Question:I've recently introduced swimming into my marathon training program in place of
easy 4 or 5 mile runs. The swimming is harder aerobically (for me) and makes
me feel like I've had a real workout rather than a lazy jog. My only concern
about the following is that I might be doing too much. All of the runs are
early morning, and the kids join me for most of the swims, so the family time
is preserved.
Anybody got any opinions?
Monday: 1-mile swim (35-40mins)
Tuesday: 10 mile run with 2-3 mile repeats @ brisk pace (10K + 20secs)
Wednesday: 1-mile swim (35-40mins)
Thursday: 10 mile run with 2-3mile repeats @ brisk pace (10K + 20secs)
Friday: weight training (upper body only 35-40 minutes)
Saturday: Long run @ marathon pace from 17 to 22miles (8:00 - 8:15/mile)
Sunday: Short recovery jog (3-4) miles, optional swim or weights
Answer:
Wow, this is way beyond my training program. How many marathons have you
run before?
The 10 mile runs and swimming I could live with. But the part of your
program I wonder about is the long run at marathon pace. I've never heard
of any program that advocates this. I think I would die before the marathon
if I ran my long runs like this. But I've only run two, so I'm not the
world's expert.
I usually do my long runs at 60-90mpm slower than goal pace. But one day a
week I'll do a marathon paced tempo of up to 13 miles. And like a long run,
I gradually build up the tempo milage starting from 3 or 4 miles. Keep in
mind that I don't do two 10 mile runs during the week also.
Of course, this is MY training program and MY opinions. If it works for
you, by all means...
I don't know if this will help, but I found that long runs close to race pace
help my conditioning far better than the Higdon program. I've been running 20
milers at race pace + 20 seconds per mile, alternating weekly with 12 mile
runs at race pace - 10 seconds per mile. I do one day of hard interval work a
week on top of this. The other 2 or 3 days of running are easier miles. I
also have 1 day of rest and 1 or 2 days of cross-training (basketball, but
swimming is probably better).
With this schedule, I'm improving quickly, but I have to be very aware of
injurys. I let up a bit when I feel one of several injuries coming on.
I ran my 1st marathon last year at 7:13 pace. Hope to run one in May at 6:51
pace (just under 3:00:00). I'll either make it or die trying.
