insensible
05-05-2006, 07:12 AM
Training for the marathon should be a 14-day cycle which avoids boredom:
Day 1 - Build up to running for 2½ hours, speed is irrelevant, time on the feet is the main point of this session.
Day 2 – Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 3 - Variable pace session on the track totalling 10km.
Day 4 - Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 5 - Build up to running 18 miles at target marathon speed.
Day 6 - rest.
Day 7 - 10km pace session. Either 6 x 1 mile or 3 x 2 miles with 45 and 90 secs recovery respectively at best 10km speed or faster.
Day 8 - Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 9 - Repeat Day 1.
Day 10 - Recovery run 35 minutes.
Day 11 - Repeat Day 5.
Day 12 - Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 13 - 5km pace session. Either 8 x 800 or 6 x 1 km at best 5km speed or faster with 45 and 60secs rest respectively.
Day 14 - Rest.
The maximum mileage involved, excluding warm up runs, is around 64 miles a week.
For 48 hours before the race, do no training at all, but a 15 minute jog on both days is OK. Consume low glycemic carbs up to 600g daily. For the final 24 hours before the race increase water intake by 1 pint an hour but stop 30 minutes before the start. Costill found that before the Boston marathon, many marathoners had miniscule muscle cell damage, which was worse after the race. The 35-minute recovery runs will prevent this in your training cycle.
During the race, concentrate on reaching the first mile and 10km bang on time. A marathon should be apportioned 51 per cent of the target time for the first half and 49 per cent for the second. For example if your target is 7mins/mile, reach the 15 miles mark in 1:34:00, the next 13 miles will be in 1:29:30secs. If you reverse this scheduling, be prepared to "die" in the last mile!
Day 1 - Build up to running for 2½ hours, speed is irrelevant, time on the feet is the main point of this session.
Day 2 – Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 3 - Variable pace session on the track totalling 10km.
Day 4 - Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 5 - Build up to running 18 miles at target marathon speed.
Day 6 - rest.
Day 7 - 10km pace session. Either 6 x 1 mile or 3 x 2 miles with 45 and 90 secs recovery respectively at best 10km speed or faster.
Day 8 - Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 9 - Repeat Day 1.
Day 10 - Recovery run 35 minutes.
Day 11 - Repeat Day 5.
Day 12 - Recovery run of 35 minutes.
Day 13 - 5km pace session. Either 8 x 800 or 6 x 1 km at best 5km speed or faster with 45 and 60secs rest respectively.
Day 14 - Rest.
The maximum mileage involved, excluding warm up runs, is around 64 miles a week.
For 48 hours before the race, do no training at all, but a 15 minute jog on both days is OK. Consume low glycemic carbs up to 600g daily. For the final 24 hours before the race increase water intake by 1 pint an hour but stop 30 minutes before the start. Costill found that before the Boston marathon, many marathoners had miniscule muscle cell damage, which was worse after the race. The 35-minute recovery runs will prevent this in your training cycle.
During the race, concentrate on reaching the first mile and 10km bang on time. A marathon should be apportioned 51 per cent of the target time for the first half and 49 per cent for the second. For example if your target is 7mins/mile, reach the 15 miles mark in 1:34:00, the next 13 miles will be in 1:29:30secs. If you reverse this scheduling, be prepared to "die" in the last mile!