Why so much variation in Marathon Plans??

BenMicheal

I've started to look around at other marathon plans to try continue my gains made in 2012 and I've noticed that there is plenty of variation in marathon plans. Why is this so?

For example, I was looking at the Hal Higdon Advanced 2 plan and it has mid-week runs at 3 - 4 miles, however when you look at the plan posted on the Dublin Marathon website it suggests runs up to 8 miles during the week?

While the LSR runs are pretty consistent on comparison, why is there such a variation during the mid week runs??

career_move

Doctors differ and patients die
In some cases not a lie
And every surgical mistake
Can lead to death and grieving and heartbreak

Though surgeons have saved many a life
Some die under the surgical knife
A fact of life one well might say
And such things happen every day,
Doctors differ and patients survive
And even regain their sexual drive

Yet on our lives the Reaper has the final say
For all a last night and last day,
Doctors differ and patients die
That's a fact and facts don't lie.

:D

sideswipe

it's a bit like asking why are there so many different types of birthday cards. There are many different standards of runner from novice to elite....there are many ways to train for and run a marathon, the trick is finding one that works for you.

ecoli

There are many different plans with different approaches and targets. If there was just a right way and a wrong way someone would have cracked running long ago

Hal Higdon plans are designed to get people's bodies prepare to complete a marathon

The DCM plans are relatively simple with the main aim of getting people around also but there is a bit more focus on getting people aerobically able to start considering improvement with regards time etc while still appealing to the general public in terms of first time runners of the event

There are plenty of other approaches also;

Lydiard approach is marathon conditioning for all distances before going into specific event training (be it 800m to Marathon)

P&D approach is focused around the long run and adding marathon paced miles. The also include Vo2 max type sessions with the aim of boosting aerobic capacity

Jack Daniels aims to develop turn over in the early training phase with the later phase focused around long multi paced sessions and is very much based around race specific endurance

Canova is all bout efficiency and making the body as comfortable at marathon pace as possible. The aim is pace first and build the distance

Hanson try to get away from the Long run being the focal point of a week but rather prefer to get specific medium distance paced runs during the week to compliment the shorter than the norm long runs in the program with the idea being the reduced recovery from extremely long runs can mean you can have more quality in your week.

These are just general synopsis of different approaches all of which have been extremely successful in different cases (from 2.03-5.00+ marathons). The trick is to find a plan that best suits you. I know personally my body would break down on the JD programs without a doubt while others swear by them

Training background, injury history, PBs and a number of other factors all come into play.

BenMicheal

Put another way by doing less mileage during the week by doing the Higdon plan over the more miles in contained in the Dublin Marathon plan am I shooting myself in the foot by doing less mileage?

ecoli

BenMicheal wrote: »

Put another way by doing less mileage during the week by doing the Higdon plan over the more miles in contained in the Dublin Marathon plan am I shooting myself in the foot by doing less mileage?

Personally I would say for people in their first few years of running aerobic development is key. As such the more miles you have in the bank the bigger dividend you will see come race day

As both plans are not high intensity (in terms of quality work) I would say the DCM plan would have you better prepared provided you were smart about the approach and didnt do too much too soon and cause injury

tHE vAGGABOND

For example, in the past when I have upped miles to too far beyond 60 miles per week I have gotten injured, and when I have done more than a tiny amount of speed work I have gotten injured - so as much as my heart and mind would love to do one of the plans which peak at 70 miles a week, and do regular speed work, I just dont think my body can do it...[that said, coming back from this last injury, I have introduced speed work *very* gradually, and in a controlled fashion via Tuesday club sessions...]

..So I have done my last 3 marathons on a similar plan peaking at 50+ miles a week, and having less outright speed work [where speed work is 5k/10k type pace], and plenty of half marathon and marathon pace miles.

Where some of the speedy folks around here are doing loads of miles at faster than I can do 5k in; as a result of higher miles and more quality sessions etc

ClashCityRocker

I've just started on the Higdon advanced two programme for an autumn marathon, and one slight concern I have is that the mileage doesn't seem that high, never really going over 55 miles per week. I've never actually followed a programme before though (having done a few marathons) so I'm keen to see how it works out.

shels4ever

I think the main thing about the generic marathon plans is the fact they are pure generic. Most of the books and plans are prefaced stating that if tired reduce mileage , dont do session x,y,z people need to remember that they are generic and you need to add to them or take away as needed more so at the novice end of things where progress can be really quick.
The HH novice plan is as ecoli says designed to get you to the finish line, but most novice runners will be capable of a bit more easy volume.

I was getting a plan for some people in work and was going to give them that until I seen the lack of progression in the mid week runs. It may help in keeping you injury free etc but lack of mileage could result in a messy last 6 miles. (dont get trr started on this one, he might go back to the novice thread...)