Last season I had good luck with a 55 mile per week program that included one long run at marathon pace and one day of 2x20 @ threshold (6:20). Went 2:54 @ Boston. I was riding around 150 miles per week as well. I’m toying with the idea incorporating some VO2 max training this year.
Is there a consensus regarding whether VO2 max interval are useful for the Marathon?
while vo2 max intervals have a place in a running program, unless you are planning on having a sprint finish, your efforts would be better applied elsewhere.
what is your limiter? is it muscular endurance? or is it VO2Max?
I suspect the former, but if you think it’s the latter, do some Yasso 800s.
then let us know how it goes.
AP
A rising tide raises all boats.
I wouldn’t do anything shorter than 1 mile intervals. 6 x 1600m on the track with a 1 lap jog done at marathon pace- 30 sec ( ~ 6:25 if your doing 2:54) should do you fine. You can mix up also 5 x 2000m, 3x 3200m, etc.
Also plan on having a sprint finish… believe me 2:16:59 is a whole lot better than 2:17:01 when you get old and someone wants to know your best marathon time. :o)
Last season I had good luck with a 55 mile per week program that included one long run at marathon pace and one day of 2x20 @ threshold (6:20). Went 2:54 @ Boston. I was riding around 150 miles per week as well. I’m toying with the idea incorporating some VO2 max training this year.
Is there a consensus regarding whether VO2 max interval are useful for the Marathon?
All the marathon books I’ve read propose something similar to VO2 intervals. I do them as part of my marathon training, but then again you are significantly faster than me on similar mileage, so you probably don’t want to start doing what I do.
If you do decide to include VO2max work, pick up Daniel’s Running Formula (http://books.google.com/books?id=mv4gURVxf84C&dq=daniels+running+formula+3rd+edition&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=EpylSqfxGYfUnAeCjY3YBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#v=onepage&q=&f=false ) for some guidance/explanation. The workouts given on this thread so far will not do the job.
I would say some faster than pace intervals would do you good, but not super short or fast. I disagree with not going shorter than 1600m. I think one of my favorites is 10 mile tempo (10-20 slower than goal pace), straight into 6 x 800 on the track at goal pace, with 30-60 seconds moderate running recovery (so with cool down maybe 16 miles). This is a good workout, makes you hit the pace when you are already a bit tired. I never ran “marathon pace” on my long runs leading up to the race, I was always slower, but I was doing 90+ a week, so some things were different than what you want to do. I still think doing “solid” recovery runs (maybe 45 seconds slower than race pace) of 13 miles the days after your “workouts” will give you what you need, strength. Strength is much more important in a marathon than speed. So to get back to your original question. Yes do them, but maybe only one session every couple of weeks. And strides are always important for running, regardless of distance, don’t forget them.
If you went 2:54 on 55 miles/week…I’d rather see you doing 30 or 40 more miles per week before you start getting cutesy with the workouts. Drop the cycling miles down and focus on running, if you’re going after a fast marathon. Frequency will help your durability and mileage.