MARATHON (OR LONG DISTANCE RUN) TRAINING

This plan adapts the Brooks-Hanson's (Advanced) Marathon Training Plan and uses the basic training principles of Dr. Jack Daniels and Greg McMillan.  Easy, Long Run, Marathon and Threshold training paces can be determined by the use of the Daniels' VDOT tables (located on this blog site) or on-line calculators at McMillan Running's web page.

WEEKLY LONG RUN:
The weekly long run is first priority.  In a perfect world this run is no more than 1/4th of a week's total mileage.
Run distance/duration at the most is 16-to-18 miles (2.5-to-3 hours), with the first 50-to-75 percent at Daniels "Easy" or "Long" (E/L) pace and the last 25-to-50 percent approaching Daniels' "Marathon Pace" (MP).
Please do not place a rest day before the long run; run a slower easy run...the goal is to allow accumulated fatigue to help simulate the latter miles of the target race.

MEDIUM DISTANCE/SPEED WORK:
These are second priority, with medium distance being of slightly higher importance.
Distance/time ranges start low (6 miles/50 minutes) in the early phases.
By the last six-week period this run is about ten miles or 90 minutes, run at a pace which is about 10-to-20 seconds faster than the MP.
Speed workouts are adapted from F.A.S.T.-assigned workouts and assume a 20-minute warm-up of easy running; most of the efforts range between 160-and-1600 meters, at varied paces based on the perceived effort of the individual athlete.
Almost all of the efforts are high-aerobic, rarely going anaerobic.

EASY RUNS:
While of lesser priority in the schedule than the long run, speed work or tempo efforts, these runs range from four miles to 60 minutes.  These are where the athlete recovers from the previous efforts and prepares for the next priority workout.

RACING/TESTING:
The weekends in weeks 16-to-9 can be used for up to two 10K time trials or a half-marathon pace rehearsal.

MID-CYCLE BREAK:
The mileage/duration takes a big jump after 12 weeks out from the target race.
This week is a good one to drop the intensities and mentally-prepare for the next weeks.