It's that time of year again and yet again I find myself planning week to week, where and how far, we are meeting up to do our long run. We try and run as a group on the long run as we all find it a great help and motivation. plus, the social aspect as well as we chatter our way round.
My Marathon training is very different this year to previous times in marathons I've done normally I just build up millage and distance over the winter months and try not to get injured, But this year is different, after doing two marathons: London and Nottingham also having a heal injury. I joined boot camp . Boot camp is basically core strength etc like army training exercises, ITS HARD!!!
Hazel found a schedule for marathons that consists of a long run, a tempo run, and a track session all worked to set times with cross training other days, so it was decided that we give it a try. So far with the snow,ice and having a bad cold, it's not happening.
Apparently it's about quality not quantity.
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I hope I am proved wrong and the boot camp along with core strengthening is a great idea. I just wonder whether it can replace mileage in your marathon build up phase. In every other distance (apart from ultra), I would say yes its about quality over quantity. However, marathons are just as much about training your body to use and conserve energy as they are about running. I feel that this can only be achieved by doing the miles.
I agree with Antony about the training the body to use and conserve energy efficiantly. However, I don't think the endurance needs necessarily be built by running, in fact I'm certain that too much running can have a negative effect (at least for me). Last year I trained for the 3 Peaks, on a average of 18 miles running per week. The rest of my training, and primary endurance workouts were on the bike, and it worked really well. I know from experience that if I build up too much mileage running, my body just breaks down, and I end up injured.
A friend of mine works with a woman who is one of the top V50 Ironman athletes in the country, and she claims that she never does ANY running training!!! only cycling and swimming. Of course an ironman consists of 2.5 miles swim, followed by 112 miles on the bike, culminating with a marathon for afters!
Strength training is great, but I don't think it will help you run a marathon.
a couple of differing opinions there on the benefits of boot camp and core strengthening exercises. personally i would have to agree with tony although there is no doubting the benefits of going to boot camp or the gym once a week. i found in my marathon preparations there is no real substitute for grinding out those high mileage training weeks.
I don't think any of the opinions were different, essentially we all said that strength training was no substitute for building an endurance base. The only thing I threw into the pot was that the endurance base does not necessarily have to be gained by pounding the tarmac, and that based on my own experience and that of others, cycling is an effective way to build endurance.
If anyone is interested in this schedule we're following here's the link:-
http://www.furman.edu/FIRST/fmtp.htm
All the 3 key runs are at a challenging pace (although the LSR is more of a manageable one to begin with anyway, compared to the intervals & tempo run.)
You do 3 runs + 2 xtraining sessions which actually should be cardio (swimming, cycling or rowing 45 mins) but we're doing bootcamp. He does have us running at bootcamp as well though (hill sprints mainly) and round the court so it's certainly not all strength work. There's then an optionl xtraining session which I've been using to cycle.
It's been scientifically proven to work - the book is called 'run less, run faster' by runner's world.
One of the things I like is that the long runs start at 13 miles which is a lot longer earlier on than what we've done before which I'm hoping will build up my endurance. There's 7 18-20 mile sessions on this 16 week schedule.
Whether it works or not I guess we'll see on April 25th!
there is another tried and tested method which i have been using for the last 18 months. it involves racing every weekend sometimes saturday and sunday doing too much through the week.(run twice a day) then just sit back and wait and see how long it takes to get injured. if your legs(body) holds out on you carry on doing it. seems to work for me.
2 words to you Mr Oggie - SHIN SPLINTS!!
Gosh, I really did get a debate going.... didn't I?
It just strengthens my thoughts that this running game is certainly not an exact science and so subjective. I agree with Chris about an alternative way to build an endurance base. I was doing a lot of cycling whilst training for London in 2001 and 2002 and that was when I was running at my best.
I also agree with Kevin, because it is proving successful for him at the moment, although the shin splints may be a warning of overdoing it. If he can avoid the injuries then he should get better.
Hazel, it looks like there's a lot more running in the schedule than I first thought. I would say the long run is the most significant component of marathon training and 7 x 18-20 milers seems adequate.
I also agree with the core work. It is better that the core strengthening is done
for injury avoidance rather than in re-hab(like me!). A physio has recommended me doing them to improve stability and balance and to cure my knee problem(which has helped). It seems a lot of injuries can be caused by weak balance and core strength, leading to bad running form, just as much as overuse.
Best of luck on 25th April.
Ooops, I have started something here havn't i?
Didn't realise i was so popular...
The boot camp is something different and hopefully it will pay off. The scheduale is also somehting different compared to my normal training of just clockling the miles in.
3.45 will do for me, don't care how I get it!
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