Marathon?

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Livelongbambii
Livelongbambii Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys! I was wondering how do you guys train/prepare for a marathon? Im just curious on how others train.
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  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Run 3 days a week, usually keep biking 2 other days. 2 days upper body lifting.

    2 days are at 1 hr each.
    1 day is easy and slow, recovery run, to train the fat burning system - required for endurance.
    1 day is hard hill sprints, taking the place of lower body lifting usually since I can't fit it in the schedule, trains the carb burning system - not needed at all for endurance, but I like it.

    1 day is the increasing distance day at easy pace to recover from, this is the one that gets longer and longer by time (no more than 10% weekly), until I get up to 3 hrs. Not really any benefit going longer than that running, but I will tack on a long walk before and after for total feet time equaling the expected marathon time around 4 hrs.
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
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    Run 5-7x/wk. I switch things up constantly though.

    Simple example:

    Mon: off/xtrain/recovery run or hike
    TUE: easy
    Wed: easy or speedwork
    Thur: easy
    Fri: easy or tempo
    Sat: off/xtrain/recovery run or hike
    Sun: Long
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
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    Currently running 6 times a week. Training wise it depends on how long until the race. At the moment I am just getting back in to it so am focusing at time on my feet.

    Mon - 1 hour
    Tue - 1 hour
    Wed - rest
    Thur - 1 hour
    Fri - 1 hour
    Sat - 2 hours
    Sun - 3 to 4 hours

    I'll look to increase my weekend runs by around 30 minutes each week.

    But when I get within about 6-8weeks of the actual race I will get a proper training plan and work from that. There are lots and lots out there which give great info on what you should be doing and why.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Follow a training plan.

    Past the beginner level, basically all free plans involve three hard runs per week (speedwork, tempo/medium long run, long run) and three days of either easy runs or cross-training, depending on the plan.

    I keep hurting myself trying to do speedwork on land, so it looks like I will be doing my intervals in the pool as water running for the foreseeable future. Yuck. But it works. I'll run at least two of the recovery days to make up for it. For me, I need 4x/wk of running for marathon distance.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
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    Mon - 1 hour NordicTrack skiing, 45 min power yoga
    Tue - 1 hour tempo run plus 5 min warmup & 5 min cool down
    Wed - 1 hour NordicTrack skiing, 45 min power yoga
    Thur - 1 hour tempo run plus 5 min warmup & 5 min cool down
    Fri - 1 hour NordicTrack skiing, 45 min power yoga
    Sat - 2 to 4 hours race pace or slower running
    Sun - rest
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I ran 4-6x a week, with 1 tempo and 1 LSD. The rest mostly easy miles, and mid week medium long run. I did some yoga and bodyweight exercises as x-training
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    Right now I'm basebuilding for a fall marathon or half marathon.

    Mon 65 min easy
    Tue 65 min easier
    Wed 65 min easy
    Thu 65 min easier
    Fri 65 min easy
    Sat 130 min easy
    Sun 120 min easier

    I'm running by heartrate so
    easy is < 70% Heart rate reserve (HRR)
    easier is < 60% Heart rate reserve (HRR)

    I don't pay much attention to pace or distance. Just time and effort.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    The responses are going to vary greatly depending on level of experience. Experienced runners with a solid aerobic base are going to be running 60+ miles per week with goals related to time. There are also people out there that just want the experience of the marathon and only care about finishing that can get by with maxing out in the 30-40 mile per week range.

    My suggestion for anyone interested in running a marathon would be to establish a base of at least 20 miles per week before entering into a training plan. Then pick one that is appropriate to your level of experience and goals. There are tons out there to choose from.
  • jhall260
    jhall260 Posts: 111 Member
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    I run a lot, with a long run on Saturdays. Week runs are usually 45-60 minutes with a midweek long run of 1-1.5 hours. This Saturday I have a 20 miler. 7x days a week for 121 days in a row.

    If you are a beginner I recommend looking up a training plan. There are lots of them out there. My weekly miles average about 55.

    I am shooting for a sub 3:30 for my first of the season May 9th!

    Happy training!
  • 419er
    419er Posts: 53 Member
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    I'm training for my 3rd - still hoping for under 4:00. My training has been thwarted the last couple of times toward the "really long run" phase of my training. I've had conversations with my wife this time about me being ruthless about my training and realizing it's going to be 4 hours or more on every weekend morning as the race gets closer. Based on my training strength and my half marathon times, I think I can do it - or even faster.

    Anyway - how do I actually train? I use the Nike+Running app, which has a 16 week marathon training plan designed by Alberto Salazar built in. It doesn't sync with MFP, but now both MFP and Nike+Running sync with HealthKit, so I'm hopeful for that in the future. So when it comes down to what I do on any given day? It's all up to the coach. Sometimes it's easy runs, sometimes it's speed work, sometimes a long run with a fast finish, sometimes fartleks - sometimes cross-training. It works out to between 29 and 59 miles per week.

    The real issue for me right now is that I'm 8-10 pounds heavier than I want to be on race day - so I'm back on MFP tracking everything, hoping to drop those pounds before June 21st.
  • Sari723
    Sari723 Posts: 10 Member
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    I am using RunKeeper. I signed up for their marathon training program on there. Its FREE!
  • Paul_Collyer
    Paul_Collyer Posts: 160 Member
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    Generally per week:

    - 1 long run. Start at around 20km and work up to ~32km by around 3-4 weeks before the marathon. Work on nutrition and hydration strategies with these.
    - 1 tempo run. Try to run at target marathon pace. Start at ~10km work up to ~18km.
    - 1 interval session. I am using 800m intervals with 400m recoveries. Normally between 6 and 8 reps. 800's around 10k pace, ultimate target is to get the recovery pace as close to marathon pace as I can.
    - Some cycling 2-3 times a week
    - 1 visit to the gym to build core and legs. Not in the 2 days before the long run if you are going to ache afterwards!
    - Plenty of walking, and maybe the odd game of squash which serves as good cardio work or occasional swim.
    - Cut the km in the last 2 weeks maybe compensate with walking and cycling.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    While not my favorite training strategy for more advanced runners Hal Higdon's plans have gotten many novice marathoners to the starting line and across the finish line.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    lporter229 wrote: »
    My suggestion for anyone interested in running a marathon would be to establish a base of at least 20 miles per week before entering into a training plan. Then pick one that is appropriate to your level of experience and goals. There are tons out there to choose from.

    Also this. If you have a base of 20 miles a week for at least 6 months, the build into a full marathon will be quite a bit easier to swallow.

  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
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    Typically...
    Sunday: Long run (3 week rotation of 12-20 miles for two weeks, and an 8 mile recovery third week)
    Monday: 3 miles slow recovery
    Tuesday: Cross-train (rowing machine) and body weight training
    Wednesday: 4-5 miles easy
    Thursday: 6-8 miles tempo run
    Friday: 4-5 miles easy
    Saturday: Body weight training only/rest day

    I'll do a third body weight day on Wed or Fri, if I feel like it.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    I'm in, mainly for some ridiculous answers.

    The question? Completely relative to your abilities. Start with www.halhigdon.com and work your way up from there.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    FatMoojor wrote: »
    Currently running 6 times a week. Training wise it depends on how long until the race. At the moment I am just getting back in to it so am focusing at time on my feet.

    Mon - 1 hour
    Tue - 1 hour
    Wed - rest
    Thur - 1 hour
    Fri - 1 hour
    Sat - 2 hours
    Sun - 3 to 4 hours

    I'll look to increase my weekend runs by around 30 minutes each week.

    But when I get within about 6-8weeks of the actual race I will get a proper training plan and work from that. There are lots and lots out there which give great info on what you should be doing and why.

    Let me know how this works out for you around week 9.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    edited March 2015
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    FatMoojor wrote: »
    Currently running 6 times a week. Training wise it depends on how long until the race. At the moment I am just getting back in to it so am focusing at time on my feet.

    Mon - 1 hour
    Tue - 1 hour
    Wed - rest
    Thur - 1 hour
    Fri - 1 hour
    Sat - 2 hours
    Sun - 3 to 4 hours

    I'll look to increase my weekend runs by around 30 minutes each week.

    But when I get within about 6-8weeks of the actual race I will get a proper training plan and work from that. There are lots and lots out there which give great info on what you should be doing and why.

    a 2 hour run on Saturday AND a 3-4 hour run on Sunday? You are trying to injure yourself, not run a marathon, right?

    Also a "proper" training plan will likely have you on a 3 week taper, so you are going to use a so-called "proper" plan for all of 3 weeks? What is the point? Also those "proper" plans are probably not going to have you doing anything like what you are already doing (which is ridiculous)
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
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    glevinso wrote: »
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    Currently running 6 times a week. Training wise it depends on how long until the race. At the moment I am just getting back in to it so am focusing at time on my feet.

    Mon - 1 hour
    Tue - 1 hour
    Wed - rest
    Thur - 1 hour
    Fri - 1 hour
    Sat - 2 hours
    Sun - 3 to 4 hours

    I'll look to increase my weekend runs by around 30 minutes each week.

    But when I get within about 6-8weeks of the actual race I will get a proper training plan and work from that. There are lots and lots out there which give great info on what you should be doing and why.

    a 2 hour run on Saturday AND a 3-4 hour run on Sunday? You are trying to injure yourself, not run a marathon, right?

    Also a "proper" training plan will likely have you on a 3 week taper, so you are going to use a so-called "proper" plan for all of 3 weeks? What is the point? Also those "proper" plans are probably not going to have you doing anything like what you are already doing (which is ridiculous)

    The only time I can imagine doing 2 hours Sat and 3-4 Sun is if you're training for the race and a half Disney challenge. My dad ran that in 2009, and he trained for it by running my half marathon long runs with me on Saturday and would run double the miles on Sunday. But even my dad admits that's not a good long-term plan, because it's real rough mentally and physically.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    I can see that.

    But also a 4 hour long run? That is NOT good for you. Recovery from something like that will take too long and will wreck your training the next week.

    That sort of thing should be the absolute longest you go ahead of a race, and even then 4 hours is too much.

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