Marathon Plan
I sat down with Nick last week to sort out my training up until London and now I have the framework all planned out right until April 25th!
The sturcuture is largely similar to the build up to Florence - my mileage isn't massively higher - 110-115 is around the maximum but there are some small changes and adaptations:
1. I said I believed that the 90mins+ runs with maratahon pace/tempo included were the runs that gave me confidence and made me feel most ready for a marathon.
2. I felt that it made sense that the 2 hour sunday run shouldn't be my only run over an hour throughout the week. So Wednesdays are 90mins ish occasionally and Thursdays are 70-90 with harder efforts included.
3. I'm keeping the Ladywell Tuesday sessions as they break the week up for me to train with others and I can incorporate marathon stuff around the sessions.
4. I find it easier to do extended marathon pace sessions when I'm in a race - it's just easier to hold back in a race than it is to run hard on your own o a Sunday! So have included this in my build up.
5. Vary the pace of my steady runs - easy morning runs at 6.30ish miling, with the 2nd run more like 6.00 miling so not all my runs are 6/30miling or 5.20 with nothing in between!
This is the essence of it really. The rough 'typical week' is as follows:
Sunday - 2hours with last 30 at mara pace
Monday - 2 x 50mins
Tuesday - Easy 40mins and 8 x 1k with tempo either side
Wednesday - 80mins steady
Thursday - 90mins with last 45 at mara pace
Friday - 50mins
Saturday - Hills and tempo
Am also getting a blood test to check iron levels and have the Algarve sorted to train with Tom Payn for 18 days so am expecting big things!
Ben
Comments On "Marathon Plan"
Hi Mark!
Ben Posted on February 14th, 2010I will probably do 5 or 6 long runs up to 20+ with marathon pace before London, with also 5 or 6 extended (40mins +) tempo run in a 90minute run. It's the stuff that makes you good, definitely!
That canal bit is very annoying yes. GRRR! We should probably meet up now and then for some runs - I get pretty bored and some company may be good! I think if you register on the forum, Simon can pass you my email, if you don't want to post it here.
Ben,
mark Posted on February 8th, 2010Thanks for posting your training plan for London. I'm interested to see the large amount of marathon pace/tempo work you do. I also favour these sessions. How many 20+ mile runs will you do in the build up?
I also train along the Islington/Victoria Park section of the canal and sometimes see you out. I'm annoyed that they have closed off the part near the park until end March, diverting onto the roads breaks up the tempo runs.
Good luck in the London build-up. I will also be on the start line but expect to be 10-12 min behind you at the finish.
Oh yeh, I enjoyed the documentary.
Cheers,
Mark