6 Months To An Acceptable Marathon!

O.K. son, here we go again. You HAVE TO LAY A THREE MONTH MILEAGE BASE before you worry about ANY speed work that is more than just mechanical short sprints to activate those speed fibers, although you won't use them too much in the marathon. Again, lets set the goalpost of 60 miles a week bye the end of August. So, you want a long easy run that is not too much more than 25 to 30% of your weekly mileage not to exceed two hours until we start September, then start adding to the long run to max out around two hours and forty minutes. So, lets build from around 40 miles to 50 miles in three weeks, ease back a week, and then go 50 to 55, an easy week, and then 55 to 60. So, for a 40 plus mile week, assuming three 4 to 5 mile easy runs at work with a few 30 second striders thrown in, a long run EASY for an hour and a half (11 miles?), and two hour and fifteen minute runs (9 Miles?). On these two runs, spend about twenty to thirty minutes commencing around the forty minute mark, doing three or four minute EASY pickups that take your heart rate from your easy below 135 just up to a MAX of around 144. Just what would take your breathing rhythm from three one to two two. Take about two minute intervals of recovery in between. Repeat for 20 to 30 minutes. These should be sub threshold efforts. We don't want to push you much beyond 80% heart rate for at least 8 weeks. Then we will start formal tempo work and hill training! This will be a short Lydiard plan that would normally last at least nine months, but we have to compress it into six. I know you will want to be impatient and do MORE than this, but if you do, you will be tired by the third week, less motivated, and won't be able to build for three more cycles. Your body takes three weeks (you are old now!) to adapt so you just have to build within the confines of your adaption. We will see if you are still a fast adapter, or are acting more your advanced running age! Lets go...... Here is your virtual training partner!