Runners' Speed Training Guide

Why Speed Training?

Before hitting the track or the road to perform speed training the next time, let's first think about the purpose of this kind of training. There are many people who suggest different types of speed work for marathon runners in their final months before the main race event. We see and hear advise such as; ten repeats of 300 meter at 85 to 90 percent velocity, 5 to 8 repeats of 1K at sub 5K pace, Vo2 Max runs, lactate treshold runs, and Fartlek style speed work. But these are all so different from each other that it is difficult for the average runners without a personal trainer to know when and how often to perform them.

Training Pace Calculator

To make sure you are training at the right pace for your distance, input the results of your latest race to calculate how fast you should run the various components.

Recent race length (you can use a decimal point, eg. 26.2):
My time (hours:minutes:seconds): : :
Display my training paces in:
Your easy run training pace is:
Your tempo run training pace is:
Your VO2-max training pace is:
Your speed form training pace is:
Your long run training pace is:
Your Yasso 800s training pace is:

Easy Runs

Easy running should be the staple of your training week. Running slower than your marathon race pace is done to build overall physical strength, aerobic fitness and the ability to recover faster from hard training sessions. For more details visit the easy runs training page.

Tempo Runs

The main idea behind tempo runs is to help you improve your running economy and your running form. Sometimes the tempo runs can be described as "Lactate Threshold" or "Anaerobic Threshold pace runs". Tempo runs could be divided into the following two categories: the first one being a steady run of 2 to 6 miles, depending on your level of experience; the second one being long intervals with short recoveries. An example of long intervals with short recoveries: 4 x 1 mile at tempo run pace with 2 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts. You should do tempo runs no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 10 to 15 percent of your total weekly training. Tempo runs are usually in the form of interval runs to reduce or spread out the strain.

Vo2-Max

Vo2 Max training runs improve your oxygen capacity which is scientifically referred to as "Vo2 Max." Mainly for 5K to half marathon and thus not top priority for full marathon runners. This speed training however does make you stronger and prepares you for other forms of speed training. It is suggested to run 800M repeats at Vo2 Max with 4 to 6 minutes recovery jog in between. Be aware that this pace calculator provides pace time for 1000M pace so you need to convert this to 800M to get your target pace.

Speed Form

Speed training for shorter distance races from 800M to the 10K. Speed form training will impove runners' running economy and increase leg turnover.

Long Run

The long run is the base of every marathon training and the other running days are wrapped and adjusted according to it. Read more on the Long run.

Yasso 800s

Yasso 800s work both as a training and as an indicator. If you can build up to running 10 x 800M by about two to three weeks before your marathon race you could be very sure of your finish time. Yasso 800s says that if you can run your 800M in 4 minutes flat that you can finish your marathon in four hours (800M in 3:30 would mean you could finish in three hours and 30 minutes). Start with four times 800M and increase by adding one every week. It is sugested to do this paralel to increasing your long runs and fill the rest of the week with plenty of easy runs and rest days for recovery.

Speed Training in 18-Weeks

Let's assume that you have 18 weeks to get ready for your next marathon race. There are various training runs you can do to get into the best shape.

Depending on your training schedule, assuming Sunday is devoted to your long run and Monday is a rest or low-intesity cross-training day, Tuesday would be another easy run and Wednesday would be perfect for a speed training run. The rest of the week can be devoted to recovery runs and easy runs in preparation of the Sunday endurance run.

Week 1
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Vo2 max training 3x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 2
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Steady tempo run for 4 Miles
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 3
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Vo2 max training 4x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 4
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Steady tempo run for 5 Miles
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 5
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Vo2 max training 5x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 6
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Steady tempo run for 6 Miles
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 7
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Vo2 max training 6x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 8
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Steady tempo run for 5 Miles
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 9
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Vo2 max training 6x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 10
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Yasso 800s. 4x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 11
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Yasso 800s. 5x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 12
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Yasso 800s. 6x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 13
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Yasso 800s. 7x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 14
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Yasso 800s. 8x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 15
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Yasso 800s. 9x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 16
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Yasso 800s. 10x 800M
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 17
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Easy Run
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week 18
Sunday Long run.
Monday Rest or easy cross-training as recovery.
Tuesday Easy run.
Wednesday Easy Run
Thursday Recovery Run
Friday Easy Run
Saturday Run for 10 percent of weekly total at race pace.

Week zero
Sunday Marathon Race.
Monday Rest.
Tuesday Rest.
Wednesday Easy cross-training
Thursday Rest
Friday Rest
Saturday Easy run for 1 mile.

 
 

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