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Fine tuning my marathon training plan (Read 421 times)

vegefrog


    I need help with my marathon plan. 

     

    I have been perusing all the training threads and reading about LT and vVO2 and glycogen stores so much my head is about to explode.

     

    I recently ran a 3:51 marathon. It was fairly easy, my last 2 miles were @ 7:45 pace, and I could have run a few more miles easily. No wall, no issues. No injuries and after 72 hours I couldn't even tell I had run.  I am fairly confident that I can drop my time if I'm willing to race a little harder (hurt) and do some smart training.

     

    I have another marathon in 10 weeks. I have taken this week off entirely from running, just to let everything heal and rest. I will start my next training plan on Monday. It is basically the same plan I used for my last marathon, with the addition of a speed work day. This is where I need the help. WHAT type of speed work should I do? I'm trying to keep it simple and do the same thing each week. I think the consistency of knowing what I have to do each day, ie. Tuesday is interval, Thursday is tempo, will help me stay focused. As it is now I have what I THINK is a vVO2 type interval workout. This is what I'm aiming for, just not sure if I have it all straight.

     

    Can you tell me which day I should add form drills/strides? I was thinking I would do these on an easy day?

     

    Maybe I have it all wrong? Maybe I shouldn't add the speed work, just more miles?

     

    Can some of you running guru's please take a look at my plan (NOLA RnR) and see what you think?

     

    If I drop 11 minutes I will qualify for Boston Smile That's my goal, I think it's within my realm of possibility. I just need some smart running and to accept the idea that it might not feel quite as lovely as the Kiawah Marathon I ran this past weekend, LOL. 

     

    Thanks in advance.


    Feeling the growl again

      A quick look at your log shows you run intervals but do no tempo work?  Tempo is more important for the marathon than intervals, if you have to choose one it would be tempo.  If you are going to add something, it should be tempo.

       

      When you say "keep it simple and do the same thing every week", I hope you mean run the same workout types on the same days, not do the same exact workout every week.  When I followed a defined schedule every Tuesday was intervals and every Thursday tempo....but the actual workouts varied considerably.

       

      You don't want to run, say, a 4 mile tempo every Thursday.  You would want to vary the distance and experience different paces.

      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

       

      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

       

        Spend twenty dollars on the Hansons Marathon Method book and follow their advanced plan. The employ exactly what Spaniel said he does for marathon training (he may use Hanson, I don't know), intevals on Tuesday and tempo on Thursday. They specify different workouts weekly for each of those and your head will not explode.

         

        The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff

         

        2014 Goals:

         

        Stay healthy

        Enjoy life

         

          Maybe not race as much? A quick glance at your recent history shows about 8 races last two months before the marathon.  Not sure how hard you ran those, but more than 2 races a month would probably take away from your other workouts?  and with a 21:37 recent 5K, I don't think you need any more intervals, but more longer MP/tempo runs?

          meaghansketch


            IMO as far as speedwork it's important to have a progression in your training.  I do see a progression with your MP runs but no progression in your intervals.  You can vary distance, recovery time, speed, number of intervals-- so you're going from 4x800 to 6x800 to 8x800, for example; or going from 6x800 to 5x1000 to 4x1200.  I am also not a fan of the 'run #5 as fast as you can'.  I think it's too much injury risk for the (questionable) benefit.

              Seems like your key workout days are Wed and either Sat or Sun. That makes it easy. Something like:

               

              Mon - 4 easy / recovery

              Tue - 6 easy with strides / drills

              Wed - 10-13 including tempo, MP, long intervals with short recoveries, or long hills

              Thu - 4 easy recovery

              Fri - 6-7 easy with strides / drills

              Sat - 7 easy

              Sun - 16-20 long run (occasionally with a fast finish)

               

              Total: 53-61 mles

               

              Boom goes the BQ.

               

              I agree with those who have said gear your workouts toward Tempo and/or MP work versus VO2max type intervals.

              Runners run

              vegefrog


                Thanks! I will take that all in and digest it Smile

                vegefrog


                  Spend twenty dollars on the Hansons Marathon Method book and follow their advanced plan. The employ exactly what Spaniel said he does for marathon training (he may use Hanson, I don't know), intevals on Tuesday and tempo on Thursday. They specify different workouts weekly for each of those and your head will not explode.

                   

                  It's on sale at B&N for $13 right now Smile Ordered and on it's way!!!