Eddie, I posted this recently on the Marathon training forum. It was my schedule for my marathon PB. The main thing to take out of it was I did virtually no speedwork. So you can be successful without putting all that pressure on your body. Slow is good!
The post (if you didn't see it):
For myself I have found the endurance approach to the marathon the most successful. My marathon days were a long time ago but I did manage to run 2:53 in the Gold Coast Marathon in 1985 after running 3:05 in 1984.
In the 20 weeks before the marathon my training was based on five sessions a week.
Session 1. Long Run or Race. The Long runs were over many varied courses and terrains but always included some hills. My races were all out time trials.
Session 2. 15 K - ranged from 63:00 (4:12m/k) to 57.04 (3:48 m/k).
Session 3. 10 K - ranged from 43:40 (4:20m/k) to 39:00 (3:54m/k). This was quite a hilly 10k course so the effort was a fair bit more than flat 10k.
4. 10k or 15k - generally run 10 to 20 sec/k slower than Session 2 or 3.
5. 10k - generally run 10 to 20 sec/k slower than Session 3.
The only changes to this plan were:
Week 14 to 17, I substituted a Fartlek session for a 10k run. This was generally four or five all out 600 - 800m spurts with jog recovery on the usual 10k course.
Week 16 to 20, I substituted a Hill running session for a 10 k run. This was based on 4 repeats of a all out attack on a 500m hill that took about 2:10 secs.
Week 18 and 19 no long runs and reduced overall Ks so to be as fresh as possible for race.
I never went near a track and never timed any of the small number of speed sessions I did. I believe the 3 hour plus long runs were the training sessions that got me over the line.
There are many different ways, finding the right way for yourself is half the fun.
1 comment:
Eddie, I posted this recently on the Marathon training forum. It was my schedule for my marathon PB. The main thing to take out of it was I did virtually no speedwork. So you can be successful without putting all that pressure on your body. Slow is good!
The post (if you didn't see it):
For myself I have found the endurance approach to the marathon the most successful. My marathon days were a long time ago but I did manage to run 2:53 in the Gold Coast Marathon in 1985 after running 3:05 in 1984.
In the 20 weeks before the marathon my training was based on five sessions a week.
Session 1. Long Run or Race.
The Long runs were over many varied courses and terrains but always included some hills.
My races were all out time trials.
Week Long Run /Race Details
Wk 1 30k 2:22 (4:44m/k)
Wk 2 10k 36:00 (3:36m/k) Race
Wk 3 25k 1:51 (4:26m/k)
Wk 4 25k 1:48 (4:19m/k)
Wk 5 25k 1:54 (4:34m/k)
Wk 6 30k 2:13 (4:26m/k)
Wk 7 30k 2:47 (5:36m/k)
Wk 8 25k 1:38 (3.55m/k) Race
Wk 9 30k 2:52 (5:44m/k)
Wk 10 non running related injury
Wk 11 8k 28:57 (3:37m/k) Race
Wk 12 35k 3:14 (5:33m/k)
Wk 13 20k 1:26 (4.18m/k)
Wk 14 35k 3:10 (5:26m/k)
Wk 15 35k 3:00 (5:09m/k)
Wk 16 30k 2:10 (4:20m/k)
Wk 17 25k 1:34 (3:47m/k) Race
Wk 18 No long Run
Wk 19 No Long Run
Wk 20 Marathon 2:53:45 (4.06m/k).
Session 2. 15 K - ranged from 63:00 (4:12m/k) to 57.04 (3:48 m/k).
Session 3. 10 K - ranged from 43:40 (4:20m/k) to 39:00 (3:54m/k).
This was quite a hilly 10k course so the effort was a fair bit more than flat 10k.
4. 10k or 15k - generally run 10 to 20 sec/k slower than Session 2 or 3.
5. 10k - generally run 10 to 20 sec/k slower than Session 3.
The only changes to this plan were:
Week 14 to 17, I substituted a Fartlek session for a 10k run. This was generally four or five all out 600 - 800m spurts with jog recovery on the usual 10k course.
Week 16 to 20, I substituted a Hill running session for a 10 k run. This was based on 4 repeats of a all out attack on a 500m hill that took about 2:10 secs.
Week 18 and 19 no long runs and reduced overall Ks so to be as fresh as possible for race.
I never went near a track and never timed any of the small number of speed sessions I did. I believe the 3 hour plus long runs were the training sessions that got me over the line.
There are many different ways, finding the right way for yourself is half the fun.
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