Ready to get faster? Reverse training not only got Dani to Boston--She PR'd there

 

As stated in the last few post--The Reverse Training Method for the half marathon and marathon focuses on extending the duration at which you can sustain your goal pace rather than focusing on the duration of the long run. It’s not a quick fix method and it requires that you take some time off from racing these distances.  If you are training to complete a marathon with no regard to the amount of time it takes to complete it, then this program is not for you.

Dani had followed the typical marathon training program. These programs neglect the development of speed and instead they focus on the weekly mileage and the duration of the long run. If the training plan calls for 20 miles on Saturday, Dani ran the 20 miles. The goal is to complete the 20 miles no matter the pace.

Running long, slow distances at a pace 2 minutes slower is better than nothing and it will certainly improve various physiological factors, including the growth of new capillaries that deliver oxygen to the muscle fibers and increase fat oxidation. However, it will not enable a runner to reach their potential.

One of the biggest mistakes' runners make when training for a marathon is not considering the demands of the race and not being specific enough in their training to meet those demands. Furthermore, many runners misjudge their fitness, thinking they’re in better shape than they really are.

I have seen this time and time again at Boston.  Runners don’t train for the demands of the course and they end up hitting the wall because they misjudge the start of the race and go out to fast for the 6 miles and crash around mile 17.  They run well above their threshold or a speed faster than they have trained. 

Running many miles per week will build endurance, but it will not build specific endurance. To build specific endurance, you will need to run faster paces for a longer period of time.  Running shorter distances much faster than marathon pace will improve physiological factors, including, cardiac output, oxygen transport, and V02max, but does not mean that the runner can sustain a pace near his or her lactate threshold for a long period of time.

When I explained this to Dani, she stated--"Oh you are talking about doing intervals?"

I responded--the last time you did an interval workout, did you have a specific number of reps decided before the workout? How was the magic number of reps determined? Did you follow a set plan? What if I told you the number is probably arbitrary? (I wasn't rude...I did give her a chance to answer.) 

The important aspect to intervals is causing fatigue during the workout because fatigue is what your body responds and adapts to.

The number of reps at which you fatigue will vary from day to day and week to week based on many life events factors (nutrition, sleep, etc.).  You may experience the same amount of fatigue today after 10 reps and the next week after 8 reps. 

Workouts should not be done to failure, but they should cause enough fatigues and stress to cause your body to have to adapt. You should always walk away from your workout feeling that you are in control of your workout versus your workout controlling you.

There also mental aspects to using unlimited reps. If you focus on one rep at a time without a preconceived idea as to how many reps you’ll do, you’re forced to stay in the moment and focus on the rep itself. You will probably end up running more reps than you would have with a set number, because a set number tricks your brain into thinking you are getting tired the closer you get to your final rep. This is no different for those that use the amount of time a workout should last.

Leaving a workout open-ended, will allow you to focus on the workout. The reverse training method will feature workouts to train your endurance of speed and reset your limits by not placing limits on your workouts. You can focus on yourself. 

The 38-week program is divided into the following phases:

1.)    General Prep (16 weeks)

2.)    Specific Prep (20 weeks)

3.)    The Taper (2 weeks)

***Each phase is broken down into 4 sub phases.

This plan is longer than most marathon training programs because its goal is to be speed endurance over time.

You want to run faster, you must learn to run faster.  This takes time.

Run smarter not harder….but you have to learn what is beyond hard to run smarter. 

If you are interested in learning more about the program, you can email me at hshsxc1@gmail.com

 

Phase 2 Sample (This will be broken down into 4 sub phases and include pliability training)