I love the thought exercise (and subsequent application) about how to train with realistic constraints. This one actually really caught my attention because I am right around this performance level. I ran a 1:01:59 15k in late March. Fairly flat, but windy. Still a good, honest race. I have been averaging upper 30s/low 40s in mileage, but have had 7-8 day segments that went a little higher. Most recently was 100 miles and 14 out of 15 days running. I feel fitter than in March.
Anyway, I have an hour tops most days owing to three kiddos and a marriage I would like to keep. And low and behold I am training for a goal 10 miler on June 18. I am able to run on the course on Saturdays and plan to use that faster finish long run you suggest. Teach the body and mind to close those last 2.4 miles hard. The last turn on the course is exactly that far from the finish. This race is hilly, hot and humid. Including a big one at 4.25 we call the Dream Killer. My first one in 2009 was 1:36:20 and last year I ran a 1:12:23. Realistic goal range I think is 1:07-1:09 this year.
Curious what else you might put in for Tuesday as I don't have time to get to a track most weeks. I was thinking some fartlek like 8x2' w/2' or 10x2' w/1:30'. Also really liked Mona Fartlek in the past. Get through all the gears, but leaves you fresh.
Seven hours is marginally over what I have time for in a good week these days. I haven't raced in two years and have little idea what pace I could run in a race now -- at 67 I am in the steep decline in speed range, so past results are little use. But here's what my current "ideal" week would look like (and over the past few years I have often come reasonably close to it, except during periods of injury):
Monday: 30 minutes (5-minute warm-up, 25-minute tempo run)
Tuesday: 45 minutes steady
Wednesday: 70 minutes of some kind of relatively short speedwork (I usually do hills, but you have nixed those)
Thursday: 45 minutes steady
Friday: 75 minutes at a good pace
Saturday: 35 minutes easy
Sunday: 120 minutes
All runs are in the late afternoon, except for Sunday, which is early morning and so gives my longest rest between then and Monday's tempo.
Additional comments: Prior to 2020 I had run at least one race in each calendar year since 1970. And although my total mileage for 2021 was way down on that of my peak years (or even most years in the interim) it was the first time I've run every day of a calendar year. (I have had a longer "streak" but it didn't include a full calendar year.)
Lol, this hits close to home as an old person with 7-8 hours per week (5:45/20:30/42:30). After a pretty disappointing marathon debut, I was considering something like a Pfitzinger 18/55. There’s also this bit of wisdom from the author that I sometimes return to (paraphrased): “…the body is not a mathematical equation, able to average out your workouts to your goal. You need to be regularly covering 1/3 to 2/3 of your goal distance at your goal pace.” I’m assuming that’s for those who are able to invest more time though?
The time limitation isn't going away for people, but the "same workout on the same day each week" restriction is, I imagine, not something anyone actually faces unless they're following a strange new religion, surely in Southern California. This "thought experiment" also precludes "tune-up" races, where some of that sustained goal-race-pace running would usually be done.
I would say that even someone aiming for a marathon who's similarly time-limited isn't especially fast should still do race-pace running every three weeks or so, but given only one real shot at a long run every week, it's not the one I'd retain. I would also consider the person's experience level and what their best natural distance seems to be --a natural sprinter's muscles will handle long runs differently from a natural shuffler, in a lot of cases, elite-level novices "need" MP runs more than slow warhorses unafraid of the inevitable late-race struggle-bus.
There are other things in that musty declaration that could use some shoring up, especially in the GPS era and when even long road races have become almost ubiquitous.
I love the thought exercise (and subsequent application) about how to train with realistic constraints. This one actually really caught my attention because I am right around this performance level. I ran a 1:01:59 15k in late March. Fairly flat, but windy. Still a good, honest race. I have been averaging upper 30s/low 40s in mileage, but have had 7-8 day segments that went a little higher. Most recently was 100 miles and 14 out of 15 days running. I feel fitter than in March.
Anyway, I have an hour tops most days owing to three kiddos and a marriage I would like to keep. And low and behold I am training for a goal 10 miler on June 18. I am able to run on the course on Saturdays and plan to use that faster finish long run you suggest. Teach the body and mind to close those last 2.4 miles hard. The last turn on the course is exactly that far from the finish. This race is hilly, hot and humid. Including a big one at 4.25 we call the Dream Killer. My first one in 2009 was 1:36:20 and last year I ran a 1:12:23. Realistic goal range I think is 1:07-1:09 this year.
Curious what else you might put in for Tuesday as I don't have time to get to a track most weeks. I was thinking some fartlek like 8x2' w/2' or 10x2' w/1:30'. Also really liked Mona Fartlek in the past. Get through all the gears, but leaves you fresh.
Thanks again for writing this!
-David
Seven hours is marginally over what I have time for in a good week these days. I haven't raced in two years and have little idea what pace I could run in a race now -- at 67 I am in the steep decline in speed range, so past results are little use. But here's what my current "ideal" week would look like (and over the past few years I have often come reasonably close to it, except during periods of injury):
Monday: 30 minutes (5-minute warm-up, 25-minute tempo run)
Tuesday: 45 minutes steady
Wednesday: 70 minutes of some kind of relatively short speedwork (I usually do hills, but you have nixed those)
Thursday: 45 minutes steady
Friday: 75 minutes at a good pace
Saturday: 35 minutes easy
Sunday: 120 minutes
All runs are in the late afternoon, except for Sunday, which is early morning and so gives my longest rest between then and Monday's tempo.
Additional comments: Prior to 2020 I had run at least one race in each calendar year since 1970. And although my total mileage for 2021 was way down on that of my peak years (or even most years in the interim) it was the first time I've run every day of a calendar year. (I have had a longer "streak" but it didn't include a full calendar year.)
Lol, this hits close to home as an old person with 7-8 hours per week (5:45/20:30/42:30). After a pretty disappointing marathon debut, I was considering something like a Pfitzinger 18/55. There’s also this bit of wisdom from the author that I sometimes return to (paraphrased): “…the body is not a mathematical equation, able to average out your workouts to your goal. You need to be regularly covering 1/3 to 2/3 of your goal distance at your goal pace.” I’m assuming that’s for those who are able to invest more time though?
The time limitation isn't going away for people, but the "same workout on the same day each week" restriction is, I imagine, not something anyone actually faces unless they're following a strange new religion, surely in Southern California. This "thought experiment" also precludes "tune-up" races, where some of that sustained goal-race-pace running would usually be done.
I would say that even someone aiming for a marathon who's similarly time-limited isn't especially fast should still do race-pace running every three weeks or so, but given only one real shot at a long run every week, it's not the one I'd retain. I would also consider the person's experience level and what their best natural distance seems to be --a natural sprinter's muscles will handle long runs differently from a natural shuffler, in a lot of cases, elite-level novices "need" MP runs more than slow warhorses unafraid of the inevitable late-race struggle-bus.
There are other things in that musty declaration that could use some shoring up, especially in the GPS era and when even long road races have become almost ubiquitous.