Runners World Marathon Training Programme

jmccann

Anyone with any experience good or bad with the runners world training programme. On their programme for marathon in May - tempo runs and speed work definite help but average mileage seems to be bit low (30-35 miles) a week. Has predicted time of 3:20 which would be great for me but not sure if its realistic. Just interested to know any opinions from anyone that may have used their programme before.
Thanks

--amadeus--

I used thier sub 3:30 plan a few years ago for a few marathons. Did the job and certainly not the worst plans on the Internet, I recorded consecutive PBs but it took 5 attempts to actually go sub 3:30 (though it was a big ask at the time).

Knowing what I know now I think a higher mileage program may have made me faster faster (if you follow) but may have also led to overuse injuries.

So all in all it's a thumbs up

jmccann

Thanks Amadeus - strength and attitude to long runs especially are two areas that seem to be better with this programme also - mentally easier to train ( not so much dread of long runs!!)

smmoore79

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I used thier sub 3:30 plan a few years ago for a few marathons. Did the job and certainly not the worst plans on the Internet, I recorded consecutive PBs but it took 5 attempts to actually go sub 3:30 (though it was a big ask at the time).

Knowing what I know now I think a higher mileage program may have made me faster faster (if you follow) but may have also led to overuse injuries.

So all in all it's a thumbs up

Would you rate a runners world plan over a Hal Higdon plan? Im planning for a sub 3 attempt in Dublin October. Would love to here from someone who's running a good while what plan they'd recommend. Am following one of Hals 10k plans now just to keep me ticking over until June when i'll decide which marathon plan to go for..

--amadeus--

smmoore79 wrote: »

Would you rate a runners world plan over a Hal Higdon plan? Im planning for a sub 3 attempt in Dublin October. Would love to here from someone who's running a good while what plan they'd recommend. Am following one of Hals 10k plans now just to keep me ticking over until June when i'll decide which marathon plan to go for..

This is purely a personal opinion but I wouldn't use either. I personally find HH plans very light on mileage and would consider them to be much more suited to a novice runner (1st or 2nd marathon or someone happy to just get round rather than pushing for a set time). The RW plans are probably better at the faster end but I am in and around the 3 hr mark an I follow plans by P&D in Advanced Marathoning. Certainly a lot of teh guys on here who are in and around that pace would swear by that book.

Krusty_Clown

Again, another personal opinion: I started with Hal Higdon, and found it to be a great program for beginners (I started with Intermediate II), but I don't think it has the kind of structure to get an average person to sub-3 (I say average person as there have been posters here before who can hit sub-3 on 30-40 miles per week, for whom the Hal Higdon program (or any program for that matter) may be well suited).

While I haven't hit sub-3 yet (50 seconds and counting!), I too would recommend a Pfitzinger and Douglas program (linked above). If nothing else, it will give you the supporting information on why you need to do particular sessions, but also has a progressive structure that builds confidence.

I have only used these two programs though (HalH and P&D) so there may be others that are better. The other option is to go the club route, and have the coach proscribe a program that is customized for your specific strengths and weaknesses. I would still buy the P&D book though, as a useful reference. €14 well spent.

smmoore79

Thanks Amadeaus and Krusty, I think i'll invest in that P&D book. And hopefully all will go according to plan in October:rolleyes:

smmoore79

smmoore79 wrote: »

Thanks Amadeaus and Krusty, I think i'll invest in that P&D book. And hopefully all will go according to plan in October:rolleyes:

Thats ordered now, and thought id order Lore of running aswell. Plenty of reding to look forward to

watch the hop

I would concur with amadeus and krusty too. Last year I used the Hal Higdon Advanced 1 programme in training for the Cork Marathon and came in at in 3.31. I cut a further 10 mins off this in DCM a few months later.

Subject to other commitments, I am considering having a go at getting a Boston qalifying time (sub 3.10) later this year but am of the view that Hal’s plans even the Advanced II one, is too light on mileage for this. That said, they are brilliant for a first or second time marathoner and particualrly anyone aiming at breaking 4 hours or 3.30.

I haven’t read Advanced Marathoning (though I have taken Amamdeus’ point about cogging the programmes toward to back of it) and would also recommend Jack Daniel’s “Daniel’s Training Formula”, which I am using at the moment to guide the pace at which I train at, for various distances.

pre

jmccann wrote: »

Anyone with any experience good or bad with the runners world training programme. On their programme for marathon in May - tempo runs and speed work definite help but average mileage seems to be bit low (30-35 miles) a week. Has predicted time of 3:20 which would be great for me but not sure if its realistic. Just interested to know any opinions from anyone that may have used their programme before.
Thanks

U should look over the training programme in the irish runner, its high on mileage but it seems to be effective.

Raighne

jmccann wrote: »

Anyone with any experience good or bad with the runners world training programme. On their programme for marathon in May - tempo runs and speed work definite help but average mileage seems to be bit low (30-35 miles) a week. Has predicted time of 3:20 which would be great for me but not sure if its realistic. Just interested to know any opinions from anyone that may have used their programme before.
Thanks

I haven't used any Runner's World programmes as I find there's huge discrepency in their quality and they appear to me to focus on short-term fitness gains (your 6-12 week programmes) and often include what ever happens to be the fad at the time.

If you want to really immerse yourself in marathon training, I'd second earlier posters and suggest you invest in "Advanced Marathoning" by Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas. Its published by Human Kinetics and get's good reviews by Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi.

It's a very very good book. I swallowed it in two days and there's a great selection of programs (they all assume a reasonable solid fitness base before starting, however). Programs show the last 12 or 18 weeks before a marathon and despite the title there's a bit for everyone and its easy to use.

It starts with a program for runner typically running about 64k per week and who will increase up to 88k for parts of their marathon training and finishes with a program for those willing to run 137k+

Moycullen1

I am currently doing a P&D program having used the runners world program several times. I never actually achieved what I wanted with the runners world program but that wasn't the fault of the program but more a case of bad luck. I kept getting sick a few weeks before the marathons which, it turns out, was down to my diet and not over-training as I originally thought. I had heard a lot about he P&D book so I bought it out of curiosity. The main differences are as follows. The number of mid distance tempo runs in the P&D programs far exceed those in the RW programs. Although there is a strong focus on short speed work, which by the way I found very useful in improving basic fitness, in the RW programs I'm beginning to realise that you need to do more tempo runs of between eight and twelve miles close to or below your goal pace. Another thing I didn't like about the RW programs was that they encouraged me to do long runs at 9 min/mile pace when my goal pace was 8m/m. I cant see how you can be expected to add six miles on race day and also take a minute off your long run pace. Obviously it works for some people but I think you need to be bringing down your long run pace over the course of the program. When you get the book you will notice how the P&D long runs include large sections of marathon pace mileage.

Good luck with which ever one you choose.