Marathon Training Plans for a Goal Time
docsallen
Posts: 159 Member
In Nov. 2016 and April 2017 I ran (my only) 2 marathons. I had a goal time for the 2nd marathon, that I did not hit. The training was mentally exhausting and challenging to fit in, so I took a "race" break. This is the 2nd time in the past year that I am considering running another marathon. But if I do, I want to train to meet my goal time - about 7 minutes faster than my prior marathons. Have you trained to meet a goal time? If so, which plan has or has not been successful? I have been following a plan (Jenny Hadfield - Advanced) that fits my current lifestyle well in terms of work and childcare, but I am curious as to whether it is enough. Thanks so much!
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I think that any "advanced" plan is going to get you to your goal as long as a) your goal is realistic and b) you follow it properly. And by following it properly, I mean that you do all of the prescribed runs at the proper pace. Finding what that pace is a challenge of its own that sometimes takes some trial and error.
Seeing that you are only looking to shave 7 minutes off of your previous time, it appears that your goal is realistic. My only concern would be that you said you failed to meet your goal on your second attempt because training was " mentally exhausting and challenging to fit in". You did not say what type of plan you were using last time, but I would encourage you to compare your current plan with that plan. How is it different and how is it going to help you avoid the pitfalls you fell into last time? Most runners have a race or many races where they don't meet their goal. The key is learning from what went wrong and figuring out how to fix it.
Also, are you sure that an advanced plan is what you need? I don't know what your goal time is or your current level of running experience, but I ask that only because you mentioned that the training for your last marathon was challenging. Most people improve on their marathon times without a whole lot of extra effort, just by virtue of experience and overall cumulative miles. You might find that you are able to shave 7 minutes off your time using the same training plan you used the first time around. My point is that more isn't always better, as you appear to have learned on your second attempt. (ETA: I shaved over 15 minutes from my second to third marathon using an intermediate plan. I have never used an advanced plan).
Wishing you the best of luck!2 -
I have trained for a target goal time, and failed to achieve it. The last time, I trained to finish healthy. I achieved that goal; the PR time was a result of near-perfect weather on race day.1
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Your training has to be based on your current fitness level, not a random number that you would like to achieve. Have you maintained a fairly high base mileage since your last marathon? Have you done other races? Do you do speedwork regularly? If you haven't been running a good number of miles consistently then you might not be as fit as you were when you trained for your last marathon. You may or may not be able to improve your time. You need to train based on today's fitness, not the fitness you had two years ago.
Run an all out 10k or HM. Put the result in a race predictor like McMillan. Add 10 minutes to the result if you haven't been running 70 mpw. That will give you an idea of your current fitness. You can improve that fitness over the next several months, before you start marathon training, but training for a result that doesn't match your actual fitness will be exhausting, frustrating, and can lead to injury.
Plans that seem to lead to a lot of improvement include Hansons, Daniels, and Pfitzinger. All are challenging and time consuming.
And even the best training won't help if you don't execute well on race day.2 -
Thanks everyone.
For my first marathon, the number was a bit random and I wasn't upset that I didn't hit the goal time. I knew I could run a half in 1:55 and I doubled it, added 10 and used that as my goal time for the full. Mostly, I chose a goal time to help me find my paces for "easy", "tempo", etc. runs the plan called for. I went from a long run of 10 miles in August 2016 to the full in November and finished in 4:07 on a challenging day. (I know that weather is something that can't EVER be controlled) I considered myself close enough for the first (with heavy rain and wind and cold), that I thought it was realistic goal time for the second.
I signed up for a second right away and it was 5 months after my first marathon. It was long enough to do 2 complete training cycles, but short enough that I didn't take as much a break as I needed. Work was extremely busy and my kids were younger. I started running at 4AM (or earlier) for almost all of my runs and bc of schedule conflicts I ended up doing most or all of my long runs solo. I felt burned out for the 2nd marathon. I got a stomach cramp at 13 miles and by the time I mentally got through it, I couldn't make up the lost time. I ended up running almost an identical time - 4:07. I took a training break after that - not a run break - just a break from following a long distance run schedule for over a year. I decided to try sprint tri's.
I actually feel in better shape than I did for the last marathon. I have done a few sprint tri's since my second marathon and I think the addition of biking, swimming, and strength training to my routine has helped my overall fitness level. A couple of months before a tri, I cut my running to 4 days per week - mid-20s per week mileage. Since my last tri in August, I upped the running to 28-33 miles per week, 5 days per week (my usual). I did a 6-week "improve your speed" training program for a half marathon in October and I finished in 1:51. This is a PR for me.
Besides feeling stronger, my kids are a bit older and work is much more consistent and predictable. The current program is Jenny Hadfield's advanced program - it includes 5 days of running, 1 day of CT, 2 ST workouts. The mid-week runs are more managable than the other programs I tried. And I like that it includes CT and ST. Previously I followed Jeff Gaudette's sub 4 program, which I liked, and another my training partner found, that had more mileage and less speedwork (did not feel as prepared).
For all other race distances, I run that distance or further in training. Marathon training is different - longest runs are 20 miles and at a pace much slower than the race pace. I have looked at a few race prediction calculators - there is so much variability. I find it challenging to know what is enough - and I want to minimize my risk of injury.
Thank you for the input.0
