Marathon training with the OS plan
Hi all, Rich suggested in the macro thread that I post the question here for Patrick (and others that want to chip in).
On the webinar yesterday you mentioned it would be okay to create my own marathon hack with the OS, but to run it by you. Do you need to see the entire plan or more on a week by week basis?
I am planning to use a variation of Daniel's A plan, using his two key workouts and then adding two easy runs to supplement those. It is tough plan but a level of intensity I have been able to handle in the past. I've never run super high mileage, typically peaking at 45 or so on 4 days of running, averaging anywhere from mid to high thirties to low forties in the final 8 weeks of training (not including taper). That with two to three spin classes formed my typical training week as a runner.
I am a midpacker, PR of 3:44 (4 years ago, more recent time from 2011 - 3:47 - Female, 44)
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Comments
It is a no joke plan that will get you where you want to be if you don't burn yourself out doing the biking on top of it. Jack Daniels plan I'd say is comparable to EN hack plan. With the OS I don't know how much more creative you can be hacking it up than what is provided , let us know I'd like to see it.
Hey Anu,
I'm not sure if training for a marathon while doing the OS is a good idea. The OS plan very challenging on its own, and that doesn't become apparent until you're 4-6 weeks in. While it's *possible* to do both at the same time to some extent, it'll likely come at a cost. That is, you might have a lot of long-term fatigue built up into your marathon, and you probably won't build to your full potential on the bike. I'm sure many members will agree that trying to add "extra" stuff just isn't a good idea and very quickly leads to burnout.
Daniels' book has a lot of excellent plans and information (I used to use it too!), but it was written for strictly runners in mind, not triathletes. So while the OS running workouts will seem "easy" in comparison to the ones in Daniels, that's because Daniels doesn't have you cycling HARD for three days a week. That kind of high intensity stuff adds up quickly.
If you haven't read this already: http://www.endurancenation.us/blog/training/marathons-and-triathlon-training/
Hope that helps!
Thanks everyone, I do recognize the risk in trying to do this and prepared to back off if needed. To give you some background, spring last year I trained for a full and was in shape for a PR. Race day turned out to be warm and I went out a little fast for the weather, because early on it was deceptively cool. Anyway that race offered an option for stopping at 13.1 and I took it, so effectively a DNF that I would like to get off my back before I head into the IM. I completely realize this is a mental thing, physically it won't mean much to have finished a marathon
@ Anson, just to be clear I didn't think the hack was easy, if anything it looked extremely challenging with three quality workouts. Daniels plan has only two which work better for me physically and in terms of keeping injury at bay. But I'll take another look at the hack.
@David should have something written up today. WIll share.
@Brenda, I ran Boston quite poorly as well, despite training only for it. The 10 o clock start just messes me up, but my most memorable races, I'd never thought I'd qualify, so finally getting that BQ was just such a thrill.
I do appreciate all of your input and will keep in mind.
Doing a half-marathon is totally doable in the OS, on the other hand. I usually run one or two of them in the OS myself. Very likely to make gains and PR even without any half-marathon specific training. If you'd like to do that, the only thing I'd suggest is to make sure you're doing a long run consistently every week.
@ David, picture is posted. That's me in Oct last year at my first HIM.
On the marathon - here's my basic week, might be revised after listen to the coaches webinar. Every two weeks I'll take a complete rest day somewhere in there by dropping a run. Also I am a Sunday afternoon planner so depending on tiredness, upcoming week it will change.Weeks that follow twenty milers will look different,
Mon AM: swim , PM bike
Tue: Easy run AM
Wed: bike (maybe some time in the pool for swim technique drills)
Thu
aniels Q1 (first two or three weeks this is 3 x 1000 @ I pace, later its almost all tempo paced stuff)
Fri: easy run or swim
Sat: Bike
Sun: Daniels Q2 or LR (Some TLT runs, some with MP segments, some plain old LSD)
The plan you are going to do , as I read this is
Swim = 3
Bike =3
Run=3... with a day off as needed not bad.
What do you think of this.. Mon, Wed, Fri, Bike.... With Friday being a light bike workout.
Then Tue AM swim followed by thread mill run Q1, Thurs AM swim followed by Q2 then Saturday Long run... Sunday off
Swim=2
Bike =3
Run=3
The swim at a pool that has a gym attached to it. Get out of the pool T1 into run stuff hit a thread mill for an hour then your done total workout 2 hours. What do you think ? After all this is a hack not a plan for a race so you don't need a lot of swimming and if you want Sunday can be spent resting or a light swim, I'd rest but I'm older than you
@ David, I like it, a few things though one is I like to maximize workouts over the weekend and physically I find doubles take mor eout of me than working out all days of the week with one workout a day. That said your point about taking a rest day every week is valid. At 44 I am no spring chicken either. I can use you plan and make Monday a rest day. Okay, off to play with the training log again. Thanks for the input.
I will probably do only two swims a week, Enough to keep my fears at bay. I had to take a swimming for terrified adults class before I could learn to swim and irratinal fears are always lurking and ready to pounce as soon as I stay out of the pool for a while
@ Steve, Thanks for the input. I don't handle three quality days of running very well.And that's why I have not gone with the EN marathon hack. I realize the plan I have is not optimal for my best marathon ,but based on past experience it should be enough to get me the time I am aiming for.
This is an experiment if at some point it feels too much I'll back off. Over the yars I have got a teeny bit more sensible about these things.