Time based Marathon training plans

[Kat332zz]

I’m in a quandary. I am following the heart rate based Garmin marathon training plan. I am running (well jogging) the times given and that is fine. Sometimes I need to walk to keep my HR in the correct zone but that doesn’t worry me too much as I seem to be improving at that. My question is that all the runs are based on time, my long run atm is 150 mins, looking through it doesn’t get much more than that, maybe up to 3/3.5 hours. Now I am no speedy runner, I estimate I will take at least 5.5 hours, on a good day, for me to complete a marathon. So should I be trying to allow for that and actually be increasing my longer runs a little bit more? Maybe I should tag a long walk onto the end of the run, or should I search for a “finish time” based plan, if they exist? Just a bit worried that come run day (3rd Oct) I won’t have the legs to go the distance. Interested to hear how others are dealing with this type of training and if anyone knows, in general, how the training plans are formulated.

[misswobble Marathon]

I’ve got a marathon training course on an audio podcast (AudioFuel) which states that there is no advantage from running beyond 3 hours in training, so I’ve always kept that in mind.

My first marathon took me six hours. I “Jeffed” it and was glad I did It got me round in one piece I was fine afterwards too 🙂.

Give yourself at least 4 months to train. Walking home post run is good. It gives you chance to recover and stretch out any kinks 🙂. I usually end up several km’s from home so either walk home or walk/jog

In training I run a maximum of 20 miles (32 km) just ONCE. I do that towards the end of the training period Say 4-6 weeks before the taper period. I save doing the full distance for the big day as I’m getting on a bit 👵🏻

I am an older runner so I have to pace myself. My last solo marathon done in the cold of late November took me 4 hours 32. The two marathons before that took me 5 hrs 30m thereabouts

I like the Nike Run Club app, and am following their half marathon plan as the lead in to my marathon training It gives some structure to my running. After that I’m following the training distances from last year. Not the times though as I’m just content to nail the distances. The one-off 32 km training run will tip me just over the 3 hour training limit but I don’t mind just the once 😁

Enjoy your training. Doing the training runs and ticking them off will give you the confidence you need that you’ll be ok on the day Don’t fear the distance!💪🙂👍. We’re breaking it down 🙂

[Kat332zz Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Thanks for this MissW. I think I maybe Jeffing too, any hill will be a walk! The training plan is 16 weeks, and I wasn’t starting from scratch having made it up to 10k prior. I’m an older runner too, I should really have known better than to enter but it is a virtual one so I could walk it all if necessary. My last long run was 2.5 hours, in HR Zone 2, which took me to 18.75 km after which I walked home bringing it up to 22.5km in just over 3 hours. It just scared me a bit to think I’d have to do the same again. I’m in awe of your 4.5 hour time. I’m following the Garmin plan as it loads to my watch and I don’t have to think too hard as to what comes next.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

I have only run a marathon once (and jeffed it). My longest training run was 32km (jeffed). We walked a chunk at the start as a warm up too, so it wasn't actually 32km running. We got to 42km on the day OK. Another thing you can try is running your long run, then the following day running an easy run from your plan; your legs will be tired for that easy run, but it gives you the benefit of training for those final tired kilometres. Good luck

[Cmoi Marathon]

Hi Kat332zz , I don't do heart rate training so can't comment re that. I have however signed up to a trail marathon at the start of October, a couple of days before I turn 61. I'm fully expecting it will take me 8-10 hours, as there's 1750m ascent, 1700m descent.

I did an event a few days ago which Garmin recorded as 23.22 km, 3:28:55, 876m elevation gain, 9:00/km. The route was all on trails, a bit bonkers in parts, and I walked way more than I usually would.

My longest run to date - on a mix of trails and roads - has been 27.17 km, 3:39:38, 745m, 8:05/km, and my plan has me doing up to just over 32km. So I'll inevitably be going over four hours in training.

For me, that's not an issue, as it's more important to get in the elevation and mileage on the trails - speed isn't the point, survival is!

[Kat332zz Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Good luck with your trail marathon, don’t think I could keep going for 8 hours. The prospect of 5 to 6 hours has me worried enough! I think I might try for a four hour effort at some point, just as a reassurance that I can at least manage that much. I usually try to run off road, but we don’t have much in the way of large hills hereabouts thank goodness.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Kat332zz]

Thanks Kat332zz , and good luck to you too. I can't imagine running any distance on the flat or even on tarmac; I can't deal with the monotony.

[Kat332zz Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

I live near Epping Forest, so I can run round it, so not too boring luckily.

[hobbyanimalmusic]

Hi Kat,

Congrats on your training so far. So, I am also mid-Garmin HR plan, also training for the virtual on 3rd October. I’m currently doing the Intermediate one. Which one are you on?

When I trained for my first marathon (meant to be Richmond in March this year but ended up doing it alone and ‘virtual’ in May instead) I used the Garmin Beginner one. Because the race was pushed back I ended up with maybe 20 weeks rather than 16 in all (and my training dropped off for a full month in Feb/March when the race was initially postponed). I had similar fears to you about length of long run but I think it’s it’s important to have trust in the programme to an extent. I had also read that there is no benefit as a slower runner to be out on feet much beyond 2.5/3 hours in training (on basis that though faster runners get further in this time, it’s still a lot of steps and wear on the body and much beyond that can be detrimental).

As I remember, weeks 8-12 (that we’re getting to now) do really bulk up the mileage/time on feet. I think the beginner plan actually has longer time goals for the longest runs than the intermediate one in fact, and a few times I just decided to go a bit further to push myself.

Looking at my training I ended up with a couple of training runs that were 3h15, and one that was 3h50. Didn’t go beyond this. Jeffed all of them 60:30, and 4 weeks after my longest one I completed the marathon (also jeffing in 5h20). Not quick or pretty but I felt fine throughout, did it on my own without any support and just the help of many jelly babies and felt totally fine the next day.

I’m finding the intermediate plan a bit harder as there are so many runs and I can’t do them all so the inclination to drop one becomes one, two or three each week! Concentrating on getting the long runs in and doing some strength work, weights etc for the legs.

My advice would be trust in the plan, maybe push yourself a little further if you can once or twice but don’t exceed 3h30/4h and keep to the HR zones. Good luck!!

[Kat332zz Marathon in reply to hobbyanimalmusic]

Thanks for this, it’s made me feel more comfortable with the plan. I’m also doing the intermediate one. I am retired so time is available to do all the runs. I Jeff because I have to to keep the HR down! My downfall is the strength training, I think, I will do it later, then later comes and I think I’ll do it tomorrow! I am getting a grip on this now as I don’t want to be injured. Good luck on the 3rd.

[hobbyanimalmusic in reply to Kat332zz]

Yeah, I also Jeff for this reason but it’s definitely getting better slowly over time. Switched to jeffing the long runs when started getting niggly knees and Achilles from over training first time round and it sorted it out immediately.

I’m just doing a couple of Pump classes at the gym a week to kid myself that I’m strength training. Have found the leg exercises from James Dunne/Kinetic Revolution useful too.

Enjoy the next 150min run this weekend!