What is the minimum marathon training mileage.
By
David Holt
of
David Holt
What is the minimum marathon training mileage on which you can run the marathon. Zero I've
seen
it done. However, most
runners have more sense. While I
think it's better to get several years training background before you attempt
marathon running, provided you. ve done 3-5 miles for several
months, most active people can complete 26.2 miles. But
this is not good for Marathon Racing. It
only takes 20-25 miles a week to be able to run-walk a marathon.
The marathon won't be fast; but the marathon doesn't have to be ugly; and, you can have
fun. While I'm not keen on minimalist training, this section should help
you run a marathon with only modest injury risk. The
key ingredient is the long training run at close to marathon pace.
Multiply
your 10 k race time by five (higher mileage people can use
4.6, but you. ll be taking walk breaks.) and divide by 26.2 to get
your run pace. A 50 minute 10 k (eight min miles) gives 250 minutes,
or about nine and a half minute miles. Starting with your 40 minute run
in week one, add five minutes, or half a mile on every odd numbered
week in your build-up, until you get to 10 miles or 100 minutes of con?
tinuous running.
* Odd numbered weeks
Day one...Run at marathon target pace. It will take 12 increases over
24 weeks to reach 100 minutes of running.
Day two...walk a mile, run two, walk a mile. In the early weeks, this
can remain a thirty minute run, like in 10K training. As your
day one run increases, however, you will probably want to cut back.
Day three...rest
Day four...Alternate long reps and a tempo run. This is anaerobic
threshold. 15 K race pace or 10-20 seconds slower than 10 k pace. or
80-92 percent of your maximum heartrate. Keep running those two to
three miles of fast training.
Day five...repeat day two
Day six...run fartlek, or 100s, or 200s. Keep good running form. Fast running improves
your oxygen uptake system or VO2 max.
Day seven...rest
Mileage is 20-25 for these weeks and sets you up nicely for the first day
of marathon training in each even numbered week.
* Even weeks
Day one...Run-walk starting with 60 minutes. Add ten minutes each
time to give you three hours after the 24 weeks. The running should be
a half to a minute per mile slower than marathon target pace. Run fifteen minutes at this pace, then walk at relaxed tempo for five. Practice
taking in liquids with a little carbohydrate.
Days two-four...restive, but do 20 minutes of exercise two days,
including a two mile run.
Day five....
A--Once a month run hill repeats, but slowly. If you prefer,
run reps through mud. But do run this strength session. You need all the
anatomical benefits which resistance training will give you. Running six to eight long hill reps are better than short ones.
B--The even number weeks when you don. t run hills, run intervals on the track. Sorry, did I say this was a minimalist marathon training schedule! Try running these sessions:
six 400s; five 600s; eight 400s; four 800s; eight 400s;
six 600s; at 5 k pace or 10-15 seconds per mile faster (VO2 max pace).
Take the same distance as rest; jog it.
This is clearly a vital day's training; you. ve had three rest days...so
make the most of it, but don. t run faster than two mile pace. VO2 max
training opens up your lungs--you breath deeper. You open pathways
and stimulate red blood cell and mitochondria production. You'll
improve form...if you think about it.
Day six...walk one, run two, walk one
Day seven...rest
* Resting up
The last walk-run pre-marathon should be an hour less
than your longest. Two times one mile at marathon pace should be the only
speed session in the last seven days.
Everything is
geared toward the long runs which build aerobic base to enable you to complete the
marathon. Speed sessions give the benefits of every
type of training
which international class runners use. You. ll be able to
run the marathon after six months. Hopefully, you'll run a few 10 Ks and
a half-marathon in the build-up. You can also stay at week 25 level for
some time. The longer you remain training at week 24-25's level, by repeating
it several times; the more you do
on your easy days --the more likely you will be
able to run most of
the race at mara? thon target pace with minimal walks. Resting up
may allow you to run for 30 minutes at a time with a five
minute walk break. If you sense you're approaching poop-dom, settle back to 20 or 15 running and five minutes walk.
Once every two weeks, run a session on a resisting surface.
Hill, mud or sand running can be run at Cruise Interval Threshold pace or at VO2 max pace.
Run short efforts and long ones.
Run long reps at threshold AND at VO2 max pace.
Running anaerobic threshold...your recoveries will be short.
With VO2 max, recoveries are long.
