Marathon training issue

Slideways

Hey peeps, I'm looking for some advice.
I'll try and keep this concise.

I'm 35 and have been running for about 10 years or so. The first few years were pretty poor with a bit of a jump in distance over the last 2.

I'm at the point where I can run a half on my own consistently in 1:45 or so and run again the next day. I've been informed that my heart rate is too high on my training runs, the last half was an average of 162 with a max of 174.

So I've started to train and attempt to keep the heart rate in or around 145. My resting hr is 51 and max is 185 iirc

Now the problem I'm up against for training for a full is that I work away. 2 weeks away on a minesite and one week at home. When I'm at work I do 12.5 hour days (x7) followed by 12.5 hour nights (x7) and have limited treadmill time in at camp.

Can anyone suggest a training program I could follow considering this schedule?

Thanks in advance

Heh.

Finglas Flier

Slideways wrote: »

I'm 35 and have been running for about 10 years or so.

I'm at the point where I can run a half on my own consistently in 1:45 or so and run again the next day. I've been informed that my heart rate is too high on my training runs, the last half was an average of 162 with a max of 174.

So I've started to train and attempt to keep the heart rate in or around 145. My resting hr is 51 and max is 185 iirc

Not sure about a training regime.... but the heart rate is quite different. Clearly if you have been informed on medical grounds then that is an important consideration. The usual hr calculation is 220 minus your age (for a man) for your max HR. That would make yours around 185 max if you are a man......but it is a rough guide.

I am 51 and according to this calculation my max Hr should be about 169 but I regularly go into the 185 max area when doing sprints. If it is a concern for you then get a medical test done just to be sure.

Good luck with the training. I would do what you can while working even just to keep loose and get some decent runs in when not in work.

TFBubendorfer

Finglas Flier wrote: »

I am 51 and according to this calculation my max Hr should be about 169 but I regularly go into the 185 max area when doing sprints. If it is a concern for you then get a medical test done just to be sure.

Calculations are worthless for your max hr. Mine is over 15 beats higher than the standard formula would indicate. The only way to get a somewhat reliable max hr reading is by doing a test.

When he says "my heart rate is too high on my training runs" then that does not indicate a medical issue but the fact that he runs too hard on his training runs and would improve by slowing down a bit.

robinph

Who said that your HR is too high?

That could be anyone from the guy sat next to you in the bar or the overweight company doctor who normally deals with mine workers suffering with breathing problems, in either case get a second opinion from someone medically qualified with a knowledge of something to do with endurance sports if you are genuinely concerned about this.
Or if you've been told this by your GP who runs sub X (insert arbitrary marathon time here) then the opinion carries a bit more weight. But I'd think it unlikely that anyone qualified in the right area has said that a HR is too high as to have that opinion you'd need to have done much more testing than just what has been recorded on a sports watch HR monitor.

Have you done a timed half race, or is this a 13 mile route you run yourself in training?
It is possible that you are training harder than is best for running a better half marathon time though, and you certainly shouldn't be trying to better the time over that route on every run. The long easy runs should be long and easy, don't race the same route every time.

Finglas Flier

Slideways wrote: »

I've been informed that my heart rate is too high on my training runs, the last half was an average of 162 with a max of 174.

I was responding to him *been* informed about his hr. I am not supposing to know who informed him his hr is to high!! It may have been medical...it may not.

I did indicate that calculations are a rough guide and that I indeed regularly run above my own max...
Cheers..

Clearlier

As others have said the heart rate info is not much use without a correct Max HR number.

You'll need to give us an idea of the training that you can do and what you have been doing before we can offer recommendations on a plan. I imagine that the long shifts working in a mine fairly take it out of you?

Slideways

So to answer a few questions. Yup, I'm a bloke

So without dropping anyone in it, runners I know who I keep in touch with re: my running and who have completed marathons in the past have told me I push too hard. I wouldnt say I strive for a PB on every run but theres not much of a difference between my race times and my city based runs if I'm honest. The fact that my PB (1:41:xx) for a HM was set on my route at home probably underlines this.

I've done a few races, the last being the Achill half a few months ago in 1:45:xx

220 - my age(35) gives me the 185 and on sprint training when really pushing myself it is the highest HR I have achieved.

If I have missed anything asked give me a reminder. I should also point out i live in Aus so coming into summer time here, as such there is little in the way of marathons in the next few months..

I have been imparting some advice from the novices thread about how fast he runs and the fact that he should slow down during his Long Slow Runs (nothing to do with HR - purely pace).

So there, no need to drop anyone in it :P

Slideways

Slideways wrote: »

I've done a few races, the last being the Achill half a few months ago in 1:45:xx

This was 6 days after the Warriors Run in Sligo which IIRC you did in 1:22.

Slideways

So, keeping it simple.

If I was to do one LSR every third week (my week off) increasing the distance by a mile each time, combined with an interval style run and a steady paced medium distance (possibly off road and hilly) run to go along side a cycle or two would this be enough to get me into marathon distance prep?

Ideally, what HR should I be aiming for on the LSR? I find that my running style suffers when I go too slow..

Obviously, once I'm back at work I'll just have to try and get some sort of exercise in but it's less than ideal.

Taking into account that it's coming into the height of summer here I've potentially a long enough time before the race season kicks off...