Anybody followed the Furman FIRST marathon training program?
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ebaymommy
Posts: 1,067 Member
I'm thinking of trying it for my June marathon. I've done the traditional (usually Hal Higdon's plan) 5-6x of running per week for my previous marathons. I'm looking to shake things up a bit - I'm cross-training pretty hard right now and doing speedwork during the "off" season (I've got about another month before I need to start a training program). I want to smash a PR and possibly even qualify for Boston.
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I'm doing FIRST. I bought the book a few months ago and am in the process of going through the 10K workouts. I can tell I have significantly improved my speed, but I can't give you solid results yet, because I haven't raced, I just know my workouts are getting easier and would guess if I raced a 5k right now, I'd blow my previous race time out of the water. (All the workouts are based on a recent 5k race time.) I know this isn't the marathon program, but pretty sure it uses the same principals as the 10k. One thing I would recommend if you do go with FIRST make sure, you've got a gps watch or get one that you can program workouts into. I can't imagine doing my workouts in the specified time's and not having my times coded in, I'd always be looking at my watch. Good luck.0
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I have only used Hal Higgdons plan. But....I just wanted to say that after reading your post, and feeling your enthusiasm...I am sure you will get that PR!! Good luck I hope that you qualify for boston!!0
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I'm doing FIRST. I bought the book a few months ago and am in the process of going through the 10K workouts. I can tell I have significantly improved my speed, but I can't give you solid results yet, because I haven't raced, I just know my workouts are getting easier and would guess if I raced a 5k right now, I'd blow my previous race time out of the water. (All the workouts are based on a recent 5k race time.) I know this isn't the marathon program, but pretty sure it uses the same principals as the 10k. One thing I would recommend if you do go with FIRST make sure, you've got a gps watch or get one that you can program workouts into. I can't imagine doing my workouts in the specified time's and not having my times coded in, I'd always be looking at my watch. Good luck.
Thanks. I do have a Garmin watch, so good to go there.0 -
I did the FIRST plan for my last marathon (the regular one, not the novice). http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Documents/Marathon Training Program-metric.pdf
I set a time goal for the marathon and based my workout paces based on that. The key workouts were challenging! One of the biggest differences is that the Long Run is not a typical LSD, you are running closer to your goal marathon pace than most other programs set you at.
I did the interval work on the treadmill so it was easy to set my pace and keep moving the legs until the distance was over. The treadmill was a lifesaver so I didn't have to constantly looking down at my GPS watch to monitor my pace. I usually made a 'cheat sheet' on a sticky note with the distances/paces and stuck it on the display.
The tempo and long runs I did outside, always keeping an eye on my GPS watch for the pace.
For the cross training days I usually did an easy run (5-8km). If I do the plan again, I would do cross training instead of easy runs. Like you, I have been cross training a lot since my marathon in October and have been loving it!
My time goal was sub-4:00. I was feeling pretty good going into the race but had some nasty weather for the race - 20 mph headwinds + 30-40mph gusts. THE ENTIRE TIME! I kid you not. It was one of those windy days that I wouldn't feel like running 10K in, let alone 42.2. I finished in 4:14 with a previous PR of 4:32. My half split was bang on 2hrs and then I lost motivation with the wind and the hills in the second half and managed a positive split of 14min.0 -
Interesting. I looked this up & read about it
The best thing I like is running the long runs closer to marathon pace. I've had a hard time understanding why you run them so much slower that marathon pace, when your marathon pace is slow to begin with.0 -
Awesome job, you never can predict what the weathers going to do, but great job on getting a PR on a day like that.
As for training with the GPS watch not for sure which one you have, but if you have a garmin, with most of them, you can login into the garmin connect website and actually create your workouts right in the web browser telling it the pace you want to run and for how long or how many miles. Then from the website you just upload the workout into the watch and before you start running, you go to the training/workouts/custom section and you'll see your workout. It works really well. Setting up the track workouts on it are a little more difficult because it takes all of the pace info based off of a mile a minute, so you have to do some conversions to convert your times into mile pace, but it still works really well. For Example, say the First time sheet says to run 60 seconds for a 400. Well, you can't very well put in 60 seconds and expect to get the right timing, but 60 is a quarter mile, so 60 seconds x 4 = 4:00min so put that in and will get the right paces. I ended up using a time calculator, because the math was making my head spin.
http://www.scottseverance.us/html/time_calculator.htm
Hope this helps.
Then instead of having to look at your watch all the time you get an audible alert letting you know,0 -
I did the FIRST plan for my last marathon (the regular one, not the novice). http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Documents/Marathon Training Program-metric.pdf
I set a time goal for the marathon and based my workout paces based on that. The key workouts were challenging! One of the biggest differences is that the Long Run is not a typical LSD, you are running closer to your goal marathon pace than most other programs set you at.
I did the interval work on the treadmill so it was easy to set my pace and keep moving the legs until the distance was over. The treadmill was a lifesaver so I didn't have to constantly looking down at my GPS watch to monitor my pace. I usually made a 'cheat sheet' on a sticky note with the distances/paces and stuck it on the display.
The tempo and long runs I did outside, always keeping an eye on my GPS watch for the pace.
For the cross training days I usually did an easy run (5-8km). If I do the plan again, I would do cross training instead of easy runs. Like you, I have been cross training a lot since my marathon in October and have been loving it!
My time goal was sub-4:00. I was feeling pretty good going into the race but had some nasty weather for the race - 20 mph headwinds + 30-40mph gusts. THE ENTIRE TIME! I kid you not. It was one of those windy days that I wouldn't feel like running 10K in, let alone 42.2. I finished in 4:14 with a previous PR of 4:32. My half split was bang on 2hrs and then I lost motivation with the wind and the hills in the second half and managed a positive split of 14min.
Thanks for the info.
Glad to read your race report. How fantastic to PR in such adverse conditions. I have nightmares about a super windy day on marathon day.0 -
Thanks for the info.
Glad to read your race report. How fantastic to PR in such adverse conditions. I have nightmares about a super windy day on marathon day.
Thanks!
It was better than the race day the year before, a Nor'easter hit PEI and there was heavy rain and wind.0 -
I'm presently using FIRST - from the book not the website for half marathon training. I'm hoping to PR in March. I'm about 7 weeks to go. I've been impressed so far.
I set my "goal" pace based upon my previous races, but a little bit faster, as I'm running a flat course and previous races have been very hilly. I ran a 5k about 3 weeks into training and was right on point for my goal race pace.
I do my first 2 runs on a treadmill for intervals and temp runs. Mainly because it's winter, and I don't feel comfortable at our local HS track after dark, and I can't find a "flat" course to do a tempo run on.
I disagree on the LSD runs being harder, but I find I have a hard time doing them "slow". I end up running what "feels" good and end up being too fast for these runs, I've pushed the mileage up a little because I was already running 13 when I started, so I figured a few extra weeks at 14 and 15 instead of 13 wouldn't hurt anything.
I have done 1-2 days of stationary biking as my cross training, but also am doing P90X2 at the present time. It's been easy to incorporate the additional training with the running.
I did my tempo run last night at 20 seconds faster than race pace, mainly because it's what my LSD runs have been at so I knew I could do it. I still struggle with intervals, as I've never done those before and I'm really pushing hard in those, I'm not a "speed" queen by any means and speed work wears me out. I get done physically beat from intervals.
I run on Tue, Thurs, and Saturday. I ride bike on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, to get whatever two days I can in there. It's worked out well. I got delayed by stomach flu for two weeks at christmas, but was able to still maintain some training and didn't lose any progress.
After my March half - I'm planning on a half in April and May, then will use FIRST to Marathon Train. The training plan has you only running up to 20 miles, but since I have the additional 8 weeks before my marathon, I'm planning to push it up to 24, as I think I need it mentally to get there.0 -
There is an article on the FIRST program in this months Running Times Magazine.
I also emailed the FIRST coaches with some questions, and had a reply email within an hour. Great program support. Someday I may dream of visiting their training program. 0 -
mlb929 - thanks for all your input! My training won't start until the 2nd week in February, although in the interim I'm loosely following Hal Higdon's 12-week spring training program.0
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I haven't used it, but is sounds like the iPhone app iSmoothRun would be a beneficial tool. You can set up your workouts for a particular interval pace (min/mile or min/km), and as you run it will prompt you with "faster" or "slower" as necessary.
Pam0
