MPR's Recommended Workouts

In my book (most of it published in entries here on this blog) I talked about various training zones and given you some generously wide guidelines for using each training zone. Now I would like to provide you some specific workouts that I find work best and that I include most often (but not exclusively) in my training programs.

Before I give you the specifics for each workout, it is important that I stress that all of these workouts should be done with appropriate workout effort levels, in other words, a good hard effort (90-95%) but all out racing the workout.

I break these recommended workouts in 3 broad categories: Endurance, Stamina and Speed.

The mixture of these workouts and categories will depend on several factors including which phase the runner is in (Fundamental or Specific) and the strengths and weaknesses of the runner. In general, during the Fundamental Phase I look to get in one workout from each category during a micro-cycle (week or 9 days) with 1-2 easy run days between for recovery. In the Specific Phase this mixture will change to increase the emphasis on the workouts closest to goal race pace.

The speed at which these workouts are done will be according our current fitness level or the pace for our next goal race. In order to determine these paces, especially for the speed workouts which rely on equivalent race paces for distance we may not race, I have developed an equivalent race time calculator which also gives you the exact pace ranges for each workout listed below. I have attached that calculator (open it in Excel spreadsheet form) below and am working to have this coded into an easy to use calculator form on coaching website in the coming months (because I love you guys!).

The MPR Calculator

For example: if a runner has recently run a half marathon in 1:17:15 (sound familiar?) and is targeting 1:16:30 in an upcoming half marathon, she would input 1:16:30 into the calculator, check the half marathon distance and the calculator would show the paces she need to be working at for each of workouts I describe below, and even gives her the adjusted paces to work out at for warm and/or humid conditions (which she can also input). Cool huh?

One final note before I get into the workouts: These workouts were designed with an intermediate to higher level competitive runner in mind and one who does in excess of 50-60 miles per week in training. Lower volume or less experienced runners may need to reduce the volume of some of these workouts slightly from how they are described here.

Category: Endurance

Easy Pace Long Run (Zone 6): This is a run of between 18 and 26 miles done at between 15% and 20% slower than marathon race pace. I recommend that water and electrolytes only be taken during this run, with either no or minimal in-take of calories during the run in order to improve your body’s glycogen storage capacity and improve the efficiency at which it burns different fuel sources.

Steady State Long Run (Zone 5): This is a run of between 15 and 21 miles done at between 5% and 10% slower than marathon race pace. This is often a great workout in which to practice your race day fueling strategy with water, sports drinks and/or gels at regular intervals during the run.

Fast Finish Long Run (Zone 7): This a run of between 15 and 21 miles with the first 75% of the run done at 20% slower than marathon race pace (i.e. easy pace) and the last 25% of the run done at marathon race pace. During this run take water only during the first half and then a gel or sports drink just before the faster final section of the run.



Category: Stamina

Short Even Paced Tempo Run (Zone 3): This is a continuous run of between 4 and 6 miles done at an even pace equal to half marathon race pace.

Short Progression Tempo Run (Zone 3): This is a continuous run of between 4 and 6 miles starting at 5% slower than half marathon race pace and gradually getting faster during the course of the run until it is finished at 3% faster than half marathon race pace.

Short Wave Run (Zone 3): This a continuous run of between 4 and 6 miles alternating half mile increments between 5% slower than half marathon pace and 3% faster than half marathon pace.

Long Even Paced Tempo Run (Zone 4): This is a continuous run of between 8 and 12 miles done at and even pace equal to marathon race pace.

Long Progression Tempo Run (Zone 4): This is a continuous run of between 8 and 12 miles starting at 5% lower than marathon race pace and gradually getting faster during the course of the run until it is finished at 3% faster than marathon race pace.

Long Wave Run (Zone 4): This a continuous run of between 8 and 12 miles alternating one mile increments between 5% slower than marathon pace and 3% faster than marathon pace.



Category: Speed
I want to break the speed workouts into 2 segments, speed workouts we would do during the Fundamental Phase of training and speed workouts we would do during a Specific Phase focused on the marathon distance. The reason for the difference between the 2 sets of workouts is that during a the Fundamental Phase our speed emphasis is on improving our body’s ability to handle different faster paces, which we accomplish by running at those paces while reducing recovery. But in a marathon specific phase, speed work becomes less about true speed and more about maintaining power in the stride and keeping half marathon and marathon pace feeling easy and relaxed by comparison.

Fundamental Phase Speed Workouts

300 Meter Repeats (Zone 1): This is 9-12 repeats of 300 meters done at 1500 meter race pace with up to 125% recovery time jog (so if the 300’s take 60 seconds your recovery jog would be up to 75 seconds long). Once you are able to do the maximum number of repeats (12) at this pace you would begin reducing the recovery in subsequent workouts.

600 Meter Repeats (Zone 1): This is 7-9 repeats of 600 meters done at 3k race pace with up to 100% recovery time jog. Once you are able to do the maximum number of repeats (9) at this pace you would begin reducing the recovery in subsequent workouts.

1000 Meter Repeats (Zone 2): This is 5-7 repeats of 1000 meters done at 5k race pace with up to 75% recovery time jog. Once you are able to do the maximum number of repeats (7) at this pace you would begin reducing the recovery in subsequent workouts.

2000 Meter Repeats (Zone 2): This is 4-5 repeats of 2000 meters done at 10k race pace with up to 3:00 recovery jog. Once you are able to do the maximum number of repeats (5) at this pace you would begin reducing the recovery in subsequent workouts.


Marathon Specific Phase Speed Workouts

400 Meter Repeats (Zone 1): This is 20-24 repeats of 400 meters done at 12% to 15% faster than marathon race pace with a 1:00 recovery jog between repeats.

1000 Meter Repeats (Zone 2): This is 8-10 repeats of 1000 meters done at 10% to 12% faster than marathon race pace with a 1:30 recovery jog between repeats.

1600 Meter Repeats (Zone 2): This is 6 repeats of 1600 meters (or 1 mile) done at 8% to 10% faster than marathon race pace with a 2:00 recovery jog between repeats.


Well there you have it, 16 different workouts that I recommend and use regularly in when I design training programs. I hope this helps and that you enjoy success adopting at least a few of these into your schedule.