i basically did this plan for the indianapolis half marathon and it worked great.

Now I just finished the plan for my first marathon (this weekend). If you told me I could have done that mileage or even run a marathon w/o injury I never would have believed you. It's been awesome. Plus it allows you to be on the bike and in th epool a lot.

Dan
www.aiatriathlon.com

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http://www.aiatriathlon.com

5x20 is a lot for someone who already has the solid endurance of a 1/2 to full Ironman endurance

What program is this? I am looking for a good marathon program, I did a 1/2 last year and felt like crap!

I'm part way throught the program found here:
http://www.marathontraining.com/marathon/m_sch_2.html

Actually, I started with the mileage build schedule (their schedule 1) and then tacked on the marathon schedule to the end. I've made a few changes here and there based on other research, but its basically this one. Can't comment on how well it works since I'm only part of the way through (shooting for an end of april marathon), but I can definitely tell a difference in my running and my fitness.

http://www.furman.edu/first/fmtp.htm

did you start the program running the right paces? I am quite off qith the pacing right now (fat and out of shape) this is a bit different than the HR training I am used to. I guess i can build into it. I am not even sure i'll follow the plan, but i am curious about it!

I did the paces for the intervals and tempo. the intervals were a bit easy and the tempo was probably a bit hard. (mentally mostly, i'm a wimp). For the long runs I didn't really hit the paces on purpose after reading that running too fast in the long run can cause injury. One thing to keep in mind is that you are fast on the inside. You're just a little out of shape now. So don't worry if you're not hitting the paces at first. You'll come around to it.

Dan
www.aiatriathlon.com

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http://www.aiatriathlon.com

I was in the FIRST program last fall. Not self-coached with the online or Runner's World plan, but as one of the 20 or so people participating in the FIRST program's 2006 study.

It took me a while to get used to pace-based training, too. I set on many long and tempo runs being pretty sure I would NOT be able to make the target pace. But I would usually surprise myself and manage to gut them out. The Furman guys knew my limits better than I did, as it turns out.

I was training for my first marathon, so can't offer comparisons to other training plans, but I think it's a great marathon plan for triathletes. I had a lot of success with it.