Marathon Specific Speed Work and Hills (Read 149 times)

What type of intervals should one be doing for Marathon training? 400s, 800s, 1200s, 1600s?. As well if we are just running up and down a hill, how many times should we go up and down? For example if we are planning a 6 mile run, do we do 3 miles of just up and down the hill, and then follow that with 3 miles of an easy run. Thanks

if you are asking for specific w/o's then you can ask 100 experienced runners & get 100 different specific wo's.    This could  make it a very difficult & confusing decision on what is best for you.  I would agree with xchristopher to consider finding a preset plan.  If you do the wo's or at least come close you will most likely show improvement & learn enough about yourself to come up with your own training plan next time around.  re: your example.  you could warmup  1 1/2   miles, run 3 miles of "hills"   &   1 1/2  miles  easier flat.    Where I live I can run 6 miles  of gently rolling  with a couple "hills"  right out my door.  I try to maintain same pace throughtout the run.

I usually treat hill workouts similar to intervals as to durations and recoveries. Short (10-sec neighborhood) intervals / hills usually emphasize power, leg strengthening, and usually use full recoveries. These are sometimes classified as alactic workouts and can be done most anytime. I generally emphasize them after snowy winter (without crisp speed work) and getting close to races. I generally do 3-10 of these, but could be more. Being older female, I like these for any distance (including 24 hr) since they slow deterioration of many things that give way with age - at least they seem like they should.

Longer hills / intervals (say 1 min, or 3-5min) use more of other energy systems and generally don't recover as much between reps. I might do 2-5 of these.

I might run up a medium hill, then do either or both of these or something in between on the way down. (crib steps - 26 sec, trail - 1-3min). And rolling hills can just be run at any effort or as fartleks - hard up/easy down or easy up / hard down if they aren't too steep.

Obviously, how many you do depends on the size of hill. 10 sec, 5 min, 30 min, 1 hr (tempo / LT).

I use time for most things since that's the physiological response basis, and I tend to be older, slower, and on trails for most of my runs. For instance, when something is suggested as a 400-m interval, a 200-m interval is probably closer to the duration for the desired training effect.

Spaniel posted something a few years ago on the various types of intervals and what they're good for.

Might search and read the threads on Pfitz and Hansons programs (there was an excellent one started by bhearn a couple years back).  for the most part, instead of speed hills, focus on more tempo work (~1x per week max), marathon pace runs and long runs with fast finishes, at least until you get close to the race and want to sharpen.  for hills my personal strategy is to try to find some good hills to hit on the long runs (and tempos), as many up and downs as you can manage.

also there are a number of coaches/authors (Brad Hudson comes to mind) that advocate hills 1x a week as strength training, but its short bursts as a strength day in an otherwise balanced week.

looking at your log and last marathon, i'd suggest the biggest bump you'd probably get is out of more miles.  you have all summer to build up if you can put in the time.

for more advice, i'd highly recommend the Pfitzinger book "Advanced Marathoning", even if you dont consider yourself advanced its a really nice, easy read which teaches how to set a balanced training program, and work in speed work into a training plan.  (theres a good training plan that peaks at 55mi/wk which you might consider)

 

also there are a number of coaches/authors (Brad Hudson comes to mind) that advocate hills 1x a week as strength training, but its short bursts as a strength day in an otherwise balanced week.

 

 

Doesn't Brad Hudson advocate those short hill bursts right from the beginning of his training plans? One of the differences compared to most of the other coaches, who usually recommend those types w'o's towards the middle or end of the training cycle?

ckerr:  I can relate (as well as many others can too) about managing any type of training around busy work schedules.   My work schedule bounces aroung all over the place & its been extra stressful last few weeks (for # of reasons).  I'm been able to get a few decent training runs (decent for me) in but not totally what I would need to  really challenge any PR'S or close.  maybe about 60% of desired mileage/effort during week.   have a major yard project thats taking up alot of time/effort.  get out & do what you can & be ready to adjust your goals/plans as far as what times/distances of races.

You are correct that you should focus on building on the miles/consistency 1st so you have a stronger base to add the extra stuff.