Introduction: In the world of running, it’s easy to assume that increasing mileage is the key to improving performance. However, as Luke Humphrey discusses in a recent episode of the Luke Humphrey Running Podcast, there’s more to the story than just logging more miles. This blog post explores the nuances of increasing running volume, emphasizing the importance of a solid foundation before taking the leap.

Section 1: Understanding Volume in RunningLuke begins by addressing a common misconception among runners: that simply running more miles will lead to better performance. He shares the story of a runner who made a significant improvement, going from completing marathons in five hours to achieving a time of around 3:30. This impressive progress raises the question of whether the runner should immediately increase their weekly mileage to continue improving.

Section 2: The Case for CautionWhile it may seem logical to increase volume, Luke cautions against rushing into higher mileage. He emphasizes the importance of maximizing benefits from the current training level. For instance, if a runner is currently running 50 miles a week and still seeing improvements, it might be wise to explore other areas of training before jumping to 60 miles. This could include focusing on strength training, mobility work, or flexibility routines. Luke notes, "Are we doing the strength training? Are we doing mobility?" These elements are critical for building a strong foundation that can handle increased volume.

Section 3: The Long-Term PerspectiveOne of the key insights from Luke's discussion is the need for a long-term view of running progress. He reflects on his own journey, noting that it took him over a decade of consistent training to qualify for the Olympic Trials. For many runners, especially those in their 30s or older, making substantial jumps in training requires patience and a focus on gradual improvement. Luke highlights that rushing through training levels can lead to injuries and setbacks, ultimately prolonging the time it takes to reach goals.

Section 4: Baseline vs. Peak VolumeLuke introduces the concept of baseline volume, which is the weekly mileage a runner can sustain without injury, and peak volume, the highest mileage a runner can handle for a short period. He explains that increasing baseline volume should be a priority for long-term success. By gradually building to a sustainable weekly mileage, runners can position themselves for future training cycles and race preparations. He encourages runners to find their sweet spot, stating that if they can comfortably run 30-35 miles a week, they are just a few weeks away from being race-ready.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways for RunnersIncreasing running volume is not as simple as it seems. As Luke Humphrey highlights in this podcast episode, it’s essential to build a strong foundation, incorporate strength training, and maintain a long-term perspective on training. Runners should focus on gradually increasing their baseline volume while ensuring their bodies are prepared to handle the added stress of higher mileage. By adopting this approach, runners can achieve sustainable progress and reach their potential without unnecessary injuries.

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In the world of running, setting goals is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in crafting a training schedule that aligns with those goals. In this lesson, we delve into the art of blocking out your schedule to ensure you're not just running, but running smart.

Understanding the Importance of Recovery: Recovery is non-negotiable. After a big race, jumping straight into another intense training block without adequate recovery can be detrimental. Whether you've just completed a marathon or a 5K, understanding the nuances of recovery is crucial. For instance, transitioning from a 5K to a half marathon might not require full recovery, but some downtime is essential.

Crafting a Race-Specific Training Block: For those aiming for half marathons or marathons, dedicating 8 to 10 weeks to race-specific training is vital. This period should include a taper phase, allowing your body to adjust and prepare for peak performance. If your schedule is tight, reassess your goals to ensure they align with your available training time.

Balancing Life and Training: Life doesn't pause for training. Whether it's work, vacations, or holidays, these factors can disrupt your schedule. Planning around these events is key. For instance, avoid scheduling ski vacations during peak training weeks, as they can hinder your progress.

Adapting to Time Constraints: Not everyone has the luxury of a full training cycle. If you're short on time, focus on the last 6 to 8 weeks of race-specific work. This period is crucial for building the necessary endurance and strength for your race.

Effective training is about bridging the gap between recovery and peak performance. By understanding your body's needs and planning accordingly, you can achieve your running goals without compromising your health. Remember, it's better to start slow and build up than to risk injury by pushing too hard too soon.

Subscribe now to stay updated with more insights and tips on optimizing your training schedule.

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Summary

In this conversation, I discuss the intricacies of marathon pacing and the realistic expectations for runners aiming to improve their times. The focus is on how small adjustments in pace can lead to significant changes in overall performance, particularly for experienced runners.

Takeaways

You're an experienced runner, chances are you aren't making a huge jump in your goal.

The pace is probably only affected by a few seconds a mile.

Five seconds a mile can mean a huge difference for you in the marathon.

Ten seconds a marathon is a significant change.

If I've run three hours, the next logical step is probably like 257.

Incremental improvements are key for experienced runners.

Some are trying to take big chunks of time off.

Goal paces can be affected by 15, 20, 30 seconds a mile.

Realistic expectations are crucial for marathon training.

Understanding pacing nuances can enhance performance.

Chapters

00:00 Mapping Out Your Running Journey00:38 Understanding Goal Paces and Current Fitness

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Summary

In this conversation, Luke discusses the essential components of successful marathon training, emphasizing the importance of endurance, stamina, consistency, understanding fatigue, and maintaining a healthy relationship with nutrition. He outlines how to build endurance and stamina, the significance of consistent training, and the need to differentiate between general fatigue and overtraining. Additionally, he highlights the importance of proper fueling for performance, encouraging runners to view food as a source of energy rather than a restriction.

Takeaways

Endurance is the ability to cover a distance without regard to pace.

Focus on building volume before intensity in training.

Stamina is crucial for maintaining a desired pace during a marathon.

Consistency in training is key to long-term success.

Understanding the difference between tiredness and overtraining is essential.

A healthy relationship with food can enhance performance.

Nutrition should be viewed as fuel for training, not a restriction.

Runners need to adjust their caloric intake based on training demands.

Losing weight should not be the primary goal of training.

Focusing on five key areas can lead to successful marathon training.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Marathon Training Essentials02:12 Building Endurance and Stamina05:20 The Importance of Consistency in Training07:30 Understanding Fatigue vs. Overtraining10:09 Nutrition and Fueling for Performance

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Summary

In this conversation, I discuss strategies for training for the Boston Marathon, emphasizing the importance of planning, recovery, and hill preparation. He outlines a timeline for training, the significance of a structured approach, and the benefits of joining a supportive running community. I share insights on how to effectively transition between races and the unique challenges posed by the Boston course, providing you with actionable advice to enhance your marathon experience.

Takeaways

Running your best Boston requires careful planning and preparation.

Start training with the end goal in mind to avoid burnout.

14 weeks of dedicated training is often sufficient for experienced runners.

Hill preparation is crucial for success in the Boston Marathon.

Recovery is essential after races to prevent injury and fatigue.

Hills can serve as effective speed work in disguise.

It's important to allow time for mental recovery after intense training cycles.

Racing before the Boston Marathon can be beneficial if approached correctly.

Joining a training group can provide valuable support and accountability.

A structured training plan can help runners navigate the unique challenges of the Boston course.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Boston Marathon Training01:43 Planning Your Training Timeline10:17 Importance of Hill Preparation14:56 Recovery and Base Building Strategies21:31 Racing Before Boston: Considerations28:48 Final Thoughts on Training and Recovery

Links for Boston

6 Week Prep: https://bit.ly/4myndqj 

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Summary

In this episode of the Luke Humphrey Running Podcast, Luke discusses the transition from fall marathon training to preparing for spring marathons. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining training consistency during the off-season and provides insights into effective training strategies, including volume building and speed work. Luke outlines two scenarios for runners looking to improve their marathon times and offers practical advice for winter training considerations.

Takeaways

-Fall marathons are ending, and spring training begins in January.-Focus on maintaining training consistency during the off-season.-Consider joining a training group for structured support.-Volume is crucial for improving marathon speed.-Assess your weekly mileage to align with your marathon goals.-Incorporate speed work to improve race times.-Winter training requires adaptation to weather conditions.-Stay engaged with the running community for motivation.-Small, consistent progress is key to long-term improvement.-Avoid neglecting training to prevent setbacks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Marathon Training01:07 Spring Marathon Training Plans03:03 Assessing Fall Race Performance03:42 Scenario 1: Increasing Marathon Speed through Volume08:36 Scenario 2: Improving Speed for Marathon Success12:40 Training Strategies for Winter Conditions15:31 Consistency and Health in Training

Important Links

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Transcript:

Hey guys, this is Luke Humphrey. Welcome back to the Luke Humphrey running podcast. I appreciate all the great feedback from the last one. Yes, the audio is much better, right? And so I think that will be a much better listening experience. And a lot of you reconfirmed what I was kind of aware of. A lot of you listen to the podcast while you're running or doing whatever. It's nice to have that instead of just a YouTube video, which I would tend to agree with.

In today's episode, I'd like to discuss the prerequisites for the HMM beginner plan, as they seem to be a fairly common source of confusion. And part of that is, when I wrote the book and talked to Kevin and Keith, we were aware of some things, but other things we were not aware of, and so some of it was just, we didn't know it was an issue until more people read the book and then it became apparent that it was an issue. And I think some of it is just because of how the beginner plan is set up and all that good stuff. So today, that's what I want to talk to you about because it really is our goal to make people as successful as possible. And so two, that means we have to make sure that they are in the right training plan, right? If they're not in the training plan, the training plan itself could be great, but if it's not the right one for you, then it's not going to do any good. So we want to make sure that you make the right choice in training plan and that it fits you where you're at no matter you know, one of things I'm going to talk about is just the fact that like sometimes you have to throw out the whole, you know, title of beginner intermediate advanced because a lot of times it's really just based on what you're trying to accomplish and what you can fit in during a week, right? It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or not. cause I think a lot of people will tell you that the beginner plan of Hansons Marathon Method is much more like an intermediate plan compared with other programs.

So, with that being said, who is the beginner plan for? And I think that's the first place we should probably start. And so, you know, it's not necessarily recommended for those who are brand new to running, know, meaning that you signed up for a marathon because it was something that you wanted to do before you turned a certain age and you've never really run before and now you're gonna run a marathon in 18 weeks. This probably is not the best plan for you.

I would recommend other things. So if that's you and you're listening to this, I encourage you to listen through this the whole way, but recognize that you're going to be better served taking another avenue. And it can still include this plan, but it might require more time between the time you're deciding to start this now.

and when you really should be starting for your next, for your first marathon. cause I think there's, there's things you need to do to get ready to be able to handle what this schedule is going to be asking you to do. And so from my experience, a lot of people, put themselves in a situation. It's probably going to be a little over their head, maybe not right away, but what it's one of those things where you get six, eight, 10 weeks down the road and it just is all added up over time. It just becomes too much to be able to for your body to to keep up with and that's when things get bad pretty quick and then we're scrambling to try to even get you to the starting line and I think if we approach it the right way we don't have to we can take a lot of that worry out right and so so if this is you just talking about being a first-time marathoner what I would encourage you to do is take some time

the very least build your volume up to 20 miles a week, right? So if you're starting from zero or you're only like, you know, a couple miles, a couple times a week and you're like, know, my kid is a perfect example. Like I thought she was gonna be running 10 miles a week in cross country this year. And I would say she probably averaged six a week. And that was basically her running at practice two miles, three times a week, right? Is what it came out to. So if that sounds about like you, then I would take some time, build that volume up to, you know, I would start with adding days first and then add volume to that, right? So if I'm running three days a week, I would go to four days a week and then five days a week over several, over a few weeks and then add volume to those runs to the point where you can get to 20 miles a week and feel fairly comfortable with that. And I think if you did that for four to six weeks, you could probably do that pretty easily. And then you would be in a position where maybe you could start the training plan. For instance, if you're listening to this and you have some time, but that date that you're going to run the marathon is set, like you already signed up, it's going to happen regardless, and you can't get out of it, then you have say 22, 23, 24 weeks, start now, build that volume up and get to the point where you can handle that volume. And then you can at least set yourself up for when you get to doing workouts in the beginner plan, you're going to be in a much better situation to handle them. Because now the volume itself isn't new. You're used to the volume. The only new thing that we'd be adding would be intensity. And it's when we're adding both volume and intensity at the same time that things can go pretty sour in a few weeks. Usually you can handle it for two to four weeks. And then it's just you've kind of reached that breaking point where

It's just not tolerable anymore. Right? So the better option would be if there's not a date set now, take your time, build that volume to like 20 miles a week, like we talked about, and then do a training segment, like where you're doing a 5k would be the simplest thing to do, right? Train for a 5k run that 5k. Cause then you're going to introduce yourself one to more volume. You're going to introduce yourself to newer things in training, like some longer runs, some

repeats on the track, some threshold runs, things like that. You're going to get more accustomed with that. So it's not necessarily about running the 5K itself, but it's more about learning the different variables in training and being able to apply those in training so that when you come to the marathon, which is much more important to you, then you'd be more prepared to be able to handle that. And you're going to know why we're doing certain things, right? And it's going to be much easier to apply to yourself than if we're just throwing you into it all at once. And so that's a lot to ask of somebody to learn all these new things that they're not necessarily accustomed to, and then add all these things in their training, that's probably gonna be too much and a little bit of overload for them. And it really doesn't set you up for a good chance to be successful in the marathon. That would be better, and then you can use that 5K that you race, and you can use the time from that, or whatever you decide to race. And then you can set an established time to start training for the marathon, you would give yourself a much better baseline to kind of know at least where to start on for a goal time, right? So, you run a 5K and X amount of time and you throw it into a chart, and it says, "Well, I can run a 430 marathon. Okay, well, that's a great place to start." We can throw that training in, and we can set our paces based on that 430 marathon. And then we can adjust accordingly based on how you handle that, right? So it just makes more sense to do it that way, but I get that.

You might be behind the eight ball on this, and you've already signed up and now you're like, man, I'm, I've got to figure this out real quick. So, that's the adoption would be to just at least build your volume up before you start the training plan, and then start the training plan and go from there. All right. So, given all that, I would recommend the beginner plan for a person who has experience as a runner. They've run other races. They've run, you know, 15, 20 to 30 miles a week before they've done different types of workouts or at least are aware of these different types of workouts, things like that. It can be their first marathon. That's not, know, if somebody has experience in racing, you know, five Ks, 10 Ks, maybe even a half marathon, then yes, absolutely. The beginner plan would fit that person pretty well, right? It's more about if a person is brand new to running, this plan itself is probably.

a little much for that person. Especially if there's no time. If you're starting right from scratch, jumping into a plan, probably too much. But if you have experience and you've raced other races, the Beginner Plan is a great place to start. I would even argue that if you've run a marathon or two, maybe three marathons, say your first one, you just kind of took on a whim and you just followed a plan on the internet. And then the second one, maybe you got a Hale Higdon book or something like that, or a Galloway book or whatever.

And you followed those, but now you're trying to get, okay, now I'm more performance minded. I really want to see where I can go. You're looking at what we were, it was in the plans, and you're like, Wow,, that beginner plan might be too easy, but the advanced plan is probably too much. I would start with the beginner plan. I've had people run, you know, well under three 30 on the beginner plan. I have people who just stay with the beginner plan, right? They used it once they started seeing improvement. So that's just kind of what they stick with. And they know, I think they throw in a little bit of their own personal tweaks here and there, for the vast majority of the schedule is the beginner plan, and they have done really, really well with it and it fits a lot of people. So that's what I was talking about earlier,

Transcript:Hey everyone, welcome back to the LHR podcast. It's been a while. We've been revamping a lot of stuff behind the scenes on our website and things like that. fortunately the podcast took a little bit of a backseat, but I think we're back now. I think we're going to be in a position where we can do things much more regularly. when I was going back and looking at some stuff, you know, we got some pretty old, it's a pretty old content that probably needs to be updated. So,

Be on lookout for that, just some new updates on some old topics, maybe more just really improving the quality of the content. I know some of the audio and the older stuff that we have out there is pretty rough at points. So trust me, I know. I'm aware. That was a long time ago. And things have definitely improved since then. So.

Be on the lookout for that, but we're going to start off today with kicking some things off with spelling some myths of Hanson's Marathon Method, which if you don't know, my name is Luke Humphrey. I am the owner of Luke Humphrey Running. I've been coaching since 2006 and myself and alongside a lot of the assistant coaches that work for me, we're members of the Hanson's Distance Project for a number of years. have a couple.

current athletes still there. And then I am the author of the Hanson's Marathon Method book series. you know, we've been not the sometimes we get confused with being the authors of the program, but that is definitely not me. That is for sure, Kevin and Keith Hanson, which I guess I've just kind of become a spokesperson for over the years. But, you know, our a lot of our coaching is based off of what Kevin and Keith have taught us. And

And as the author of the Hansen's Marathon Method, I get to field a lot of those questions. So what I want to do today is just kind of discuss really the three biggest things I get with people who are kind of on the fence with Hansen's Marathon Method. Maybe they have some friends putting some things in their ears. Definitely some people, some influencers and bloggers and YouTubers with their own take on things, which I would.

agree with some of it not necessarily all of it. think there's some things that need to be clarified. think when you see when I see people say or write certain things it's kind of clear to me that they didn't necessarily look at the whole program they just looked at a PDF file of the plan and didn't really look at what we explain in the book. So hopefully this will help you.

make a decision, whether it's not to be with us, we just want you to be in the best program for you, but we do feel that this will help this program, the Hanson's Marathon Method will help a lot of people reach their goals, whether it's to run, you know, sub three hours or just complete their first one, you know, as best that they possibly can. And, you know, whether that's, you know, three, thirty, four or five hours, we definitely feel like we can we can get you there.

So let's jump right into it. The first one that I get a lot is that it's a low mileage or less is more type of program. And I can attest to you that that is not the case. Even VeloPress, who published Hanson's Marathon Method books, they were kind of on that train at the start as well. They wanted a title to kind of reflect that. I know that when Kevin and Keith

gave me the opportunity to write the book, we saw it and we're like, I don't really know if that's the best route to go. And we kind of explained to them, you really have to look beyond certain aspects of the program and you'll realize that it's definitely not a less is more. You're running six days a week and even though the long run is only 16 miles, you're putting in…

a significant amount of mileage and really more miles than a lot of programs you'll find, you know, free programs on the web or, you know, what you see in other books and things like that. So you really have to take a whole 30,000 foot view of what the program's really saying and not be so hyper-focused on one aspect. And so, as I mentioned, I think that, I think that people get stuck on that 16 mile thing pretty easily, because that's what, you know, that's the point that

people see the most. Like that's, you know, that's what was marketed in the book. And that's what people will first bring up is that the long run is only 16 miles. And like I said, I think people get really fixated on that. And it's not, it's not the whole program. And they tend to put blinders on what they just see that they don't really look at, you know, what you're doing before and after that. And so I think you really have to

look at what you're doing leading up to that 16 mile long run and then what you're doing after that. And so it really becomes a point of balance and being able to fit a lot more stuff into a program than just putting a hyper focus on the long run. And then I think too, where people get fixated is they will look at like the first two weeks of the program and more so the beginner program.

a little bit less in with the advanced program because you jump into certain things a little bit quicker in the advanced program. But in the beginner plan for sure, you have several weeks where it's a very gradual buildup. And I agree that that, when you look at that, yes, you would kind of look at that like, oh, it's not really a whole lot. But once you actually get into the program beyond that first few weeks and we start doing some things, then I think that…

it becomes clear really quick that it's not a less is more, not a less is more plan. So, you know, I'm going to talk more about the 16 mile long run in a second, but the truth is with HMM, you definitely put in a significant amount of miles. Like I said, you're building to six days a week. You're running two to three, you know, what we call SOS days per week, which, you know, two workouts in a long run. And then your easy volume is fairly significant with

You know, being over an hour for a lot of people on your easy runs. so it, the mileage will add up pretty quickly. And, know, what we have found that it's not necessarily the volume that gets to people. It's when the intensity is too much for a person. And so, but we do, I think a really good job of just putting that into context in the book and trying to explain and, know, whether you see on these podcasts and things like that, where we really put a lot of emphasis on.

appropriate intensities given the day. And I think if people can kind of lock into that mentality, they not only survive the training, but they actually thrive with the training. And so it's hard for sure, but it's incredibly doable when you go beyond what you just see in highlights and what other people are saying about, the book or whatever, but haven't really put it into practice completely. And so you can, you,

can do a lot more than you think you can. And we hold your hand and do that for you with the book, with everything on our site and everything like that. So I would take a little bit deeper dive into some of that stuff and see if it's a right fit for you. Moving on from that, though, I think the second point is that 16 miles is the longest you're allowed to go. And I think the biggest thing you have to clarify here, Kevin says this all the time when Kevin was doing

Kevin, you know, I've spent a lot of time with Kevin when he was doing a lot of the programs and, know, this all comes back from Kevin and Keith wanting to do a training program for people training for the Detroit Marathon, which we're in the Detroit Metro area. Their four stores are in the Detroit Metro area. And, you know, obviously the Detroit Marathon is a big part of the running community around here. And so they really wanted to do a good program for that. you know, they were doing clinics and hosting clinics in the stores and that's kind of how.

I got started with kind of looking at that after I finished my master's degree at Oakland University. And they said, well, you'd be a good fit. And their kids were getting older and they wanted to kind of move away from that so they could spend more time with their family. And so I was like 23, 24 at the time. And so it made good sense for me to move into that. But anyway, he would say that it's not about 16, it's not about 20. Neither one of those numbers are.

are magic numbers, right? They're not the end all be all, you know, as I've coached, you know, I've been coaching since 2006. I've seen a lot of things in those, those two decades where, know, you'll see people hit the wall at 16 miles and then you can have people not hit the wall at all. you know, and I think you get stuck on that where you see so really everywhere you look, it's like, well, the 20 miles race begins at 20. It's true.

Yes, the race, it's almost like your halfway point is almost like the 20 mile mark, right? But it's not, it's not a given and it's not a, prerequisite to being able to run a marathon that you can cover a 20 mile long run in your training, especially if it's a 20 mile long run that takes you four hours to do, or, you know, you focus so much on that 20 miler that you really aren't doing much the rest of the week. And so.

That's really where I really feel like Kevin and Keith were coming from with that. It's like, we kind of have a rule 25 to 30 % of your weekly volume and kind of combine that with three hours, right? So for the vast majority of people that we work with, 16 miles fits well within that 25 to 30 % of their volume and that three hour rule. But I would also say too that if I've had a person who's run

that's gone through the program a couple times and they've done really well, they've managed the training pretty well, they've seen success, then I have no problem moving them up to 18, 20 mile long runs because, especially with the advanced program, you're peaking at about 60 miles a week, little over maybe,

As a coach or an athlete, we look for guides as to how much work is an appropriate amount for a given athlete. I have mentioned this before, but again, often we discuss the 80/20 rule in training- 80% of our work should be easy and 20% hard. The question then becomes what is hard and what is easy, and in terms of hard, how should that look? So, I’d like to break down some general guidelines. In terms of the 20%, for most of my athletes, that’s going to be anything faster than half marathon pace. However, when talking about true definitions of hard, researchers will argue that 20% is anything harder than the lactate threshold, or the pace that you can hold for about an hour. Race pace, that’s anything from 10k pace to just under 20k race pace for my fastest athletes. 

Right now, let’s look at threshold work. Now to be clear as mud, the term threshold has a lot of names. The most current is LT2, which stands for 2nd lactate threshold. In practical matters, it’s the point where blood lactate starts to accumulate exponentially. You have probably also heard the terms anaerobic threshold, lactate threshold, the onset of blood lactate accumulation, or maximal lactate steady state. These are the same thing. 

Ok, got it? Good! Now, what you want to know- how much can I include in my weekly volume? Well, the rule of thumb appears to be that I can include about 10% of my weekly mileage in the form of threshold work. 

Now, I must caveat this with the point that, when reading this, don’t think that every week should include 10% threshold work. No, we are just saying that when including threshold work, these should be your guidelines. 

What kind of workouts should I be doing?

At the basis of theory, you have two options. The first is the traditional tempo. The second would be repeated at your LT. Is either of them better than the other? I wouldn’t say that, as both have a place in training and they both have different features. So, any type of runner would benefit from incorporating both. 

Tempos:

Most coaches agree that a 20-minute tempo at LT is the staple of building stamina in the endurance runner. Now, coaches will extend those out based on ability. For example, coach Joe Vigil talks about extending these out to 6-8+ miles for his elite runners. On the other hand, Jack Daniel’s talks about doing longer tempo runs, but slowing the pace down, the further you go so that by the time you get to about 60 minutes, the pace is much closer to the marathon pace than the original threshold pace. 

As a lower mileage runner, a 20-30 minute tempo run might essentially be your 2-3 miles allotted for a threshold allowance for the week. It might also be a pretty tough run. If you are a higher mileage runner a 20-minute tempo might be 4 miles, but you are under that 10% allotment. We then have an issue- do we get that extra few miles in another workout, make the current workout longer, or just let it go? That’s where LT repeats can come in for both groups. 

LT Repeats

LT repeats would be like any other repeat you did for speed, just a little slower (maybe) and less recovery. You might end up with a little overall volume. Overall, we are looking at repeats that are maybe 3+ minutes in length with a pretty short recovery. For most athletes repeats of 800’s to km’s are the Goldilocks distance. 

6-10 x 800

5-10 x 1k

4-8 x 1200 

These would all be staple workouts. 

I like the repeat for a few different avenues. One, when just building up. These make a lot of sense for all groups. Whether you are just starting as a beginner or just the beginning of a segment. It allows athletes to accumulate more time and volume without quite as much stress. It also opens the door to getting creative with some combination workouts (speed and LT or LT and half marathon pace). If LT is hard for you then going the repeat route allows a little faster recovery to allow for a second quality session along with a long run if placed right. Whereas a tempo might need to negate that second workout for the same runner. There are quite a few plays with this. 

Now, don’t take this as me saying I don’t like tempos. I certainly do. In fact at higher mileage, when running a half marathon, not only would a person do a tempo of 10-20 minutes, but they could do something that would represent multiple tempos on the same workout. I think using a tempo or a race that will put you in that 20-30 minute range every 4-6 weeks during the appropriate segment makes a lot of sense as a checkpoint in development. 

I mentioned it earlier, but what about doing half-marathon pace work? How would that work? Well, let’s look at it this way. Say you are a 60-minute 10k runner (about 9:40/mile), that would put an equal ability half marathon time at about 2:13. The faster you get, the closer half marathon pace is to the true LT pace, while the slower you are, the further away you get from what your lactate threshold pace would be.  Regardless, the half marathon pace is significantly slower than LT, so I don’t necessarily adhere to that 10% guideline as much. Depending on the person, and how fast they are, I might keep their LT work to repeats, but as a second workout of the week, add an appropriate distance half marathon pace “tempo” run, that is, easier to manage. Secondly, it is a race-specific pace that I would want a person to be dialed into by the time the race came around. How much that is, to me it really depends on the person and how well I see them tolerating what I am giving them. 

Runner LevelLT WorkHalf Marathon WorkBeginner400-1k repeats800-mile repeats/ build to 2-4 miles @  goal pace runsIntermediate600-1200 repeats1-2 mile repeats/3-6 miles @ paceAdvanced runner800-1 mile (maybe 2-3k)1-3 mile repeats/3-7 miles @ goal pace Examples of how I might progress runners based on mileage and ability.

That should give you a start on the topic of threshold training. If you want to dive a little deeper, you can check out the articles below. 

https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/lactate-threshold-and-the-marathon/

https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/mixed-pace-workouts/

In the third part of this series, I want to discuss the race itself. In particular, the challenge of the potential weather. This comes in two parts. The first is the time of year the race is and the second is the different start and finish locations. 

Today, let’s discuss the potential weather. In a dream year (2011), you get solid temps and a 30 mph tailwind. What’s interesting is that was the world’s “best” time that was not allowed to be a record, but now 2:03 for the men’s isn’t anything and you can just strap a pair of special shoes on your feet for instant fitness. Eh, I digress. In any case, the weather in Boston can be a crapshoot mainly because of its location off the water and that it’s in mid-April. So, you can expect anything from a Noreaster to a taste of July heat and anything in between. 

How the weather is, will affect people differently. For my southern friends, you tend to do better in the warmer years, because the temps are usually a lot closer to what you have been training in. When it’s cooler, it feels cooler, but you are still okay because it’s like us in the summer. The heat provides certain adaptations that carry over to colder weather. Regardless of where we are at, we get those benefits during the summer and it makes the 50-degree day on race day that much more productive. 

However, if you are used to training through the snow and cold all winter and then all of a sudden you get even a 65-degree day, then it’s a big shock to the system. It feels even warmer than it really is. What’s that saying, 60 degrees in the spring is shorts weather. 60 degrees in the fall is sweater weather. This potential for a warm day feeling like a hot day is real and it’s difficult for those who train in the colder climate to be ready for it. It’s just one more challenge that we have to account for in training. 

So how can we?

The treadmill. You instantly put yourself in a warmer environment and surround yourself with higher humidity. We have discussed this in previous Boston blogs. 

Sauna or a hot tub after a cold run. This can be of benefit, but BE CAREFUL. If you have blood pressure issues, this probably isn’t the best option. 

Hot shower immediately following a run. Same issues as above. 

Overdressing during the day. Make yourself hot, but not during exercise. 

We will discuss these options in depth during our Boston Marathon Training Group, starting December 4th, 2023. Join us: https://bit.ly/459jiYk