O2max intervals, and speed training. Each of these categories is explained in depth in chapter 7, and the physiology behind the training is explained in chapter 1.
As discussed in chapter 4, sometimes marathoners benefit from running twice a day. This is obviously the case for elites cranking out 130-mile (209 km) weeks, but it isn’t necessary on a regular basis if you’re running 50 to 70 miles (80 to 113 km) per week. In these schedules, doubles are called for only on the occasional recovery day, with a total of 10 miles (16 km) for the day. On these days, your recovery will be enhanced by doing a 6-miler (10 km) and a 4-miler (6 km) rather than putting in one 10-mile (16 km) run. Instead of making you more tired, splitting your mileage like this on easy days will speed your recovery because each run will increase blood flow to your muscles yet take little out of you.
Racing Strategies
We discussed marathon race strategy at length in chapter 6. Part of that discussion centered on running with a group when possible. If you follow one of the schedules in this chapter, you might well be finishing within the top quarter or third of the field in your marathon. That means you’re likely to have runners around you throughout the marathon, especially in a big-city race, but there won’t be so many people in front of you at the start that you’ll spend the first few miles navigating around crowds. Make use of this probable position within the field; once you feel as if you’re running comfortably at your goal pace, look around for other runners who appear able to sustain the pace until the end. Talk to them, ask what their goals are, and try to find others to run with.
During the race, try to find others who appear to be able to sustain your pace until the end and run with them.
In chapter 6, we also discuss the importance of a conservative early pace. Although you’ll be well trained if you follow one of these schedules, you won’t have as large a margin of error as those who have regularly put in 85 miles (137 km) a week or more. If you run intelligently in the early part of the race, then you’ll have runners to pick off regularly in the last 10 miles (16 km) or so because others who are either less prepared or more foolhardy will come back to you.
After the Marathon
The final schedule in this chapter is a 5-week recovery schedule for after the marathon. This is the fifth mesocycle; it completes the training program and leaves you ready to prepare for future challenges.
The recovery schedule is purposely conservative. You have little to gain by rushing back into training, and your risk of injury is exceptionally high at this point, owing to the reduced resiliency of your muscles and connective tissue after the marathon.
The schedule starts with 2 days off from running, which is the bare minimum of time away from running you should allow yourself. If you still have acute soreness or tightness so severe that it will alter your form, or if you just don’t feel like running, certainly feel free to take more than 2 days off. If ever there was a time to lose your marathoner’s mind-set, the week after your goal race is it. Even most of the top runners in the world take days off after a marathon. They know that the nearly negligible benefits of a short run at this time are far outweighed by the risks. Not running now will also increase your chances of being inspired to resume hard training when your body allows it.
Of course, some people don’t consider themselves real runners unless they run pretty much every day of their lives. Plod through a few miles if you must, but be aware that you’re prolonging your recovery.
What better aids recovery during this time is light cross-training, such as swimming or cycling. These activities increase blood flow through your muscles without subjecting them to pounding. Walking will also achieve this in the week after the marathon.
One way to ensure that you don’t run too hard too soon after your marathon is to use a heart rate monitor. As discussed in chapter 3, a heart rate monitor can help prevent you from going too fast on recovery days. During the first few weeks after the marathon, keep your heart rate below 76 percent of your maximal heart rate or 70 percent of your heart rate reserve. Running at this intensity will help your body overcome the stress of the marathon as quickly as possible.
During this 5-week recovery schedule, the number of days of running per week increases from 3 to 5. At the end of the 5 weeks, you should be fully recovered from the marathon and, with a little luck, injury free and mentally fresh.
Mesocycle 1 – Endurance
Mesocycle 2 – Lactate Threshold + Endurance
Mesocycle 3 – Race Preparation
Mesocycle 4 – Taper and Race
Mesocycle 1 – Endurance
Mesocycle 2 – Lactate Threshold + Endurance
Mesocycle 3 – Race Preparation
Mesocycle 4 – Taper and Race
Mesocycle 5 – Recovery
Chapter 10
Marathon Training on 70 to 85 Miles (113 to 137 km) per Week
This chapter is for high-mileage marathoners. It includes two schedules: an 18-week schedule that starts at 65 miles (105 km) per week and a 12-week schedule that starts at 67 miles (108 km) per week. Each of these schedules increases weekly mileage progressively and builds to a peak of 87 miles (140 km).
As discussed in chapter 1, it’s useful to divide your overall training schedule into phases, called mesocycles. The training schedules consist of four mesocycles that focus on endurance, lactate threshold and endurance, race preparation, and tapering, respectively. A final schedule, which contains a 5-week postmarathon recovery program, can follow either of the training schedules.
Of the two training schedules presented in this chapter, we recommend the 18-week schedule for most situations. Eighteen weeks is plenty of time to stimulate the necessary adaptations to improve your marathon performance. At the same time, 18 weeks is short enough that you can focus your efforts without becoming bored with the process.
At times, however, you simply don’t have 18 weeks to prepare for your marathon. The 12-week schedule includes the same mesocycles as the 18-week schedule, but because of the short time for preparation, each of these mesocycles is abbreviated. If you go into a marathon in a rush, you must realize that your preparation won’t be as thorough as if you had longer to prepare. The 12-week schedule takes into account that sometimes circumstances don’t allow you the optimal length of time for preparation and strives to provide a compact yet effective training program.