UKA Training Tips for Marathons - St Mary's Uni 30/1/2011

Speaker: Mick Woods (UKA Endurance Performance Coach to Stephanie Twell and Charlie Purdue)

Throughout Mick emphasised the importance of preparation for the marathon event, from the beginning of training, to the day itself. Having competed in over 70 marathons himself, including the first ever London Marathon in 1981, he had experience as both a coach and as a runner.

Mick emphasised the need for Marathon runners to have an endurance base from which to build. In an ideal situation, you will have a good 6 months of running before the day of your marathon. The building of a base level occurs by running increasing distances over 3 months prior to starting marathon training. Ideally this then leads straight into the beginning of the 16 week Marathon training cycle. At the beginning of the 16 week build up to the Marathon event, you should add in more speedwork than you have been doing already.

If you have run a marathon in the previous year, your body will have adapted so that you won't have to go back to the same training plan and level of mileage/effort that you did previously. At the 3 month point (16 weeks before race day) you should begin your full plan, the likes of which can be found online and in Runners World.

We were then shown a chart devised by Jeff Galloway (1981) which Mick deemed the most accurate guide to the amount of weekly miles an athlete should be completing to reach a desired target time in the 16 week cycle:

3 hours - 45 to 55 miles/week

3 hours 10 - 40 to 50 miles/week

3 hours 20 - 38 to 48 miles/week

3 hours 30 - 35 to 45 miles/week

4 hours - 30 to 40 miles/week

So: In the case of a runner aiming for 3 hours 30, they should start their first of 16 weeks at around the 30 miles per week total mileage, and then build up to covering just over 45 in their biggest week. For all, the longest run should be about 25% of your total mileage. Before anyone says anything, I know this means that if our 3 hour 30 runner did 22 miles as their longest run, in theory this would mean they would cover 88 miles in total! Obviously this shouldn't be attempted. Instead, the role of quality running was emphasised, and so (in this case) the other 27 miles should be made up of speed/tempo work, maybe a hill run, and a steady run. Certainly by the time of taper core work should be much more prominent than at week 1 of the cycle. See my blog post for Alberto Salazar's views of using weights during marathon training.

Mick then gave us the golden answer to a question I'm often asked as a coach.

"At what speed should I run my long runs?!'

Answer: You should maintain a steady pace throughout and run 30 to 60 seconds SLOWER than your target time marathon pace.

e.g. If you want 3 hours 30, you need to run 8 minute miles in the race. In your long runs you should keep your speed between 8.5 and 9 minute mileing.

I'll put my hand up and say that for the last year I have been running my long runs at the same speed I race. This year I will follow this advice. However, in the last half hour, see if you can up your speed on a regular basis. I am also ignoring my new coaches advice to only run for 2 hours maximum prior to race day. I think it a foolish approach in retrospect.

"How long should your longest run (of the whole 16 weeks) be?"

Answer: About as long as your intended time (with a margin taken off).

e.g. If you are aiming for 3.20, you should run for about 3 hours on your longest run. Use this as a guide for your longest training runs. The importance of the time on your feet is that you should fully experience the physical and mental conditions of what it feels like for that length of time near to the race (however experienced you may be). Once you've done your longest run, then really really rest in your taper!

Many examples were given of good runners who couldn't resist the urge, with all their training under their belts, and with their engines 'revving', going out and either doing too long a run in the 3 week taper, or too fast in a speed session during this rest time.

A few extra tips:

Throughout training:

1) Monitor your weight. If you lose a lot, then you may be depleting your glycogen levels which you will need to ease past to 'the wall' in the race.

2) Make sure you take iron, vitamins C and D supplements - particularly in the taper as your immune system will be recovering from your max milling the week before and thus susceptible to sniffles/illness.

3) Within your 20 mile runs, include at least 1 race.

If you are over 3 hours in your projected time, aim to run your 20 mile race at just under marathon pace but faster than your normal long run. If you feel comfortable and able to in a 20 mile race, go at marathon pace in the last 20 to 30 minutes to build in speed as well as stamina.

If you are sub 3 hours, aim to run it just a bit faster than marathon pace.

Jealousy in Sport : Exploring Jealousy's Relationship to Cohesion

Jealousy in Sport: Exploring Jealousy’s Relationship to Cohesion

(reviewed in Journal Club session, presented by Nor Faseha Abd Manaf)

Change of training. Change of blog content

The weekly blog post, a bit like me, has come unstuck in the last few days. Over 16 weeks, your training fluctuates through periods of brilliance and periods of lethargy/tiredness/life getting in the way. Last week was one of those. My weekly total mileage was 21 miles for the last 7 days. Hardly where you want to be 12 weeks before tackling a 26 mile race! But at least what I did was quality.

However, without much detection work I know why. Monday to Thursday, with all guns blazing I put extra effort into keeping the good work of the previous week. Over the weekend I took the gas off the pedal and my only exercise was hiking on one of the last 3 days. I had been pushing myself the previous ten days, but the lethargy of the last 3 days I've put down as rest so that I can let my body recover and ramp up for the next intense 10 I've got.

My coach has reworked my training plan to lessen the importance of the weekly 'long run.' I've been instructed not to run any more than 2 hours in one go before the marathon itself (normally, you're advised to complete at least 22 miles). On average, I run an 8 minute mile, which now means not going any further than 15 miles on the longest run! He does say that if you want to extend stamina in one day to top this up later with 6 miles in the evening.

Other changes include:

• Core work and stretching most days of the week - not just on one day. I will be doing yoga as part of my training but also undertaking a series of daily exercises.
• Swimming and cycle through the week, with at least 2 speed sessions a week.
• Rest for 3 or 4 days every 4 weeks.

With this in mind, I will be touching a total of 40 miles running this week. In my next blog post I will be writing about coping with pain, an inevitability in endurance sport. In addition, over the next 2 months I will be interviewing coaches, psychologists and sport scientists and uploading the videos of the interviews to this blog.

I'm interested in coaching athletes, of all levels and abilities to help move people nearer to where they want to be in their sporting achievements. In the process, I work at both mental and physical conditioning for competition. I'll be asking experts their views, and passing these to you to help with training. If you have any questions, please email me and I'll include them where I can.

Never give up! Get to the line...

Last night I got the fear. My first nightmare of this training for the 2011 London Marathon. I was running in a race and kept getting slowed down, diverted and never even finished! Maybe it was because I was ill last week and couldn't run, or that I didn't run over Christmas whilst my family were in town. I felt I was slipping behind where my fitness should be.

Today I had a really flat out day with work and had made my mind up to skip tonights training session at the track in Longford Park despite having less than 14 weeks to go to the big day.

With 5 minutes to make my mind up though, I grabbed my kit and Garmin watch and legged it to Trafford AC (my new local club in Manchester) just in time to join the training session. I won't blather about the details of distance or laps I did, but the coach kicked my arse so that I ran every inch and metre with everyone (however much I didn't want to). Each time I'd run round that track, pushing myself so I had to get back to the line. The thought of dropping out of course crossed my mind. But each time, you have to get back to the start and keep going. I ran even better than I thought. But crucially, in my mind, such sessions build your mental toughness, belief and resilience. You get back to the line, haven't given up and push on.

Last year I won my London clubs most improved athlete. It was a nice, flattering prize from my peers. But more important was the belief I built into my running through the track sessions I ran in the build up to the Marathon where I smashed my PB. I couldn't have achieved my improvement without building up the belief in those track sessions.

Never give up, or skip a rep (as long as you're not injured), get to the line and push on if you want to improve. I swear by it (And you'll build your self belief too!).

New year, new start for your health in 2011?

New year, new start? Looking to fulfil your fitness potential? Whether you exercise already or need a kick start, I can help you! Whatever your discipline, I can help. Take a FREE fitness MOT consultation with no strings attached. If you subsequently book four sessions for January or February, I’ll give you a 25% discount on my usual rates. Whether you're a runner, a swimmer, cyclist, play team sports, hate or love the gym, or are just considering getting going, then I can assist!

Contact me on stuartholliday at gmail.com. I am insured and your contact with me is confidential as per the British Psychological Society guidelines to which I adhere.

How so?

If the prospect of reaching your ideal fitness or conditioning feels like a burden let me help you take the strain! I'm a trainee sport psychologist and coach who has worked with beginners through to elite level athletes and my support can help you achieve your goals, instead of giving up at the first hurdle.

Together we can plan out your first month of fitness for 2011, for you to build on - with or without me.

As well as physical training, I can also help with motivation, confidence, mental toughness, help you to acquire and refine skills, deal with anxiety, recovery from injury, set year goals or improve your adherence to schedules in any discipline.

I can help you improve your fitness routine, coach any track or field sport and advise on all the physical exercise that you are undertaking, along with nutritional, kit and lifestyle advice.

Why you Stu?

I can fit around your schedule. We can meet before or after work – I've even coached people on their lunch breaks! I'm not judgmental and think it healthy to lead a balanced lifestyle

• I won't try and sell you a 12 month membership
• I won’t tie you into activities you don't want to do or that will break your spirit
• For training, I prefer to work with you once a week for 4 weeks to get you started (and/or improve your existing fitness), but would be happy just helping you get started after your ‘MOT’.

Previously I have helped:

• Beginners in a running club – going from standing start to running their first mile & then 10k
• Re-worked & improved the training schedule of someone who ran, swam and cycled every week
• Coached tri-athletes, sprint and marathon runners to get faster and improve core fitness
• Improved confidence in exercisers to achieve their fitness goals
• Cyclists and runners overcome anxiety about sporting competition
• Improved team cohesion and individual confidence of members of a rowing team

What are your qualifications?

• UK Athletics Coach (Level 2 in training)
• Sport Psychology MSc
• Probationary Sport Psychologist in Training
• UK CPCAB Counsellor – Level 1