Post marathon, how long until quality runs?

I guess I'm back in the swing, following Portland on 10/9. Took 2 weeks off, and am slowly getting back into it. I actually had a pretty good run on SAT, so that's exciting.

How long do you take to get back into quality runs, especially if you need to get back into a cycle pretty quickly for another race (mine is in early March).

I reverse taper. Three weeks in, three weeks out, first tentative "quality" workout is usually during the 4th week. Something like a GA-down-to-tempo run, 20-30 minutes + warm up and cool down.

EDIT: I've tried to do some before that, generally on the bike to reduce the possibility of a connective-tissue injury... And my legs/body have let me know when it wasn't the right time yet. Instant fatigue at the slightest hint of effort is a pretty sure sign you need to back off for a little longer.

Usually about a month, but this is highly dependent on all sorts of factors from training to race day weather to the course itself. Just listen to your body, Jack and don't overdo.

I reverse taper as well. But, sometimes I'm a bit burned out mentally and don't to want to crank out the miles until the next cycle actually comes along and therefore I end up averaging about 75% of my normal distance for a few months, so this actually helps in the long-term recovery.

While it all depends on what is next, I think 3-4 before really getting back to hard efforts is a good rule of thumb. I actually think Hal's post-marathon programs may be his best. They do a really nice job of gradually easing back into harder paces and long runs.

Everyone is different in what they can handle but I don't push it until 3-4 weeks post race effort typically as well. That is when I start to feel right again it seems.

I'm two weeks out from my last marathon and still feel really beat up. So my guess is 3-4 weeks as others are saying. If you didn't really push yourself in the marathon, then you should be able to run faster sooner.