Race Pace for 1st Marathon

QUESTION: Hal, you talk about doing “race pace” for shorter runs and “easy” for longer runs. I run my 5-milers at 9:20/mile; my 13-milers at 10:00/mile and did my last 18- and 19-mile runs at 11:00/mile. I still have to do my 20-miler this weekend. How does this translate to a marathon time? I don't know if I am supposed to start with 11:00/mile pace and then speed up, and at what point into the race and how much? I don't want to start too slow or too fast! Is there a strategy that I can apply?

HAL’S ANSWER: The pattern of your times for various distances show that the longer the run, the slower the pace. Given your progression from 9:20 to 10:00 to 11:00 pace as your training distances lengthen, this would suggest you might need to slow to near 12:00 pace for the marathon itself. But it's impossible (or at least difficult) to plan race pace based on training runs. Too many variables. Doing a test half marathon offers a better prediction, but that option may come too late for you. I assume this is a first marathon, thus I would begin at a slow pace (12:00?) and let the race come to you later. Better to go too slow in a first marathon than too fast and crash.

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. 

Juggling Speed Workouts

QUESTION: First let me say I used your Advanced 1 program for my first three marathons (PR: 3:15), then took a two-year break for personal reasons. Now I am training again using Advanced 2. So far so good. My questions is: Due to my work schedule I have to juggle a few days, mostly the Sprint/Hill workouts on Tuesdays and the Tempo/Pace workouts on Thursdays. Would it be a bad idea to put Sprint/Hill and Tempo/Pace workouts on back-to-back days? I know you suggest an easy run between those days on Wednesdays for rest/recovery, but I am not sure how to fit everything in.

HAL’S ANSWER: Given both the quality of your PR and the fact that you have done three marathons using pretty tough programs, you should have a pretty good idea how much punishment your body can absorb. But in answering your question, let me offer one thought. There is no reason why you can't modify the program by shifting workouts as the mood strikes you. Each week needs not be the mirror image of the one before. Consider, however, that the Tempo/Pace workouts probably are easier to do than Sprint/Hill. In "Pace," you're simply running at the pace you will run in the marathon, but for a much shorter distance. And Tempo Runs are completely intuitive, meaning it doesn't matter how fast you do your Tempo Run as long as it has that rounded bump in the middle. In fact, for an accomplished runner like yourself, a Tempo Run can be very easy, thus can be part of your recovery from Hill/Sprint the day before. When I designed the advanced programs, I somewhat arbitrarily juggled these harder workouts, letting them fall when they might on different days, mainly so runners don't get bored following the same routine week after week. So with all that in mind: Game On!

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. 

Road Block

QUESTION: I have been running for a few months now and seem to have hit a road block. I recently moved to a new city and have stopped running outside, because I'm not yet used to the hills. Now I can't seem to run as far. I ran 5 miles once and haven't been able to get there again. Around 2 miles, I start getting really tired, and my legs start to burn. I've never had this problem before. Should I just push through, or is there something I'm doing wrong?

HAL’S ANSWER: Slow down a little bit and that should help. Also, running on a treadmill—if that is what you now are doing exclusively--can be mentally draining, sometimes harder than running outside. Head out the door and see what happens. Remember to run the hills at an easier pace and you should be fine. And sometimes run short even though you think you should run long. What's wrong with a 2-mile workout at a reduced pace? Finally, each day I post a “Tip of the Day” to my Facebook page, Hal Higdon’s Marathon. Here is a recent Tip that seems to fit your problem: “When you analyze the training of fast runners, you discover that not only do they sometimes train at slow paces, but that they train differently each day. If I had to cite one mistake made by inexperienced runners when they seek to improve their performance, it is that they run too many of their miles at the same pace, and over the same distance. There is little variety, and that limits their improvement.” Eventually you should adapt to your new city. You need merely to be patient...and to keep running.

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. 

The 10% Rule

QUESTION: In 2010, I completed my first marathon (Chicago) following your Novice 1 program. I was in pain starting around Week 11, because of a stress fracture in a metatarsal. Took it easy in 2011, then started speedwork for a half marathon this spring. Ended up with a PR, but a stress fracture in the talus on the same foot. I've been to a podiatrist both times. My foot structure is extremely rigid and doesn't heal quickly. Still, his opinion is that I could probably complete a marathon safely, but only if I can stay pretty rigorously inside of the "10% increase rule" during training. So, I looked back at your Novice 1 program. Weeks 4, 7, 10, 13, and 15 seem to be the ones significantly outside of 10% due to the stepback the weeks prior. I'm thinking about modifying the program out of fear that this might increase overtraining or a cumulative injury risk. Any ideas on how to limit the percentage increase in a given week?

HAL’S ANSWER: Actually, stepback weeks are good, not bad. They are added to reduce the risk of overtraining or injuries. But in examining my programs, why focus on any given week? Your focus should be on the total program. I normally don't count miles when designing programs, but I doubt whether any of them violate your so-called "10% increase rule." I don't believe in that rule anyway. It's artificial and fails to take into account the fact that a 10% increase in miles in low-mileage Week 1 is a lot different from the same increase in high-mileage Week 15. Toward the end of my programs, I add more stepback week to mitigate damage from the mileage increase, which is necessary if you want to comfortably finish a marathon. Your problem in trying to stay under 10% is that you are measuring a stepback week against the higher-mileage weeks before and after. You need to examine the entire program—Weeks 1 through 15—leading up to the final 3-week taper. It is a very gentle ramp and one that has worked for a lot of runners. Nevertheless, if you want a still gentler ramp, simply add more stepback weeks. Lower the ramp angle, however, and you’ll need more than 18 weeks to reach your goal. While you consider what modifications to make, take a look at my Marathon 3 program, which lasts 24 weeks with three running days a week. Finally, did you and your podiatrist discuss what might be the root cause of your problems? Do you have a muscle imbalance that might be cured with orthotics? Have you done strength training to increase the overall density of your bones? Do you have your nutritional act together, since poor eating habits also can cause weakened bone structure? I'm not accusing you, just throwing some ideas out for consideration.

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.

Speedwork and First Marathons

QUESTION: I am using the Novice 1 marathon app to train for my first full marathon. I am on my fourth week of training already. I also want to work on my speed and was wondering if it is a good idea to do speedwork while training for my marathon and on what training days should I do fartlek or tempo runs or interval training? I have never tried any speed workouts so far.

HAL’S ANSWER: No time to start. My good friend Ron Gunn, who formerly was track coach at Southwestern Michigan College, used to say, "You can't fire a cannon out of a canoe." By this, Ron meant you needed a bigger base, like a battleship. The same with running. Coincidentally, I was out on my bike this morning using my own app, and I heard myself say that you build endurance, then you build speed--or words to that effect. Good advice, Hal, particularly for someone who never has done speedwork before. You need to focus first on your endurance training, which will get increasingly more difficult as the long-run mileage increases toward the end. Adding speedwork would complicate things. I have six marathon training programs for novice, intermediate and advanced runners. Only the two advanced programs include speedwork. Once you finish your marathon, then, and only then, should you consider anything like fartlek, tempo runs or interval training.

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.