Breaking the Wall

Sasha,

I've been trying to track down a good marathon prep plan. I've got a lot of time before any planned races but I was wondering if you knew of any good, challenging plans (like the Hal Hidgon's Advance) that maintain Sunday as the rest day. I've been thinking to try his Advance I plan but swap the days a bit.

Anyway, I just wondered if you knew of a good plan that already is written out that I could follow that maintains Sunday as the rest day.

Zac - the best plan is to get out 6 days a week and put in a decent amount of miles on a daily basis gradually increasing as your are ready for it. There is no special plan that will get you there. In my opinion, plans are for Runners World and other similar publications to boost their sales. I do not even bother to subscribe to RW or any other magazine, not worth the money or the time. My neighbor loves to read RW. I keep telling him if he used the time he spends reading RW to actually train, he would qualify for Boston.

For some reason, the simple idea of just get your lazy rear end out and do the work just does not sell. It has to be some magic plan. But if you ask the front pack runners what secret got them there, the answer is inevitably - no secret other than discipline and hard work.

Sasha,

Do you prescribe to any general formulas as far as when to begin more challenging endurance runs and speed work?

Where should your heart rate be for a typical run?

I just want to get a little more educated about some of the general mechanics.

I've never prescribed to a running plan in the past but thought that perhaps it would make a difference. I've always done the best in the past when I've run a steady 50 miles +/- per week and put in a couple 20 milers a few weeks before the race. I just wondered if there was some better way.

Anyway, I appreciate your advice.

Sasha, I hope you don't mind if throw in a comment about this...

Zac, I'll agree with what Sasha wrote and add a little bit to it. I think it's best to understand the principles behind training first, and then develop a personalized training plan based off that. It is good to know what the different kinds of training are (V02Max, MP, LT, easy, long, etc.), why we need them, and approximately how much of each to do. So if I were to get an existing traing plan, I would get one that thoroughly discusses the reasoning behind the training plan. Pfitzinger's "Advanced Marathoning" is a good book to start with that explains running physiology in understandable terms. You could use the information and sample schedules in a book like that to devise your own personal plan that applies the same principles but works within your own schedule and needs.

It is also important to note that everyone is a little different, and there is some element of trial and error before you lock in on the training program that works for you.

Zac - I agree with Paul. Understand the principles of building fitness, and then develop a training plan for yourself from it.

To get to sub-3 hours for you from where you are now, your old method should be sufficient, except maybe I would work towards a higher mileages - 60-70 when you are ready for it. Your problem now is not so much that you lack speed - what you lack is base.

More often than not, the reason for a poor performance in the marathon is not so much that you've chosen a bad plan, but more so because of poor execution. If you cover 60 miles a week in some reasonable manner you will run well.

Paul and Sasha, thanks for the good advice. I've run for years (mostly luke warm though). I just want to step it up a bit and a little more knowledge would be very helpful. I appreciate the direction.