Marathon plan high maintenance level

RedB

Hi all

I’ve been following the Hanson Marathon plan with the notion that it’ll benefit me whenever an actual Marathon is back on the agenda. I’m on week 12 of the 18 week plan and the residual fatigue is adding up. I’ve got to the stage where I’m wondering what I’m at and if this is the best thing to be doing. I’m keen to progress so figured I needed to improve my base fitness and I have enjoyed the progress I’ve been making. I don’t know if I should continue with the next 6 weeks of the plan or try to maintain the reasonable fitness I now have. There won’t be an event in 6 weeks time and I don’t think I can justify the effort especially if I’ll probably need to recover and rebuild again afterwards.

Is there a benefit to staying at the current level of the plan or should I keep going or even dial it back a bit?

Any feedback appreciated.

Red

ariana`

Are you hoping to do a marathon later in the year? Marathon training brings a lot of risk of injury especially for new/novice runners who don't necessarily have a sufficient base to be tackling 16-20mile long runs.

Following a 10k-10m or even a HM plan might be a better choice now to give you a good base before you start marathon training for an actual marathon.

But all this is without me know much/anything about your running background so a little more information might help

healy1835

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057982106

This thread was a pretty comprehensive one containing all things Hanson. You might get a bit of a steer from it.

RedB

healy1835 wrote: »

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057982106

This thread was a pretty comprehensive one containing all things Hanson. You might get a bit of a steer from it.

Thanks. I’ve been through all of that thread but the circumstances are a bit different as I’m wondering if I’m better in the long term to pause and maintain or push through. I don’t particularly want to do a virtual marathon but I want to be able to give my next one a decent shot.

I did DCM 2019 in 3:45 and was hoping to get to 3:35 in spring 2020 (Rotterdam) and sub 3:30 in DCM 2020. Obviously neither of those happened and another year slipped away. I’ve done several marathons in the 3:45-4:45 range and would love to break 3:30 and possibly BQ.

The query is more around maintaining at a decent (for me) fitness level or pushing to the max (full 18week plan) and starting again after that

RedB

ariana` wrote: »

Are you hoping to do a marathon later in the year? Marathon training brings a lot of risk of injury especially for new/novice runners who don't necessarily have a sufficient base to be tackling 16-20mile long runs.

Following a 10k-10m or even a HM plan might be a better choice now to give you a good base before you start marathon training for an actual marathon.

But all this is without me know much/anything about your running background so a little more information might help

Hoping for an autumn marathon and not particularly into 10k. Maybe the HM plan might be enough to satisfy the longer run preference in the meantime 🤔

RedB

Sorry just realised that I posted this in the Training Logs rather than the Main forum.

@Mods - can this be moved?

shotgunmcos

Welcome back to the Running Forum RedB!! Long time no read! Healy1835 beat me to it, lots of good stuff in that thread he posted.

Week 12 of 18 is where you are into the "strength" workouts and the MP tempos are up to 9 miles. This is where you really build the fitness into the marathon.

Murph_D did this plan last year and executed a virtual marathon PB off it.

If you are not intending to do that, might be worth dialing back the MP tempos and slow down the LRs. Even bring those back to 12-14 easy miles.

Or maybe a Half Marathon TT? Your fitness will stand up

healy1835

RedB wrote: »

Sorry just realised that I posted this in the Training Logs rather than the Main forum.

@Mods - can this be moved?

You could always start the log....you've taken the first step, albeit accidentally

RedB

healy1835 wrote: »

You could always start the log....you've taken the first step, albeit accidentally

Hmmmm....:)

It has been a while and a BQ type log might help......:rolleyes:

It’d be a slow burner though as I think my most likely chance is getting in via the 3:35 GFA cutoff. That’s the 55-60 category and I’m only 52. By my calculations I could qualify for that when I’m 53?
E.g. say I want to qualify for the 2024 Boston Marathon (when I’d be 55) then the qualifying window for that is Sept 2022- Sept 2023? So I’d be aiming for sub 3:30 in DCM 2022 so as to have a few minutes cushion. Does that make sense? I don’t think I’ll ever get to 3:20 territory which I’d need for the 50-54 GFA category

shotgunmcos

RedB wrote: »

Hmmmm....:)

It has been a while and a BQ type log might help......:rolleyes:

It’d be a slow burner though as I think my most likely chance is getting in via the 3:35 GFA cutoff. That’s the 55-60 category and I’m only 52. By my calculations I could qualify for that when I’m 53?
E.g. say I want to qualify for the 2024 Boston Marathon (when I’d be 55) then the qualifying window for that is Sept 2022- Sept 2023? So I’d be aiming for sub 3:30 in DCM 2022 so as to have a few minutes cushion. Does that make sense? I don’t think I’ll ever get to 3:20 territory which I’d need for the 50-54 GFA category

Murph_D is your man around these parts. He even had a BQ dedicated log

healy1835

Actually, I never thought about that before. If you're looking for a qualifying standard for an AG, does the time have to be ran while you're actually in the AG? or simply within the stipulated time period for qualifying times?

I've just entered M40 category so I could use a time I've ran while I was 39 (if one actually existed that is) as a qualifying standard for M40?

RedB

healy1835 wrote: »

Actually, I never thought about that before. If you're looking for a qualifying standard for an AG, does the time have to be ran while you're actually in the AG? or simply within the stipulated time period for qualifying times?

I've just entered M40 category so I could use a time I've ran while I was 39 (if one actually existed that is) as a qualifying standard for M40?

That’s the way it is with Boston anyway. You have to be in the appropriate category when you run but you may be in a lower category when you qualify. I’m a bit hazy as to when that qualification period is as I think applications go in the September prior to the April race. I’m guessing the qualification window is within the year prior to that but it may be less?

Murph_D

Yes, Boston qualifier times are based on your age when running the race, rather than the age when you qualify in the run up. For instance, I did Boston 2016 (aged 55) but qualified with a 3:36 time at Cork 2015 (aged 54). New York and London QTs are based on your age when running the qualifier, making them a bit harder to achieve (apart from the fact they are a good bit faster than Boston qualifier times). Boston is the easiest race to run the QT, especially as you get older.

To answer your original question, if you're not planning on running a TT marathon in six weeks, is there really a point in finishing the plan? I would say no, and I agree with ariana's point above - the injury risk alone makes it a bad idea. Marathon training, as you know very well at this stage is very tough - why go through it without the race - or well organised TT - reward at the end of it? I did Hanson last year for a TT but those were extraordinary times - I wouldn't go through it again without the prospect of a race. But that's just me. A good base building plan, or a 10k to HM schedule, definitely better options IMO, all already suggested.

Good luck with it. If you do get to Boston (and I'm sure you will from what you've posted), it's an amazing experience. I see the qualifying window for 2022 hasn't been announced yet, but it's not going to be straightforward with so much uncertainty for 2021 marathons. 2023 will be the one to target alright. Can see the Q times dipping further though, with so much pent-up demand and so many fast shoes out there.