Marathon Training Plan

Transcription

1 Marathon Training Plan [3:40 Finishing Time] 8:22 Pace Important Reminders: Before you start this schedule you should have built a solid running base of running 3-5 miles at a time at least 3 times a week for 6-12 months. This plan assumes that you are in good health and have medical clearance to begin. Check with your doctor before beginning your marathon training. Always allow proper time for training and do not skip any weeks. Remember, you can t cram for a half marathon. If you have never run a marathon before this is not the best time to set a time goal. MTA s beginner marathon training plan might be your best choice. You have what it takes to run a marathon and change your life! Week Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Total 1 Rest 6 easy XT 6 MR (@7:52) 4 easy XT/Rest 10@9: Rest 6 easy XT 6 tempo (@8:02) 4 easy XT/Rest 12@9: Rest 5 easy XT 6 hills 4 easy XT/Rest 14@9: Rest 6 easy XT 6 (Yasso 6 sets) 4 easy XT/Rest 12@9: Rest 6 easy XT 6 hills 4 easy XT/Rest 16@9: Rest 6 easy XT 6 MR (@7:47) 4 easy XT/Rest 14@8: Rest 5 easy XT 5 tempo (@7:57) 5 easy XT/Rest 18@9: Rest 5 easy XT 5 hills 5 easy XT/Rest 20@9: Rest 6 easy XT 7 (Yasso 8 sets) 4 easy XT/Rest 12@8: Rest 5 easy XT 6 MR (@7:42) 4 easy XT/Rest 18@8: Rest 6 easy XT 6 hills 4 easy XT/Rest 20@9: Rest 6 easy XT 6 tempo (@7:52) 4 easy XT/Rest 16@8: Rest 6 easy XT 6 hills 6 easy XT/Rest 20@9: Rest 5 easy XT 9 (Yasso 10 sets) 4 easy XT/Rest 14@8: Rest 6 easy XT 6 tempo (@7:47) 5 easy XT/Rest 10@8: Rest Light XT 5 easy 4 easy Rest 41.2 Training Notes Marathon Training Academy Page 1

2 Training Plan Detailed Explanation Rest Day On your rest day there should be no strenuous exercise or activities. Gentle walking or cycling is okay. You may change your rest day to Monday if you do your long run on Sunday. Simply shift each day of this schedule to the right. Easy Run (pace = 9:22-9:52) Warm up by walking for 5 minutes then run your daily mileage (ex. 4 miles). Pace should be conversational (you re able to say a few words to a sentence while running). Don t give in to the temptation to run too fast. Keep your heart rate between 60-75% maximum. Cool down by walking for 5 minutes. Do stretching routine for 5-10 minutes. Optional exercises: Lower body weights: do 3 sets of 12 of the following: lunges, squats, calf raises (use hand weights/dumbbells to make the routine more challenging). XT (Cross-Train) Recommended- Power yoga for minutes which should include core routine of the following exercises: Half plank, side plank (left and right), superman, heel press (lie on back w/ legs pointing to ceiling, contract abs and push heels to ceiling), bird dog (left and right). Perform each exercise for seconds and work up to 90 seconds. Repeat routine two times. Other recommended low impact exercises include cycling/spinning, swimming, rowing, Pilates, circuit training, and strength training. Speed or Hill Work Look on schedule to see which workout is on the calendar. Here is an explanation of the terms you ll find on your training plan. Hill- Warm up by running easy for 1 mile on flat incline. Find a hill or hilly area and run up and down hill for X miles. Cool down by running easy for last 1 mile. Example: total mileage for day= 6 (1 mile warm-up, 4 miles hill repeats, 1 mile cool down). If you live in a flat area you can also do this workout on a treadmill. Simply set the incline to 2%+ for the hill portion of your workout (example- 1 mile warm up at 0% incline, 800 2%, 400 1%, m@1%, 400 m@1%, 1200 m@2%, 400m@1%, 1 mile cool down). Tempo- Warm up by running easy for 1 mile. Run X miles at moderately hard pace or pace recommended on plan (75-85% maximum heart rate). Cool down by running easy for 1 mile. Example- Total mileage 6 (1 mile warm-up, 4 miles tempo, 1 mile cool-down). Marathon Training Academy Page 2

3 Mile repeats (MR)- Warm up by running easy for 1 mile. Run 1 mile hard (pace on training plan) with 400m (or.25 mile) recovery afterward, repeat. Finish with 1 mile easy cool-down run. Example- total miles to run=7 (1 mile easy, 1 mile hard, 400m recovery jog, 1 mile hard, 400m recovery jog, 1 mile hard, 400m recovery jog, 1 mile hard, 400 m recovery jog, 1 mile cool down). Yasso 800 s- Best performed on track. Run 1 mile easy to warm up. Then run 800 meters in 3:40 with 400m recovery jog between sets of 800. Example- Goal 3:40 marathon- run 800m (two laps of standard track or 0.5 miles) in 3min 40 sec w/ 400m (one lap of standard track or 0.25 miles) easy jog. Perform the number of sets on training plan (6, 8, or 10). Cool down with easy running the remainder of your mileage. Example (week 9): 8 sets of 800 s- 1 mile warm-up, 800m in 3:40, 400m recovery jog, 800m in 3:40, 400 recovery, 800m in 3:40, 400 recovery, 800m in 3:40, 400 recovery, 800m in 3:40, 400 recovery, 800m in 3:40, 400m recovery, 800m in 3:40, 400m recovery, 800m in 3:40, 400m cool-down. Total of 7 miles. Saturday- Long Run (pace designated on plan) This is the single most important running workout of the week. The long run should be performed at a conversational pace. Warm up by walking for 5 minutes, run mileage, and cool down by walking for 5 minutes. Perform stretching routine. Make sure to refuel with a combination of carbohydrates and protein (around 200 calories) within minutes of finishing run. Example (glass of low-fat chocolate milk or Hammer Recoverite). An ice bath or ice pack to sore or swollen lower extremities may be used within the first 12 hours. Consider taking a short nap or putting your feet up a couple of hours after your long run. Sequence of events after finishing long run (1) refuel, (2) stretch, (3) shower, (4) eat, (5) ice, and (6) rest. Marathon Training Academy Page 3

4 The Science Behind the Plan Gradual Building Long Run The long run is undoubtedly the most important aspect of training for a half marathon. There is no way around it, in order to run 26.2 miles you will have to build up your ability to run long. Like the foundation of a building, a solid running base is the only way to end up with a great product (crossing the finish line). "The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat." Bill Squires One benefit of doing regular long runs is that they build the necessary endurance to complete the half marathon distance. Over time long runs will also help you develop mental toughness, coping skills, and confidence. You'll think, "I just ran 10 miles yesterday, I can do this too." You have to reach inside and find that mental and physical toughness and the long run will prepare you for this. This plan will progressively build on the long run by 1-2 miles each week. It will also include step down weeks where you will back off the mileage building to give your body a break. Don t skip the step down week and try to cram in more miles. Over time this could lead to overtraining and injury. The Right Number of Running Days for Your Body This plan will have you running 4 days per week. Many plans call for 5-6 days, but this puts you at a greater risk of injury. I prefer fewer days with balanced cross-training in between. Know your running threshold and don t push too far above it. It s not often easy to figure out how much is too much. If you start to notice signs of overtraining or nagging injuries, you may be pushing past your running threshold. If you are a new runner remember that you are at greater risk. Overtraining is where your exercise level is too much for your body to deal with. Running too much, too hard, or trying to do too much in a short period of time for your fitness level without proper recovery time will lead to overtraining. Have a lifetime fitness mentality. Look beyond your training schedule or race. Don t be a one shot wonder. If you take care of your body it will perform well for you over many decades. Focused Cross-Training Training for a half marathon requires lots of running. But other exercises need to be incorporated into your training regimen to ensure that you cross the finish line strong and Marathon Training Academy Page 4

5 healthy. Too many runners put all their focus on running and neglect other valuable training techniques. Everyone has a mileage threshold that their body can handle. If they go over this level they start to have an increase in injuries and may get burnt out. To combat these problems almost every reputable running expert recommends focused cross-training. Even elite runners who routinely log 100+ miles per week take time for cross training in their schedule. Cross-training is a great way to condition different muscle groups, develop a new set of skills, and reduce boredom that creeps in after months of the same exercise routines. Cross-training also allows you the ability to vary the stress placed on specific muscles and your cardiovascular system. After months of the same movements your body becomes extremely efficient at performing those movements. It limits the amount of overall fitness you possess and reduces the actual conditioning you get while training. Rather than continuing to improve, you simply maintain a certain level of fitness. Cross-training is also necessary to reduce the risk of injury from repetitive strain or overuse. Rest Days Rest may be one of the most overlooked components to a good half marathon training plan. The simple fact is that you won t get stronger or be adequately prepared for your race without rest days. When you take these rest days is up to you, but be sure to rest. Some runners like to take their rest day before their long run and others prefer to rest after their long run. Figure out what works best for your body and do that. If you ve been doing focused speed training you may need to take a day off or do some light cross training. You will feel refreshed when you run again and your body will thank you. Sometimes less is more. Rest days help prevent overuse injuries, restore glycogen stores, prevent mental burnout, build strength, and reduce fatigue. For those afraid that their level of fitness will suffer if they rest, the opposite is true. Years of research disproves the notion that a day off wrecks fitness. The loss of fitness and performance that occurs when you stop working out doesn t happen until you take off more than two weeks. Regular rest lets your body adapt to the work and improve. Without recovery, your body may seem to adapt in the short-term, but ultimately it will fail. The Taper If you ask just about any marathoner what the hardest part of training was, after mentioning the long runs, they just might say "the taper." Tapering refers to reducing your training load for Marathon Training Academy Page 5

6 a period of time leading up to your race. Research shows that a period of rest before racing actually increases the athlete s level of fitness and can boost their performance by 3%. "Tapering" was a term coined in 1947 by two coaches of the Australian Olympic Swim Team. Coach Forbes Carlile and physiology professor Frank Cotton found that their athletes performed better when their training was eased up three weeks before the race. Many years later it was found that the same holds true for distance runners. During your half marathon training the body may have been depleted of its enzyme, glycogen, and hormonal stores. Tapering allows for replenishing these reserves and encourages the repairing of muscle tissue to give that natural resilience back. Owen Anderson, Ph.D., editor of Running Research News, says, "Scientific evidence suggests that temporary training reductions bolster leg muscle power, reduce lactic acid production, and carve precious minutes off race times. In contrast, hard workouts just before a race can produce nagging injuries and deplete leg muscles of their key fuel for running--glycogen." During the last two weeks of your training plan there will be a gradual decrease in mileage. The last week of your taper is the time to do easy runs. Fueling I recommend the fueling products from Hammer Nutrition. They provide a wide variety of natural fueling and nutrition options to give you a great marathon training experience. To receive 15% off your first order you may use the following referral number: Here are my top recommendations to get you started: 1) Hammer Gels- Provides stable energy for your fueling needs. 2) Perpetuem- This fuel has a combination of carbohydrates and protein to help protect muscle tissue while running long distance. 3) Endurolytes- This is a great full spectrum electrolyte formula that will help you avoid muscle cramps. Comes in capsules, powder, or effervescent Fizz. 4) Recoverite- Works to decrease muscle soreness, help you bounce back more quickly, and replenishes glycogen stores. Best taken within minutes of finishing your workout. Marathon Training Academy Page 6