doing since the surgery, nothing to serious I hope Formation?

All's fine, recovery is going well. Just had a very messed up nasal septum with all kinds of tangles and polyps. I can finally breathe through my nose again and I can now smell things. I'm starting up running again this week. Got a lot of races coming up in the fall! In either case, the surgery has been planned for a while, timed to be a few days after my last race of the first half of the year, a half ironman, closing out my most aggressive few months of racing, with 5 marathons, 3 50ks, 1 100 miler, an Olympic tri, and the half ironman. It's been a good time for rest and recovery!