Has anyone read the article in this month’s Runner’s World about a 3 day per week training schedule for a marathon? It basically says that if you cross train at least 2 or 3 other days a week, you can get by on just 3 runs - 1 day of speed work, 1 tempo run and 1 long run. They did some studys and found that most people actaully PR’d on this schedule. The key is that you also have to do some quality cross training. Just for kicks - I am going to give it a try for the Rocket City Marathon in Decemeber.
Check this link out:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=494524#494524
I think I’m using this for Philly this year.
Didn’t know it was alreay out there - thanks!
i did my first marathon about 9 years ago on 3 days/wk running and 2 days/wk lifting. finished in one piece in just over 4hrs. 1 long run, 1 speed on treadmill (50 minutes), 1X5 mile run. i think even one more day of running would have made a nice difference. but if you’re just trying to finish i guess 3 is ok.
i used this plan for my first and it worked great. the real key as the article suggests is to really push yourself for the 3 runs and don’t lolygag around on the cross training days. typically i used a spin class and swam.
good luck
tried this on my first mary. did really good at all races leading up to the marathon (1/2 mary was the longest distance) but died out at the 20 mi mark in the marathon. I think that my legs needed some more durability, so for my next marathon I plan on adding some frequency to my running 5-6x/wk and well see how that goes.
I am trying to follow this plan. What I don’t understand is how warm-up and cool down fit into the tempo run. Today was a 5 mile tempo for me. So is that 1 mile warm and cool down with 3 miles of tempo in the middle or a 7 mile run with 5 mile tempo in the middle. I am of course assuming they are planning on a warm-up. Thoughts?
Thanks!
:-)Christine
I didn’t realize this was a foreign concept.
I know quite a few non runners who train that way and do well. No one has ever done badly.
If your not a runner and hate to run like me then you don’t want to run everyday. I think most “marathoners” are basically people that LIKE to run and would run everyday regardless of a goal event.
I think the long run is really the key and as long as you don’t skimp yourself on it most do well.
Oddly enough, then plan tells you exactly how to do this if you go to the Furman INstitute website.
Got a link - I have the same question.
I thought it was in the article, sorry bout that.
I printed out the plan from this website last week, but unfortunately it did not help my confusion. In the tempo part for the 6 mile…it says 2 mile warm/1 mile cool and 3 miles of tempo. Does this philosophy carry over to the 5 or 7 mile tempo?
:-)Christine
Well I hope this works for me because Ive been on a 2 running days per week average over the course of training for the IM…
NOt sure if this pertains to just straight marathons or Im marathons but oh well