Garmin Marathon Training Plans

SeanPuddin

Just trying to sort out a marathon plan for Dublin this year, this is my first marathon. I have plenty of time to run so would like to get a 4-5 day a week program.

The handiest would be to use my Garmin connect account and saw this plan: http://static.garmincdn.com/shared/emea/custom/training/downloads/running/Marathon-Training-Plan-Intermediate-ENGLISH.pdf

Just wondering would this plan prepare me better than a Hal Higdon plan. Is the mileage build up correct?

To me the plan looks doable and even enjoyable, but would like an opinion from someone who has followed one of these before.

Krusty_Clown

What's your running background like? Current PB for 1/2 marathon?

SeanPuddin

I haven't run a half marathon yet. That said I don't think a Novice 3 day a week plan is for me. I'm currently running 20+miles a week.

Krusty_Clown

SeanPuddin wrote: »

I haven't run a half marathon yet. That said I don't think a Novice 3 day a week plan is for me. I'm currently running 20+miles a week.

There are some relatively tough sessions there, for someone running your mileage. I'd start on a half marathon plan first and see how you fare. Then make a decision on which marathon plan you should follow. Does Garmin supply half marathon plans? What's your 10 mile PB?

SeanPuddin

Garmin have a number of training plans here: http://www.garmin.com/uk/training. (5K,10K,HM,M). Depending on the watch you can load these up which is handy for the intervals.

I am going to study a few more plans now and see what's best. Half marathon plan is not a bad idea, thanks.

Krusty_Clown

Sean, that Intermediate half plan looks pretty decent, but the problem is that you may not have enough time to complete the full half marathon plan, plus the marathon plan in time for Dublin. In an ideal world, you'd complete both and the half plan would give you the necessary strength and adaptations to tackle the higher mileage and higher stress of the marathon plan. If however, you look at the half marathon plan and feel that you've already at a stage where you could jump in at week 6 or 7, then you could feasibly ease yourself into it. Just be careful with those sessions if you haven't done anything similar (e.g. threshold running and hills).

Itziger

Resurrecting this.

Has anyone ever tried a Half or Full from the Garmin plans? I picked a few sessions of the Half Advanced last year and thought they were good. The entire plan I don't think I'd have the commitment for. Wondering about the Full Advanced....... Though to be perfectly honest I think I'd have to mix and match again as the whole lot seems daunting.

jmdsk

Just reopening to ask opinion on the Garmin plans, I'm hoping to do my first marathon in Waterford, I was looking at the garmin plan or myasics.
Any suggestions. Ran my first half recently in just under the 2hours

Itziger

jmdsk wrote: »

Just reopening to ask opinion on the Garmin plans, I'm hoping to do my first marathon in Waterford, I was looking at the garmin plan or myasics.
Any suggestions. Ran my first half recently in just under the 2hours

There has been a bit of debate recently on the Mysaics plans. I looked at a marathon one as a result of some negative comments on here and I can confirm that it was nothing short of bizarre. I would stay clear of them.

As I said above, a few years ago, I did an adapted Half Advanced. Or was it intermediate?? Anyway, it was a tough, tough plan. The real deal I would say. Doing the whole thing would be too much of a commitment for me but I cherry picked a few of the sessions and they were great.

So, on my limited experience I would say Garmin all the way.

jmdsk

Lovely thanks, I saw your post but I read somewhere that they had updated the myasics and I liked the interface. I know that's not an important thing. Also read the hal higdon novice plan might not give you the intended mileage, and I don't think I'm enough of a runner to try the fartlek that the intermediate and garmin seem to use. Maybe it's time to learn and even join a group

Supercell

The Garmin plans seem pretty advanced for a first timer, FWIW I was using the Hal Higdon Novice Supreme but have switched over to using https://my.asics.com/ which gives a personalised plan thats flexible in length which I'm finding very good. I'm training for the Limerick marathon at the end of April.