Marathon/half marathon training schedule?

Filan

Does anyone have any good links? Is it as simple as simply building up one's distance gradualy? How long did it take others here to reach marathon distance?. Time wouldn't matter to me, but would like to aim for a marathon next year.

Thanks
A

Krusty_Clown

It really depends on where you are right now. For an introduction to marathoning, you can't go too far wrong with a Hal Higdon program. But if you're relatively new to running, it's better to build up to the distance by training for and running shorter distances first (10k, 10 mile, 1/2 marathon). Higdon has a training plan for each of those distances.

osnola ibax

filan, as kc says, I think it is a very good idea to get a good running base behid you before undertaking a marathon programme, even a novice. A few people around here have undertaken programmes after maybe 3 - 6 months running, so it is very possible but I would even suggest getting 12 months training and shorter distance races under the belt before starting a programme. I am of course talking from my own bad experience so it's a very biased view but a sensible one and one that reiterates some of advice you find elsewhere.

Here is a half marathon schedule I intend to use for a half in the near future, when I get a decent base behind me again

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/133.shtml

it's arguably tougher than HH with 6 days running per week. It also contains some hill and speed work. Sorry filan, I don't mean to hijak your thread but I'm just wondering has anyone else here used a cool running programme, apart from c25k, and would you recommend them.

Aimman

osnola ivax wrote: »

I don't mean to hijak your thread but I'm just wondering has anyone else here used a cool running programme, apart from c25k, and would you recommend them.

I started using the Beginner Marathon planner from it for Dublin 2007, then changed to the Intermediate after that fpr all the other marathons. I found the training schedules quite comprehensive and routine, but changing from Beginner to Intermediate didnt help my speed, because I didnt really emphasis on speed work, but helps me chain one marathon after another with a speedy recovery after each one.

I'm thinking of looking at the Advanced plan for 2010, or perhaps a Hal Higdon plan, just for a bit of variety.

I would recommend the cool running plans, because they were easy to follow each week, as opposed to some complicated interval / speed training programs in some schedules.

Filan

Thanks all, I'm at the 5-7 mile stage , have been running that distance comfortably for the past 6 months, don't ever pressurise myself as at 31 I'm never going to be at the front, but have grown to enjoy the social occasions that are races. Have done a few mini-marathons, 8k runs.

So does running capacity incrementaly increase or does the body reach a natural limit a certain point beyond which it's always going to be a strain?.

I'll certainly print off from the links

Thanks!
Alan:)

meathcountysec

Filan wrote: »

So does running capacity incrementaly increase or does the body reach a natural limit a certain point beyond which it's always going to be a strain?.

It's always going to be a strain, but the strain will be at a faster pace;)

Filan

Can for example one advance as easily from 10-15 miles as 5-10, as easily from 15-20 as 10-15?....

HardyEustace

Filan wrote: »

Can for example one advance as easily from 10-15 miles as 5-10, as easily from 15-20 as 10-15?....

Just from personal experience, once you start going over 10-12 miles then the whole ball game changes.

I think that once you go over 16 miles is when you're entering a whole new territory as to how suited your kit is, how well your body feels afterwards, how careful you have to be about recovery.

osnola ibax

HardyEustace wrote: »

Just from personal experience, once you start going over 10-12 miles then the whole ball game changes.

I think that once you go over 16 miles is when you're entering a whole new territory as to how suited your kit is, how well your body feels afterwards, how careful you have to be about recovery.

+1 100%

Krusty_Clown

Filan wrote: »

at 31 I'm never going to be at the front

Age isn't a valid reason for believing you won't be at the front of a race pack. There are many people on this forum who started running in their mid-life years, who would be regular front of the pack runners. Remember, with great age, comes great wisdom.

--amadeus--

I'd agree with everything above. I ran my 1st mara aged 33 and now - at 37 - I am significantly faster. I'll never win but no reason to think that age category places are beyond me.

And I can't overstate the importance of both getting a good plan and a conservative plan for your first mara. You might look at the plan and think "wow, that's a doddle, the first month I could do with my eyes closed" and because of that step into a plan that is challenging from the start. That way heartbreak and injury lie - you should be able to complete teh first few weeks of teh plan easily and stress free. Better to complete an easy plan than drop out of a tough one.

Peckham

--amadeus-- wrote: »

You might look at the plan and think "wow, that's a doddle, the first month I could do with my eyes closed" and because of that step into a plan that is challenging from the start.

+1 ... but the same should also apply to more experienced runners also. If embarking on a 12-16 week plan, your base fitness should be at a level where you're not having to step things up too radically over the first few weeks of the plan.