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Author Topic: Getting Faster  (Read 8329 times)
Run4MS
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« on: June 29, 2011, 12:10:12 pm »

I am fairly new to the running community and have been running for the past 4 years and just finished the Grandma's Marathon on June 18th.  I ran it in 2:39:18 which is a hugh PR for me considering my other marathon times:

Chicago 08' (4:24)
Green Bay 09' (3:05)
Boston 2010 (2:54)
Grandma's 2011 (2:39)

I get my motivation to just be the best runner/person that I can be and I run for my family and for the awareness of MS.

I was wondering if anyone would have any advice on what I should do to keep getting faster and hopefully one day run as fast as some of the local elites!!!  I think I have a somewhat decent endurance base but not real good speed base.  I don't really know a lot about training as my training programs are just me putting in a recent 5k time into the RunnersWorld "SmartCoach" and just do that, which is running 6 days a week, 1 speed or temp day, and long run on sunday.  I am still pretty lost with training as I did not run in High School or college.  I have been reading a ton of your blog posts, but I don't know enough as to what to do.

I would appreciate any thoughts or advice.

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Joe Furse
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« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2011, 02:42:40 pm »

Hi, and welcome to the Blog!  And nice job on the PR!  That's a solid time.

Seeing that you've only been on the blog for a couple of days and so we can't see much of a history on your training, I can't say a whole lot, but here are a couple of things.

1) If you want to increase your speed in the marathon, once you have solid base mileage, I'd highly recommend trying the suggestions in this thread: 

http://fastrunningblog.com/forum/index.php/topic,1076.0.html

2)  I'm sure you're figuring this out, seeing that you're getting into the sub-2:40 realm and seeing some big PRs (you're obviously doing something right!), but the best way to be a better runner is to run.  I pretty much tell this to everyone that asks.  Again, I can't see much of a history on your training, but in general I'll say I'm a big fan of just running...consistently.  I'm still working at getting better and more consistent myself.  Other activities can be helpful in some ways, but should not replace running or prevent you from getting out and grinding out the miles (unless there's a special circumstance like an injury).  Running doesn't have to be fast all the time.  You'll get faster just by spending the time on your feet running, along with your marathon specific training (see the above thread).  You don't need much in the way of fancy training plans, supplements, diets, special exercises, lifting, or anything like that.  The key is to consistently get the miles in, and then to target a portion of those miles to preparing for the demands of the marathon.

That's my two bits.  Hopefully that helps!
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Run4MS
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« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2011, 03:42:52 pm »

Awesome! Thank you so much for your input. I will look over the article and just make sure that I put in the miles and time on my feet.  I appreciate it!!!
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Jon Allen
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« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2011, 08:08:37 pm »

Yes, Joe is dead on.  Miles, miles, miles.  Consistency.  And Big Workouts.  And, make sure your easy days are EASY, EASY, EASY.  Looks like you've got a ton of potential. 

And if you want some better reading than Runners World, the best book I recommend is Advanced Marathoning, by Pete Pfitzinger.  Great book with lots of info for marathoners.
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Run4MS
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« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2011, 09:15:13 pm »

Yes, Joe is dead on.  Miles, miles, miles.  Consistency.  And Big Workouts.  And, make sure your easy days are EASY, EASY, EASY.  Looks like you've got a ton of potential. 

And if you want some better reading than Runners World, the best book I recommend is Advanced Marathoning, by Pete Pfitzinger.  Great book with lots of info for marathoners.

I actually bought those books a little while ago and due to my inexperience of more in-depth training routines, I struggle to sometimes follow the workouts.  I feel like I'm a little out of my league with that stuff...it's for more advanced runners it seems.
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