@Declanb Marathon Training Plan
I'll start by saying this is a custom training plan specifically designed for
@Declanb's needs, abilities, and goals.
This is a first attempt. If you see something you don't like let me know. A training plan is only as good as how willing you are to do it. So if you don't like something, I want to change it because I want you to maximize getting better.
I tried to incorporate the following:
4 days per week, max of 60 min on Tues/Wed, max of 120 min on Thurs, and max of 150 min on weekend. Accommodate the RnR HM at the end of the schedule as well as your holiday week.
This is a long plan between now and August, so I anticipate we'll make changes along the way. Paces up or down, switching up days and such. What we need to see is how your body reacts and adapts to the training as designed. So the more feedback you can give me the sooner we can pivot if necessary. We need to be very cognizant of any "feelings" that go awry because they could be early signs that something is amiss. Primarily, I try and stick to 35% or less for the longest run of the week as the % total of the weekly mileage. But on a 4 day a week plan, it can be tough but doable. So let's listen to the signs your body gives you so that we can make changes if you're noticing an issue.
Training Plan
Alright, here is my training plan for you. I am always open to changes as this is my first attempt. Please let me know if you feel it is too much or too little (either in pacing, time, mileage, days of the week, etc.) Now for my explanations.
My philosophy on developing a training plan is based on these principles:
1) Keep an 80% Easy / 20% Hard split.
2) Have the longest run in a week not exceed 35%. Ideally, this is closer to 25%, but the number of days or time spent training really dictates the ability to stick to this.
3) Never exceed 2:30 hours in a training run.
4) Use Arthur Lydiard method of specialization.
I based the plan on your recent half marathon.
So, some logistics.
How to read the schedule
The "Pacing Code" describes all of the different paces used for different types of runs. The dates are written with Monday-Sunday. The codes next to the listed days correlate with the pacing code. The prescribed training for the day appears underneath the "Sunday date". If it just says 4 mi, then do 4 miles at the prescribed pace. The easy/hard columns are the separation of types of workouts to help visualize the balance in the plan. The % easy/hard are represented near the end of the line.
The yellow boxes represent the total mileage for the week. The red number represents the % of the longest run of the week relative to the total mileage completed.
Red runs - These are blinded runs. You are to only use your watch/treadmill as a guide to new intervals or distance completed. However, you may not use the watch as a means to pace yourself. Your goal on these days is to try and match the effort needed to run this pace. These are important excercises to teach your body to become more intune with your internal GPS. So during non-blind days always be cognizant of memorizing what the effort feels like. What does EA feel like? What does EB feel like? Over time you'll build a data bank of memories from which you can draw on for these blind running days. The end results of the blind runs are neither inherently good or bad but an assessment of your internal GPS. For a treadmill blind run, try covering the treadmill console with a towel and pushing up and down on the pace based on feeling (if possible). Ideally, blind runs are done outside to get the "feeling" of effort.
Green runs - These are nutrition strategy runs. These are the only runs that you should take in any carb source. If the run is warm/hot you are allowed to take in (and suggested to do so) electrolytes. But keep the carbs to only the runs in green. Taking in any carbs when the training run is less than 90 minutes is a dampener of adaptations because it doesn't teach your body to run on fat. However, runs longer than 90 minutes require carbs because you start to increase necessary recovery time the more you starve the muscles.
The description is the key box telling you exactly what you should do on a given day.
Pacing
The pacing prescribed is solid. As an example, If I said to run 8 km @ Long Run, then the goal is to run each individual km at 5:43. If you were to start this workout and the 1st LR km was completed in 6:03, the goal is to run the 2nd in 5:43. We don't want to sacrifice the 2nd km to make the average 5:43 (i.e. don't run 5:23 to make up for the 6:03). I give myself a +/- 10 second window on all non-interval workouts and +/- 5 seconds on interval workouts, however since we're working in km I'd imagine you'd want to tighten this window down to +/- 5 seconds and +/- 3 seconds. I also give myself a +30 second buffer on the first post-WU interval (since km maybe 15-20 seconds instead). I view each interval/km as a mini-goal. Can I run this km in 5:43? Can I run this km in 4:59? If I'm too fast it's a failed goal. If I'm too slow I can live with it, but I missed the mark on the workout. Doing every workout at the prescribed paces maximizes the benefits received.
I tend to pay attention more to "lap pace" than "instantaneous pace". Because your pace smoothed out over 800m is more accurate than an immediate assessment on pace (instantaneous) which is based on satellites really really fat away.
Something to keep in mind with the "easy" days. They should be EASY. They should almost never require that much effort. It is NOT a failure to run these 30-40-60 seconds slower if that feels right. Take easy days easy no matter the pace. Just don't let easy days get too fast because then they won't be easy anymore.
One thing I like to track is Temperature + Dew point. I find this to be a useful tool in assessing the weather conditions and whether I need to adjust my scheduled paces. I use the following chart:
http://maximumperformancerunning.blogspot.com/2013/07/temperature-dew-point.html
Why each workout
Strength runs should be around your lactate threshold (possibly slightly slower). They are longer distance intervals and thus we give a slightly longer resting interval to account for this.
Long Run teaches you to go the distance and what the end of the race should feel like.
Strides are short bursts of speed that last no more than 10 seconds. They shouldn't be a sudden burst, but rather a controlled increase in speed (3 sec), maintain (4-5 sec), and then controlled decrease (3 sec). Do no less than 30 seconds of continuing the easy run until doing the next stride. The strides should be saved until the last mile of the easy day, or after the easy day is over and post a short stretch (I prefer within my easy run). I didn't assign any of these, but you are welcome to do them if you like (either Mon or Fri)
Memorize the effort needed to complete each run. When weather dictates that the run needs to be slower, then continue to run at the effort equivalent to a different day that had good weather. This may mean that what was suppose to be 5:43 becomes 6:03. That's ok, because effort based running trumps paced based running. However, if you're feeling good and the weather is great doesn't give you the liberty to run faster. If prescribed 5:43, but equivalent effort feels like 5:10, run 5:43 and pull back.
As time progresses, we can re-evaluate your paces. But as we start out let's try these first. If you give the appropriate performance related indicators, then we'll make changes.
Important Techniques
One of the most important aspects of running long distance races is your running form.
Foot strike - The general recommendation is to have about 180 steps per minute or more. To have this many steps per minute, it forces you to take smaller, shorter strides and quicker foot movements. You can measure this with a phone app metronome or have someone watch you run and count. Many Garmins can measures this. Foot strike during the easy running (LR or EA) is still important for reducing injury risk by making sure it is light-footed. Don't force this too much. Gradually over time find your happy place for cadence with a nice quick stride. Having your foot fall underneath your torso is the most important part because overstriding tends to lead to injuries.
Breathing - Ultra important during long distance racing. The body needs the maximum amount of oxygen you can deliver during long distance running. During all of your runs try to breath in a 1 in + 1 in + 2 out pattern (i.e. in on left foot, in on right foot, out on left/right foot). In addition, these breaths in should be from as deep in your lungs as you can. Relax your stomach and this will allow for deeper breathing. You can also try a 1 + 1 + 3 pattern if you find yourself with injuries developing only on one side of your body as this might be related to extra force during exhaling/inhaling. I highly recommend forcing this breathing technique on easy days so that it becomes natural.
Shoulders - Try this right now. Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart. Interlock your fingers in front of your body and turn your hands so that you see the top of your hands. Lock your elbows, and slowly swing your arms in front of you until they are now above your head. Memorize how your shoulders/chest feel. Now release your interlocked fingers, but try to not move your chest or shoulders. This is your proper upper body running form. It may seem awkward now, but over time it will feel normal.
Arms - Arms should stay tight to the body with your hands closed but relaxed.
Eyesight - Keep your eyes up. Your eyes should stay at eye level or higher. As your eyesight drops to look at your feet you reduce your lung capacity by as much as 30%. Since oxygen is so important to running, this decrease in oxygen can have a large effect on finishing time. I find this to be the biggest culprit when people say breathing is holding them back. Try to think of your jaw as jelly.
The warm-ups are key for anything faster than "long run" pace which includes Strength and Tempo. Essentially, there are two main pathways for the body to use oxygen to produce energy. The aerobic pathway is mostly used in slower running. The closer you get to the point where it becomes harder to breathe (Ventilatory Threshold) the more you use the anaerobic pathway. The aerobic pathway is more efficient and faster at creating energy, whereas the body uses anaerobic when the aerobic can't keep up (because you're going too fast).
The most interesting part between the aerobic and anaerobic pathway is that even though the aerobic is used mostly during slow running it takes about 6 minutes of running before it can be used. This means for the first 6 minutes we're stuck with the slow, inefficient anaerobic pathway. So if you don't do a warm-up, and you're running faster than "long run" pace you push the anaerobic pathway too hard. This creates a deficit in energy within the first 6 minutes that becomes harder to overcome. As this deficit starts to catch up with you in later miles, it causes our running form to suffer. When we get closer to your first race we'll talk about a detailed warm-up routine done prior to the race which is extra important in races.
So for you, the EA, EB, and Long Run paces can all be started without doing any type of slow jog warm-up. I do dynamic stretching before all of my workouts and static stretching after my workouts. However, I don't like to make recommendations on stretching because the research I have read is that you're more likely to get hurt changing your stretching routine than if you did nothing/stayed the same.
Fueling
We can do some calculations based on your VO2max (either from Garmin or resting HR) to estimate your carb needs. It's based on Hansons and Rapport's
paper.
Diet
My philosophy follows that of a European style. Eat more at Breakfast and Lunch, whereas Dinner should be a lighter meal. Another key for endurance athletes is making sure we're eating enough food in general and enough protein. Protein is the building block of the muscle. Without a good source of protein in your diet, you might as well not be training at all. After sustained training in a depleted protein state the leg muscles will just start starving and breaking down. For me, I prefer eggs and chicken as my primary source of protein. They are both high in bioavailable protein (eggs higher than chicken) while being relatively low in fat.
My other philosophy on diet is to try and make smart choices. When choosing between a natural item and a processed store item, it's best to choose natural. I used to eat sliced turkey deli meat (it was still good but not great). Now I put a couple of chicken breasts in a crock pot with broth once per week and leave it cooking all day. Then I remove the chicken, shred it, and wa-laa I've got healthier lunch meat made with little effort and in about half the price.
Lastly, I used to use chocolate milk after every run (8-16 oz milk with Nesquik powder). You can use commercial products instead of chocolate milk, but it gets expensive. And if something is only slightly better (commercial is better than milk), then it isn't worth nearly double the price. A carb protein ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 has been shown to decrease recovery time and rebuild muscle faster than nothing. I consume my chocolate milk within 15 minutes of finishing the run. In addition, I attempt to get a full meal within 90 minutes of finishing the run. If you consistently do the chocolate milk (or FairLife) and full meals within time, then you will see massive gains to your ability to recover between workouts and ability to store more energy in your leg muscles. I'm currently using a commercial product to try and reduce my sugar intake (jury is still out on it).
What can I expect?
A training plan is a fluid process. The more you keep me in the loop the more I can help you. The gains you make will be dependent on how well you can stick to the plan. Making adjustments is not a bad thing. If we have to shift the paces up/down, or the duration up/down it's not a sign of failure. It's a sign that we missed the mark on the plan. The number one thing to watch in your training is you should always feel like at the end of every workout you could have done "one more". That's one more mile or one more interval. This plan should not push you so hard you can't finish a day's workout, or start to see a "fade" at the end of a workout. If you see this let me know. We can always make changes.
Alright, that's all I can think of at the moment. Let me know what you think about the training plan and my ideas.
Billy
I'm doing a happy dance for you!!
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