3 Runs to Add to Your Marathon Training

marathon training

As a running coach I'm always looking for ways to incorporate different types of runs in to my athletes' programs. The long run and interval workouts are a pretty standard addition to any training plan, but often to reach the next level and chase down a PR you need something more. Here are three runs that are great additions to any marathon training cycle:

Fast Finish Long Runs

Fast finish runs are addition to your training tool box of workouts if you are training for a specific goal time. You can plan fast finishes at the end of your long runs, for example if you’re training for a marathon add a fast finish 20 miler to your training plan where you run the last five to three miles at an uptempo pace. If you’re unfamiliar with fast finish runs, try to hit your goal race pace as your “fast finish.” And if you’re a little more ambitious drop your pace a bit more and finish closer to your tempo or 5K pace and really push the last mile. Pushing hard on tired legs will simulate the way you want to run come race day.

Progression Runs

A progression run is a run that starts slowly and progressively gets faster. When running a progression run you want to make sure that you start slightly slower than your easy pace and progressively increase your speed until you run your final mile close to 10K pace. If you’re not sure what your easy pace is then this should be whatever pace you can comfortably carry on a conversation and if you haven’t recently run a 10K, your effort should be at about a 8 on a scale of 1-10. Progressively dropping your pace takes a bit of concentration on your part: you don’t want to increase your speed to quickly or you’ll run out of gas and not be able to complete the run. Progress slowly and focus on percieved effort, each mile should feel just a little more “uncomfortable,” saving your final push for that last mile. You can make progression runs part of your midweek mileage or tackle a long run as a progression run.

Goal Pace Miles

If you have a specific time goal for a race distance it’s important to get comfortable with the pace required to reach that time goal. Goal Pace miles can be sandwiched in the middle of your long runs. Running 4-6 goal paced miles in the middle of a long run will help your body and mind become familiar with the “feel” of that pace and you’ll be more prepared for race day. You can also run a Goal Pace tun-up run the week of the marathon. Four days out from a marathon or half marathon run 5K at your goal pace. Don’t forget to warm up with a mile and cool down with a mile.

Sarah is a certified running coach with the RRCA and the USATF. You can learn more about her coaching services HERE.

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Sarah is a certified running coach with the RRCA and USATF. She and her husband Mark Canney, CPT CSCS collaborate in coaching clients of all ages and abilities to help them reach their running goals. You can learn more about their coaching services HERE.

Have you ever incorporated these runs into your training?

--Sarah

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