As I develop my training program, I'm trying to organize my thoughts about the different types of workouts I'll be doing. This is what I've come up with, and is subject to change.
Yasso 800s (or another form of speed training)
Purpose: Develop the ability to run faster, specifically, 8:23 miles it would take to run a 3:40 marathon.
Frequency: Weekly
Tempo Runs
Purpose: Raise my lactate threshold - a point where your endurance drops dramatically when you cross it. you can't run very long at a pace barely faster than the LT when compared to barely slower. weight loss and speedwork will get me to run 8:23 miles - tempo runs get the 8:23 pace below my LT, so I could maintain it for the duration of the marathon.
Frequency: Weekly
Long Runs
Purpose: Prepare my body for the stresses of running longer than 3 hours.
Frequency: Weekly, alternating between very long and moderately long runs
Hill Training
Purpose: Develop strength and power, improve speed
Frequency: once every two weeks
Fartlek Training
Purpose: Moderate speedwork, have the fun variety
Frequency: once every two weeks
Easy Miles
Purpose: Get weekly mileage in on recovery days.
Frequency: 1-3 times per week
Sample week
Monday: 5x800 (yasso) 3-4 miles total
Tuesday: 3 easy miles
Wednesday: 6 mile tempo run
Thursday: 3 mile of hills or fartleks
Friday: 3 easy miles
Saturday: 15 Mile Long Run
Sunday: off
Apr 10, 2007
yasso 800s
A month ago, I was reminded by a podcast of an article I read in runner's world a couple of years ago. The podcast was an interview of Bart Yasso, the namesake of the Yasso 800s - a workout described in the Runner's World article. Essentially, here's how it works - if you want to run a 4-hour, you do ten 800-meter intervals in 4 minutes, followed by 4 minutes of jogging. Apparently, it works for just about any time, and, according to Yasso, for about 95% of the runners he's seen.
So in my case, it will look like this: since I want to run a 3:40:00 marathon, I will run run two laps around a track in 3 minutes 40 seconds - 1:50 for each lap. You're supposed to start out with 4 intervals (4x800) and work your way up by adding one interval each workout until you're at 10x800 - that is, 800 meters in 3:40, followed by 3:40 of jogging, repeat ten times.
So while I have not set up my training schedule yet, I like the simplicity of this training concept, and will likely include it as speedwork.
-steve
So in my case, it will look like this: since I want to run a 3:40:00 marathon, I will run run two laps around a track in 3 minutes 40 seconds - 1:50 for each lap. You're supposed to start out with 4 intervals (4x800) and work your way up by adding one interval each workout until you're at 10x800 - that is, 800 meters in 3:40, followed by 3:40 of jogging, repeat ten times.
So while I have not set up my training schedule yet, I like the simplicity of this training concept, and will likely include it as speedwork.
-steve
Apr 9, 2007
easter gluttony
Had a nice big indulgent meal for easter yesterday.
It was yummy, but it's over now. time to get back on track.
the more I think about "340 to 3:40 in 2007", the more I want to go for it. So screw it, I'm going for it. A 3:40 marathon seems like a dream goal right now, but I know that it won't seem so unattainable this july.
The preperation looks like this: Two stages with a transition period between them - first, the weight loss stage - about 1/3 done. Characterized by light jogging a few days per week and very low calorie intake. In June and July, I'll gradually transition to the training stage - by consuming more calories to support the speedwork and hill training I'll be doing. By the end of July, 16 weeks from Philadelphia, I'll be in a traditional marathon training program.
It was yummy, but it's over now. time to get back on track.
the more I think about "340 to 3:40 in 2007", the more I want to go for it. So screw it, I'm going for it. A 3:40 marathon seems like a dream goal right now, but I know that it won't seem so unattainable this july.
The preperation looks like this: Two stages with a transition period between them - first, the weight loss stage - about 1/3 done. Characterized by light jogging a few days per week and very low calorie intake. In June and July, I'll gradually transition to the training stage - by consuming more calories to support the speedwork and hill training I'll be doing. By the end of July, 16 weeks from Philadelphia, I'll be in a traditional marathon training program.
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