3 Categories of Stress Workouts For Marathoners

We can break down the stress workouts we do in training for the marathon, into 3 categories: Speed Workouts, Stamina Workouts and Endurance Workouts. 
 

In this blog I want to define the purpose of each and recommend some workout parameters for how to effectively work in each category.

When and how often we use each category will depend on the training phase we are in and how close to our goal marathon we are.

Speed

Purpose of Speed Training For Marathoners

·       Improve/maintain the maximum amount of oxygenated blood that can be pumped by the hear t to the muscles and utilized.  (VO2 Max)

·       Improve the power and economy of the stride by engaging the muscles at a more intense level and activating a higher percentage of muscle fibers into use.

·       Keep other training/racing paces feeling slower and less intense in comparison

Parameters For Marathoner’s Speed Workouts

·       Repeats of between 400 meters and 1 mile

·       Total of repeats is between 4 mile sand 8 miles in total

·       Recovery jog of between 200 and 400 meters

·       Repeats performed at 4% to 10% faster than half marathon pace

Stamina

Purpose of Stamina Training For Marathoners

·       Improve the pace at which the body before the slope of lactate production to speed increase moves to a steeper slope (lactate threshold)

·       Improve the pace at which the body before the slope of energy required to speed increase moves to a steeper slope (aerobic threshold)

·       Callous the body and mind to being in various amounts of physical discomfort for prolonged periods.

·       Get the mind use to the feel of half marathon and marathon paces.

 

Parameters For Marathoner’s Stamina Workouts

·         Even Pace Tempo Run

Ø  4-6 miles at half marathon pace to 1% faster

Ø  8-12 miles at marathon pace to 1% faster

·         Progression Tempo Runs

Ø  4-6 miles starting at 4% slower and progressing to 4% faster than half marathon pace

Ø  8-12 miles starting at 4% slower and progressing to 4% faster than marathon pace

·         Wave Tempo Runs

Ø  4-6 miles alternating half mile segments at 4% slower and 4% faster than half marathon pace

Ø  8-12 miles alternating 1 mile segments at 4% slower and 4% faster than marathon pace

·         Tempo Repeats

Ø  Repeats of between 1 and 3 miles done at half marathon pace to 1% faster, totaling 5 to 8 miles with 200 to 400 meter jog recovery

Ø  Repeats of between 2 and 6 miles done at marathon pace to 1% faster, totaling 10 to 16 miles with 200 to 800 meter jog recovery

Endurance

Purpose of Endurance Training For Marathoners

·         Increase the amount of available glycogen the body stores

·         Improve the efficiency of the body in using various energy sources

·         Advance cardiovascular and circulatory development

·         Prepare ancillary muscles for running for extended periods of time

·         Callous the mind to running for extended periods of time

·         Practice / acclimate the body to various fueling/refueling strategies

*Burning fat for energy requires more work from the body – the more fat we have to use the slower we run

Parameters For Marathoner’s Stamina Workouts

·       Easy Pace Long Runs: 21-24 miles at 15% to 20% slower than marathon race pace

·       Steady State Long Runs:  18-21 miles at 5% to 10% slower than marathon race pace

·       Fast Finish Long Runs:  18-21 miles with the first 13-16 miles of the run down at 15% to 20% slower than marathon pace, and the last 3-5 miles of the run done at marathon race pace

Note:  For marathoners slower than 3 hours – cap easy pace long runs at 180 minutes and steady state and fast finish long runs at 150 minutes.