Training in Montana

There's no exact formula... your aerobic fitness is good, so I wouldn't worry too much about jumping back into workouts too soon before the next marathon. Some people do sets of lunges / squats / step ups / etc to get going through the range of motion without too much pounding. Easing back into jogging on soft surfaces helps too.

Its just hard to bounce back quick from 8K feet of quad mashing... but it can be done. I wish I had a more succinct answer to your question!

Jake, thanks for the answer - that helps a lot. I'll beg a bit more advice if possible. I took a week off from running, did 6 miles on Saturday and it felt okay, just a little quad pain on the downhill parts (not enough to stop). My plan this week is to run 6 days (5M, 6M, 5M, 45 min tempo, 6M, 14M) for 42 total miles. 54 mpw was my max 4 weeks ago. I plan to make these mostly slow miles. Too much too soon? Substitute a run or two for lunges/squats/step ups?

On paper, that looks like a pretty good plan. The tempo run will give you a good idea of how the recovery is really coming along. If it were me, I'd do it as a progressive run - ease into the faster pace and try to finish still feeling good.

Regarding the ancillary work, I think you just have to see how you are feeling. Sometimes that stuff can be more dangerous if you aren't used to doing it and incorporate the exercises on compromised muscles. For me, things like squats probably increase my chances of getting hurt so I avoid them for the most part. And things like lunges are incorporated in very small doses, after an easy run.

Thanks Jake. Great advice. I already took some of it and skipped my 5 mile plan at lunch and did Boot Camp instead. That was a perfect workout for me as it used my legs but I was able to back off without burning out, and I got some upper body and cardio. I think I'll do similar things in the next couple weeks as it feels right. Thanks again.