Choice Of Programs For A Hilly Marathon

QUESTION: I have now done three marathons and have a number of questions. The first time I followed your Novice Supreme (30-week) plan, and for the second and third times followed the Novice 1 (18-week) plan. For my fourth marathon in October, I am undecided about whether to follow Novice 2 or Intermediate 1. I feel Novice 2 would provide more of a gradual increase, however, the marathon is quite undulating, so I'm unsure how to incorporate hills into any training plan. Also, in the past I have printed not merely the covering schedule of the plan, but also the full schedule with daily instructions for each week. How do I now access this? Finally, I don't have an iPhone, so is it possible to download your plans onto an iPad?

HAL’S ANSWER: The logical jump from Novice 1 is to Novice 2, which provides slightly more mileage, but a somewhat different structure with pace runs. Intermediate 1 is one jump further: more total mileage, plus a double dose of pace runs and long runs on the weekend. Generally, I suggest that if you have to ask, you probably need to choose the easier program. As far as readying yourself for a hilly course, only the Advanced programs have specific hill training in the form of hill repeats. But you can convert any program into a hill-friendly one by simply choosing hilly courses for some, if not all, of your long runs. As for your next question, you can download and print a copy of my marathon programs from the appropriate screens on my web site: www.halhigdon.com. Charts also are available in my best-seller, Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide. The more expansive weekly directions are no longer available in a free format, so you have several options. You could sign up for the interactive version available here through TrainingPeaks or purchase an app through BlueFin. The apps can be downloaded onto iPads that have the 3G or 4G feature. Currently, I have apps for Novice 1 and Novice 2 - half and full marathons - for iPhones and Droids. No Intermediate or Advanced programs yet, if you decide to take the longer jump.

News Release: Hal republishes a revised version of Fitness After Forty in the Kindle Store 

Fitness After Forty was a best-seller when originally published by Runner's World in 1977 at the start of the running boom. It presented evidence by Ken Cooper and Dave Costill and Noel Nequin and others that running (and other physical activities) could improve both the quantity and quality of life.

Except the scientists I interviewed way back then admitted to me that they did not yet have the all the proof to back that claim. Four decades later, the proof is in. Dr. Ken Cooper now states that based on studies of his long-term patients at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, you can add as much as 6 to 9 years to your life simply by continuing to do what most of you who visit me here on the HH Bulletin Boards do right now. So keep it up!

Readying Fitness After Forty for republication as an e-book in The Kindle Store, I discovered that while some of the stories might be old, the science was still good. The revised Fitness After Forty is now available for the introductory price of only 99 cents--a sale that will continue throughout the week.

Click here to go to The Kindle Store. 

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. Archived Q&A's from Hal can be found here.

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