Shorten runs at beginning of training plan?
docsallen
Posts: 159 Member
My non-training plan run schedule is 6 miles 4-5 days/week and 1 long run at 8-12 miles. Varied pace, but always easy or comfortable.
I am signed up for a spring marathon and thought it would be a good idea for me to follow a half marathon training plan in the fall. I am not signing up for any fall road races. Most beginner and intermediate plans start with fewer miles and shorter runs. Is there a benefit to decreasing my current mileage and building up according to the plan? Or should I start at the week of my current fitness?
I know that there are advanced plans that start at higher mileage, but with my work schedule I can't ramp up my miles as much as they do.
Thanks!
I am signed up for a spring marathon and thought it would be a good idea for me to follow a half marathon training plan in the fall. I am not signing up for any fall road races. Most beginner and intermediate plans start with fewer miles and shorter runs. Is there a benefit to decreasing my current mileage and building up according to the plan? Or should I start at the week of my current fitness?
I know that there are advanced plans that start at higher mileage, but with my work schedule I can't ramp up my miles as much as they do.
Thanks!
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Replies
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Tough to say because I don't know what your current mileage is. I can only tell you what I would do.
When I was "just running" and waiting to start a marathon training plan, I would just try to keep my mileage around 40 MPW, running 6 days per week. That means a long run between 12 and 16 miles every week, a mid-long mid week of 8 to 10 miles and the rest of the runs around 6 or 7 miles.
I don't see any benefit in cutting back on your mileage if you are comfortable at whatever level you are currently running. Yes, there are cut-back weeks, but once you have a comfortable base mileage, there isn't a benefit from cutting it back for a significant period of time.1 -
If you are currently running about 35 miles a week, I would continue that, more or less. Find an intermediate HM plan for the fall, if you want the discipline of following a plan. Many of those include a couple of quality runs each week which would be helpful in developing more speed and stamina before you start marathon training. Look at Hansons or Pfitzinger or the BAA plans.0
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Thanks! In the past i haven't cut back, but was wondering if i was missing some benefit. My weekly mileage is around 40 mpw - almost always 38-42 mpw. It sounds like neither of you purposely shorten your runs at the beginning of a plan - just replace a couple of easy runs with substance runs (speed, tempo, etc). I started hanson's before (cut short due to covid cancellation), i will look at the others.0
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Even during "base phase", I'm not just running. I do strides once a week, do some kind of tempo (sustained tempo at selected race paces, or some fartlek/interval session), and fast finish on the long run probably every 3rd one.0
