Do you find yourself always injured from running long distances? Let’s look at ways of how you can cut down on the distance and still improve.
I coach a lot of people who run with what they call a 3-day threshold to personal records. The secret to it is to keep quality distances, let go of junk distances, and incorporating a bit of cross-training. This helps in creating a fitter, stronger runner.
Given that you are a marathoner and that you know how far you can run, I have a few suggested training regimens for you to follow in a week.
1.Aerobics: Long-distance running requires consistency when trying to build enzymes that burn fat, when trying to increase cardio and stamina, when trying to increase the time you’re able to stay on your feet. A strategy of mine when I coach is to help the runner to start where he or she’s comfortable and slowly work from there. When the run reaches fourteen miles, change it to a shorter distance that slowly increases to a marathoner intensity and more. The key here is when you run longer distances, don’t overtrain yourself too fast or undertrain yourself for too long. If after all this, you can talk in complete sentences, you are training the proper way.
2.Threshold Training: When your physique starts using glycogen and decreases it’s usage of fat, you’ve reached the threshold. Training at this level, or slightly higher can improve your running dramatically. You can try out a number of training routines for threshold training, but what I highly recommend is a gauntlet of 3 routines.
Finding your threshold: When your body starts to feel less comfortable, and it’s more difficult to speak, then you’ve hit the threshold. If you answer questions with a single word, that’s the threshold. If you can still recount yesterday’s events and tell them to me, then you need to increase your training intensity. If you’re out of breath, decrease your intensity. Running now is based on physiology which means that effort trumps pace. Focus on effort first. Pace will follow.
Tempo Training for 5 Mins Take 3 mins for warming up before running ten minutes with minimum effort. Do this 4-5x.
Go running at your threshold or a bit higher for 5 mins then jog (minimum effort) for 2 mins. Finish with a 5-minute minimum effort run, and a 3-minute walk.
Two or Three Tempo Training for 10 Minutes Take 3 mins for warming up and 10 mins for running at minimum effort. Do this twice or thrice. Go running at your threshold or a bit higher for 10 mins, then jog at minimum effort for 2 mins. First, do this twice. When comfortable, increase it to three times. Finish with a minimum-effort run for 5 mins and a 3-min walk.
Twenty to Thirty Min Tempo Training Try warming up with a 3-min walk. Go running for 10 mins with minimum effort. Try running at 20-30 mins at your threshold or a bit higher. Then go back to running with minimum effort for 10 mins. Finish with a 3-min walk.
3.High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT: HIIT is really hard to accomplish. These are the kinds of training where a huge amount of effort is required. But the rewards are undeniable. HIIT can considerably benefit endurance, stamina, strength, speed, and metabolic rate. Here is an example of a great high intensity interval training routine. I call it the 1-2-3 Intervals.
Start by warming up with a 3-min walk. Then progress into running for 10 mins with minimum effort. Do this twice until you progress to doing it thrice. Go running for 1 min at the threshold or a bit higher. Then go jogging for 1 min at minimum effort. Go running for 2 mins at the threshold or a bit higher. Then go jogging for 1 min at minimum effort to recover. Go running for 3 mins at the threshold or a bit higher. Then go jogging for 1 min at minimum effort to recover.
You might also want to try alternating speed HIIT with uphill training. So as you increase your speed, you’re also increasing your strength.
Here are three more training routines I highly recommend.
It is very effective to train for long-distance running for 3 days in a week. But you should be active during the days when you’re not training for a marathon. You can do several kinds of workouts like swimming and weightlifting. Make sure though that your other training routines are not as intense as your marathon training so you won’t get too tired, and you can give your body the chance to rest and recover.
Here is a sample of a training regimen schedule which I made for in-between marathon training seasons.
WEEK ONE
Mon: Biking (minimum effort) for 30 mins then weightlifting.
Tues: HIIT (1-2-3 Intervals)
Wed: Biking (minimum effort) for 45 to 60 mins
Thurs: Tempo training (5 mins, 5x)
Fri: Biking (minimum effort) for 30 mins then weightlifting.
Sat: Long-distance running – 14 miles
Sun: Rest or stretch or yoga.
WEEK TWO
Mon: Biking (minimum effort) for 30 mins then weightlifting
Tues: Running for 45 mins to an hour with minimum effort
Wed: Biking (minimum effort) for 45 to 60 mins
Thurs: Tempo training (5 mins, 5x)
Fri: Easy-effort cycling 30 min. and strength training
Sat: Long-distance running for five miles at minimum effort, four miles with moderate effort, and one mile at the threshold or a bit higher
Sun: Rest or stretch or yoga.
WEEK THREE
Mon: Biking (minimum effort) for 30 mins then weightlifting
Tues: Uphill run
Wed: Biking (minimum effort) for 45 to 60 mins
Thurs: Tempo training (5 mins, 5x)
Fri: Easy-effort cycling 30 min. and strength training
Sat: Long-distance running for 16 miles
Sun: Rest or stretch or yoga.
WEEK FOUR
Mon: Biking (minimum effort) for 30 mins then weightlifting
Tues: Running for 45 mins to an hour with minimum effort
Wed: Biking (minimum effort) for 45 to 60 mins
Thurs: Tempo training (5 mins, 5x)
Fri: Easy-effort cycling 30 min. and strength training
Sat: Long-distance running for five miles at minimum effort, four miles with moderate effort, and one mile at the threshold or a bit higher
Sun: Rest or stretch or yoga.
Here’s how the training schedule would look like for long-distance running. The first column indicates the distance in miles. The second column indicates the effort needed.
7m – minimum
8m – minimum
9m – minimum
7m – minimum
10m – minimum
11m – minimum
8m – marathon-level with four minimum, three moderate, one threshold or a bit higher
12m – minimum
13m – minimum
8m – marathon-level with four minimum, three moderate, one threshold or a bit higher
14m – minimum 8
m – marathon-level with four minimum, three moderate, one threshold or a bit higher
16m – minimum
10m – marathon-level with five minimum, four moderate, one threshold or a bit higher
18m – minimum
10m – marathon level
20m – minimum
10m – minimum
20m – minimum
10m – marathon level
7m – marathon level
I found this plan to be efficient and helpful in improving both your running and your health. But this isn’t easy. It’s not for those who are just starting out. This is for experienced runners who run at least twenty miles a week.
