2 x 5 Mile, 4 x 800m, 10 Miles
2 x 5 Mile, 4 x 800m, 10 Miles
Designed for Marathon runners
Intensity
5 Mile rep @ Goal Marathon pace
800m reps cutdown from 1/2 Marathon to 10K pace
10 Miles @ a relaxed pace
Recovery
2 minutes after 5Mile and 800m reps
Exertion
8/10
Periodization
Foundation Period, Introduction Block
Context & Details
Marathon training isn’t difficult — although many coaches and runners make it out to be.
An effective marathon training program prioritizes two things: running more and running fast.
A runner hits “the wall” on race day when their training lacks enough of either component.
There doesn’t seem to be disagreement about what needs to be done (more running and fast running), just how much needs to be done.
How you think about the marathon impacts how you train for it.
If you view the marathon as a pure endurance event then you’ll view running more as the key to success. Many ascribe to this view. It’s a long race, so training should be geared towards logging more miles to go the distance.
If a runner’s sole goal is to completing 26.2 miles in one outing, without regard to the time it takes, this approach is satisfactory.
However, when a runner cares about how fast they can run a marathon then running fast becomes important.
A common running half-truth is thinking you can’t run high miles and high speed. It depends on how “high” is defined. If high equals maximum miles and maxmial speed, then, yes — no can do. But this is rarely the case.
In fact, the highly effective marathon training centers around practicing running fast, more.
This is the heart of Canova’s highly successful marathon training philosophy — train to extend the runner’s ability to run fast.
Popular training models of the past prioritized running more then running faster. Today, we know it’s better to run faster then run more.
This session is designed for a seasoned marathoner, who doesn’t need worry about “going the distance” of 26.2 miles — they want to get faster for the distance.
This workout is really a 24 mile run, broken into 3 different segments.
In Marathon training, periodization is important. You’ll notice this session as written take place in the early stages of training, the Foundation Period, Introduction block. As the runner progresses the duration of the segments will change (shown later).
Being in the early stages of training, the two 5 Mile reps at Goal Marathon Pace (GMP) are done to introduce target race tempo in a non-threatening way. A little fatigue accumulates, but not much.
The repeat cutdown 800s are meant to stimulate demand for increasing motor power output in a fatiguing state. Many marathon coaches love even pace race plan. However, even pace does not mean even effort. The final miles at pace will be exponentially harder to run than the first. Therefore, effective training should include demanding work in a fatiguing state to adequately condition the runner for this race day reality.
The final10 Miles at a relaxed pace are included to force upgrades to the body’s fueling mechanisms, namely fatty acid oxidization efficacy. Even though the 10 Miles are prescribed as “relaxed,” that doesn’t mean they will feel easy. Most likely the pace will deteriorate throughout the 10 Mile segment as readily available glycogen has been exhausted and the body needs to include fatty acid into the fueling mix. That’s OK. Since faster, high glycogen burning work proceeded the 10 miles the desired fueling upgrades will be made, regardless of the pace.
Here’s how the workout progresses: The workout volume always stays at 24 miles. The 4 x 800m segment stays the same. It’s the GMP work that advances. The duration for the GMP running gets longer (running fast, more) while the later relaxed miles become fewer. For every mile added to the GMP segment, subtract it from the relaxed running segment.
Here’s a quick example progression:
1st Running
2 x 5 Mile, 4 x 800m, 10 Miles
2nd Running
2 x 6 Mile, 4 x 800m, 8 Miles
3rd Running
2 x 7 Mile, 4 x 800m, 6 Miles
4th Running
2 x 8 Mile, 4 x 800m, 4 Miles
5th Running
2 x 9 Mile, 4 x 800m, 2 Miles
This is a workout performed once every 2 weeks, in place of the traditional long slow run, and followed by a day off, or a very light couple of days of easy jogging to accommodate for necessary recovery both mechanically and metabolically.
Continue Learning
Join the Scholar Program for $29 to learn more about successful Marathon Training and get unlimited access to courses and training programs on long-distance running.
Good books on Marathon training
Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger
Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon by Brad Hudson
Running Rewired: Reinvent Your Run for Stability, Strength, and Speed by Jay Dicharry
Hansons Marathon Method: Run Your Fastest Marathon the Hansons Way by Luke Humphrey