Anyone familiar with Jack Daniels running training programs?
I started a 20 week training program for a marathon December 1st. I didn’t have time for his 26 week program. But like how his books lays out a custom program
I ended up setting base and build periods based on Friel’s training bible, and planned on using Jack Daniels rules on quality workouts and keeping them 3 days a parts, etc… I based recovery runs on HR, and tempo an pace stuff on my JD running index. There are a bunch of similarities between the two books, I would have used a frield program if he had one in his book. But have learned a ton from reading the JD book.
Things have gone well, built up my base to 45mi/week and about to enter my base3 and build periods. The plan is to add in Jack Daniels tempo and marathon pace stuff on my two quality runs. The question is should I just start the Jack Daniels phases from the start of the phase and get as many weeks/quality workouts as I can in? Or should I work backwards?
Combining the two authors isn’t ideal, but seemed to work OK so far, just having trouble how introduce the tempo and pacing workouts in. I have 12 weeks to go and shooting for a 3:30 in Boston, Did a 3:45 two years ago.
I would say that you are over thinking things quite a bit and trying to draw programs from the two different books might be a mistake. I know the first edition of Daniels’ Running formula had a chart that showed you how to take weeks out of a plan by removing a week from each phase but I am not sure if that made it into the new edition. I would always stick to Daniels’ plans when training for a running race. I got each of my marathon PR’s religiously following his plan. There are some simple truths like marathon training needs to start with a consistent long run and build with longer workouts like tempo runs and longer intervals as you get closer to race day. Don’t make to much out of it all.
Good Luck
I assume you are hitting higher miles/week than ever before? And now you want to add intensity? I’d be careful.
With that being said - are you doing a long run, a tempo run, and a MP run each week? Sounds like too much. If you are doing a medium run with some MP pace stuff then I think thats fine with some easy tempo work.
I like adding easy 1/2 mile repeats at tempo pace with work = rest. If you haven’t done much faster running - start with 2-3. Add 1 each week if you feel good.
Have you done a few weeks of strides to get used to running faster?
Goal #1 = stay healthy. Don’t sweat “quality” if you’re in a mileage bump phase.
Just design your own plan using Daniels’ principles - ignore his pre-made plans.
If you have more experience that I think - then ignore my post.
The only reason I tried to combine plans is because JD’s is 26 weeks and I still have to some how manage to swim and bike. Using volume seems ideal for that.
My two quality workouts so far has been a Long Run and a really hilly mid week run. The rest of my runs are just ez runs thrown in. Wanted my third base period to start getting me ready for my Build periods. I’ll probably just start adding a short mid week tempo run and slowly adding MP to my long runs. That will be two quality runs a week. Maybe every third week LSD, the others I’ll shorten them a bit and add some MP time like his programs.
It’s tough; 20 weeks seems like so long, but when it comes down to it, it’s so hard trying to get it all in The hill repeats, intervals on the track. Probably not going to get them in, but my biggest marathon blunder seems to be tempo/MP, gonna work on that this time around.
