Running a 2:37 marathon on 60 miles per week
11th May, 2016
I caught up with an old friend of mine, Gareth, in Costa today by chance and we talked about - would you believe it? - running! The conversation at one point was about marathons and did I still fancy having a go at a fast one.
It's 8 years since the PB in Amsterdam - I spent a few since trying to break it but frustratingly without success despite being in form. But that's the marathon for you.
Anyway, it got me thinking about Toronto in October and whether I could bring myself to do it all again and really go for it. So I thought I'd dig out my training 'plan' and see what kind of work I'd have to do. So here's the thing. The mileage was ridiculously small! -far less than I remembered - over 14 weeks.
For context I'd planned on racing London but due to a massive cold, jogged round instead and went for a fast one in Edinburgh that May, running a 2:48 thanks to an horrendous headwind which blew me to a complete standstill on the prom. I didn't do a huge amount before starting this build-up.
I counted 3 miles of cycling (all of which was flat out) as 1 mile equivalent of running and did the same for walks over 3 miles. I've coloured the harder runs and races in orange and the longer runs in blue. All the hard efforts are (for me) very hard.
I've always maintained you can train well with a couple of hard efforts and along run/race per week. Much more and I think injury risk increases rapidly. On the other hand I'm wondering what a few extra miles would have achieved.
What do you think? Would be very interested in your comments.
Date | Run-1 | Run-2 | Session(s) |
14th July | 2 | Cycle to/from Slough stn. Start of Ams 14-wk schedule | |
15th July | 2 | 5.5 | Cycle to/from work. Evening FRS route. 105 s/ups |
16th July | 2 | 9 | Evening gym inc 6x1M at 11mph, 11.1, 11.2, 11, 11, 11.1 3mins jog recovery |
17th July | 5.5 | FRS recovery route pretty brisk. 105 s/ups | |
18th July | 2 | 5.5 | Gym session 3M at 10.7mph, 2x2mins at 12mph with 1min 6mph recovery. Too tired and hot to do a proper session |
19th July | Newcastle | ||
20th July | 14 | Northumberland Coastal Run. 14M of multi-terrain. 24th in 1:25:00 | |
47.5 | |||
21st July | 5.5 | recovery run pretty brisk pace. 105 s/ups; 50 p/ups | |
22nd July | 2 | 10 | Cycle to/from Slough. Evening FRS Datchet, Windsor loop in c.1:04 tired |
23rd July | 2 | 5 | Evening gym session inc. 1M @11mph; 1M @ 11.1; 1M @ 11Too hot in there and v tired |
24th July | 7 | 5.2 | Morning run, Taplow, Dorney Common steady. Walk to Windsor. Afternoon gym session inc. 4M at 10.7mph |
25th July | 2 | 3 | Cycle to/from Slough. Evening rubbish run FRS back short along EW rd. Too muggy, no energy at all. |
26th July | 1 | 9 | Walk to/from Windsor. Short hills session only 12 reps v warm and stomach feeling rough |
27th July | 1 | 7.5 | Abortive long run far too hot. Walk to Dorney lake and back |
60.2 | |||
28th July | 1 | 17 | Evening run home along canal/Slough/FRS. 1Hr 55 ish. Shoes basically shot! |
29th July | 2 | Cycle to/from Slough | |
30th July | 2 | 7.5 | Evening gym session inc 2M @11mph; 2M @ 11.1mph; 1M @ 11.2mphCould have continued but short of time. |
31st July | 2 | 7 | Gym 7M rising to 10.5mph by 0.1mph every quarter mile |
1st Aug | 2 | 5.5 | Cycle to/from Slough. Evening FRS recovery run bit crappy. |
2nd Aug | 8.5 | Datchet route with some additions to keep fartlek on track. 6x2mins fast, 1 min jog; 6x1min fast, 1min jog. | |
3rd Aug | 9.6 | Packington / Ravenstone route (long) back via direct rd to Packington | |
64.1 | |||
4th Aug | 6.5 | 6.5 | Cycle to/from Slough. 5.5M in the gym rising 0.1mph each 0.25miles to 10.3mph. Evening FRS recovery route, steady. |
5th Aug | 2 | 6 | 1M warm up then 5M at 10.7mph |
6th Aug | 2 | 16 | Cycle to/from Slough. Run home via the A4. Pretty slow and boring run home.. slow mainly due to road junctions |
7th Aug | 1 | Work drink. Walk to Slough station | |
8th Aug | 2 | Cycle to/from Slough | |
9th Aug | 7.5 | Datchet route steady pace. | |
10th Aug | 11.3 | Not much energy at the start - Thames path, Maidenhead Rd, down to marina, lap of Dorney Lake. | |
60.8 | |||
11th Aug | 2 | 9 | Gym session inc. 6x1M in 11mph, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11, 11 |
12th Aug | 2 | 5.5 | Cycle to/from Slough. Evening FRS route steady pace.. v tired but ok run |
13th Aug | 2 | ||
14th Aug | 20 | Dorney common, A4, GU Canal to Ealing. 2Hrs 17. Solid run! | |
15th Aug | 2 | 6.3 | Cycle to Slough. Dorney common, A4 to Slough station to pick up bike- largely brisk pace. Cycle home. |
16th Aug | 7.5 | FRS Datchet steady pace | |
17th Aug | 13 | Dedworth route inc 6x2min hills. Missed Burnham race as fighting a cold. | |
69.3 | |||
18th Aug | 2 | 7.5 | FRS Datchet route steady pace |
19th Aug | | ||
20th Aug | Fighting off a cold | ||
21st Aug | 2 | ||
22nd Aug | 2 | 7.5 | FRS Datchet route pretty brisk |
23rd Aug | 4 | Sheringham. FRS Eton route before leaving | |
24th Aug | 6 | Out to West Runton then another mile uphill into the woodland area and back | |
31.0 | |||
25th Aug | 20 | Out along the Mundesley coast road to 8 mile point plus another 13.5 mins then return. 2:17ish. Not bad. Did it despite being tired and not up for it | |
26th Aug | |||
27th Aug | 2 | 7.5 | Cycle to/from Slough. Evening FRS route brisk in parts. |
28th Aug | 2 | 9 | 1M w/up then 8M at 10.7mph. Good! |
29th Aug | 2 | 6 | Cycle to/from Slough. Gym session 6M on the treadmill inc pace 0.1 mph/0.25M up to 10.3mph |
30th Aug | 5.5 | FRS recovery route - very hot day | |
31st Aug | 4 | Pissed it down all day. Only managed 4 - what a waste | |
58.0 | |||
1st Sep | 2 | 10.3 | Gym session 7M repeats 4x1M at 11.1mph, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4 1x2M at 11mph, 1M at 11.2 |
2nd Sep | 2 | 6.3 | Cycle to/from Slough. Gym session gradually increasing treadmill pace up to 11mph |
3rd Sep | 2 | 7.5 | Cycle to/from Slough. Evening Datchet inc. 9x2mins fast, 1 min jog recovery |
4th Sep | 2 | Rest | Cycle to/from Slough |
5th Sep | 6.4 | Route around Ashby, Willesley and back under M42 | |
6th Sep | Rest | ||
7th Sep | 23.5 | Thames path to School Lane Little Marlow and back. 2:37. Great. Felt fine the whole way. Use caffeine gel - good! | |
62.0 | |||
8th Sep | 2 | 5.5 | Cycle to/from Slough. Evening gym easy 5.5M |
9th Sep | 2 | Cycle to/from Slough | |
10th Sep | G | 11 | Run to/from gym w/up then 1x3M(!) @ 11.1mph, 6min jog; 1M @ 11.2; 1M @ 11.3; 1M @ 11-11.3. Good! |
11th Sep | 2 | Cycle to/from Slough | |
12th Sep | 2 | ||
13th Sep | 4 | FRS/Eton 4 miler - no time for more | |
14th Sep | 14 | Bristol Half Marathon 1:20 and bits. Pretty rubbish. Felt sluggish from the off and walked loads. | |
42.5 | |||
15th Sep | 2 | 7.5 | Walked at least 6 miles round Bristol. Evening FRS Datchet run steady pace - legs sore |
16th Sep | 2 | 5.5 | Cycle to/from Slough. Lunchtime 5.5m on treadmill slow rising to 10.1mph |
17th Sep | 7.5 | 6 | Morning recovery route, steady pace. Cycle to/from Slough station. Evening Windsor route with 8x2mins fast, 60s jog recovery |
18th Sep | 6.5 | Gym - w/up then 2x2M in 11.1mph & 11.2 with 5 mins jog recovery. 1M @ 11.3mph. Knee sore and t/mill struggling so called it a day | |
19th Sep | 2 | 4 | 4M FRS/Eton run.. then cycle to the company bash and back. Company night out |
20th Sep | 1 | 7.5 | FRS Datchet route steady pace. |
21st Sep | 22.5 | Datchet to Thames Path to 10-mile bridge then 14mins further running. Back short way through Datchet. Good! | |
74.0 | |||
22nd Sep | 2 | 5.5 | Cycling as usual. Gym treadmill slow to a bit faster. Pretty sore. |
23rd Sep | 2 | 8 | Gym 4 miles at 10.7mph then 1M @ 11.2mph, 3 min jog rec. 1M @ 11.3mph. |
24th Sep | 2 | 7.5 | Datchet route decent pace for the mostpart. Need a massage! |
25th Sep | 2 | 5.5 | Cycling. Recovery route in reverse but rubbish run - very tired. |
26th Sep | 2 | 9 | Evening Gym session 9M inc 6x1M with 3min jog recovery at 11.1;11.2;11;11.1;11.2;11 |
27th Sep | 5.5 | Recovery route. No energy - probably all the sweets to blame! | |
28th Sep | 14 | Macclesfield Half - 1:16:50 6th place overall, 2nd AG. Good time - had some left and 3 big hills. | |
65.0 | |||
29th Sep | 2 | Massage 8pm | |
30th Sep | 2 | 6 | Cycling as usual. Gym treadmill slow to up to 11mph |
1st Oct | 2 | 6 | Gym session with 5M tempo at 10.7mph |
2nd Oct | 2 | 6 | Cycling.. Gym session slow to 10.4 mph rising 0.1mph per quarter mile |
3rd Oct | 2 | 6 | Gym session with 5M tempo at 10.7mph |
4th Oct | 1 | 7.5 | Walk to/from Windsor. Evening FRS Datchet steady pace with some brisk |
5th Oct | 18.5 | Datchet, Thames path to 10-mile point then back shorter way into Windsor. Sub 2 hrs - prob 1:56 without pauses | |
61.0 | |||
6th Oct | 2 | Jarred R knee yesterday and it's sore today. Cycling only | |
7th Oct | 2 | 2.5 | Cycle to Slough. Gym session but utter rubbish - 2.5M! Total collapse in energy and nearly fell off the treadmill! |
8th Oct | 2 | 6 | Gym - 1M w/up then 4x1M in 11.1; 11.2; 11.3; 11 with 3mins jog recovery. Felt v strong. |
9th Oct | 2 | 5.5 | FRS Recovery run steady pace. Cycled to/from Slough |
10th Oct | 2 | 7.8 | Cycle to Slough. Datchet route with 8x1min fast; 1min jog recovery |
11th Oct | 1 | Walk into town and back | |
12th Oct | 6.22 | 4.2 | Legoland 10K 1:05 - super slow running with Suzanne. Run home from Legoland. |
43.2 | |||
13th Oct | 2 | Cycling to/from Slough | |
14th Oct | 2 | 4 | Cycling to/from Slough. Gym session 1M w/up then 4x3mins at 11.1mph with 1min jog recovery |
15th Oct | 2 | Cycling to/from Slough | |
16th Oct | 2 | 3 | Cycling to/from Slough. Evening easy run to cash machine in Eton and back |
17th Oct | 1 | Walking to hotel from central station | |
18th Oct | 1 | Easy route close to hotel. | |
19th Oct | 1 | 27 | Amsterdam Marathon 2:37:41 - PB. 51st/c.6000 - 1st M40 and won 250 euros!! |
45.0 |