Hack Training: Does Your Training Need Hacked?

When I am not running, reading about running, or writing about running, I spend most of the rest of my time at my “day job,” which is college teaching. Recently I had a mandatory in-service (not always one of my favorite things), where I saw something that really blew me away.  It was a video by a 13 year old boy named Logan LaPlante about a concept called “hackschooling.”  A quote from his presentation captures the gist of the video very well:

 “The concept is that education, like everything else, is open to being hacked or improved, not just by working within the current system, but by going outside the educational establishment to find better ways to accomplish the same goals. The most innovative entrepreneurs are people who are able to hack the status quo and create something completely new.”

“What does this have to do with running?” you are probably wondering right now. Well, as the title of the blog suggests, everything I see gets processed “through a running lens.”  One of my first thoughts on new information is always “Does this or can this be applied to running?”  The answer on this one is an obvious “Yes!”

The truth is, I am a “hacker” when it comes to running, and I have been for a long time. No, not in the “person who engages in an activity without talent or skill” sense of the word (although I think I have been accused of that occasionally).  I mean I am a “hacker” in LaPlante’s way of using it:

“Hackers are innovators, hackers are people who challenge and change the systems to make them work differently, to make them work better; it’s just how they think; it’s a mindset."

I have the hacker mindset when it comes to running and running training. I am not and have never been happy with pulling a cookie-cutter training program off a web site or out of a book and following it. I have always, from the very beginning, wanted to know as much as I could about running, why I was doing what I was doing, what worked and what didn’t, and I have always wanted to know why and “what if?”

In the beginning I hired a coach because I did not yet have enough knowledge to be a hacker on my own. I drove him absolutely insane with questioning almost everything we did. I can’t tell you how many times he told me “stop asking ‘why’ and just do the workout.” 

Very quickly I outgrew that relationship because a true hacker wants to create the process for him or herself.  I began studying everything I could find about running, from training books to biographies. In time, I learned enough to be able to start putting things together for myself, designing training that gave me a chance to learn and experiment, to find what worked for me and what didn’t.  Pretty soon I had a pretty good recipe for my own success, but a key part of a hacker psyche is that nothing can remain static. The status quo is always to be questioned.  Thus, my approach to training must continually be evolving.

This can cause some people to misunderstand what I am doing. If you look back at my blog posts over the last few years, you will see that I have talked about a lot of different theories and training approaches. Some people want to respond with “Last month you were talking about X; now you are talking about Y! Can’t you stay focused on one approach?"  The answer is absolutely not. There is not one “right” way to train. Not only is the exercise physiology information constantly changing and being expanded upon, but there are also myriad ways to get the same or similar results. Just off the top of my head, I can think of several approaches to improving lactate threshold, some very similar and some quite divergent. In running, there is always “more than one way to skin a cat.” 

Therefore, to put together a training approach (for myself and for the athletes I coach), I am constantly “hacking.” It is not an “anything goes” type of process, though, and there is nothing haphazard about it. When a goal needs accomplished (rebuild my aerobic base), I am going to look at everything I can of the various theories and approaches, and I will put together a program from there. I will take what I think is the best of the resources, combine them, and make adjustments as I go.

An example of this is in the base training I am pursuing now.  In researching the concept of effectively building an aerobic base, I came across the work of Phil Maffetone that I have mentioned in a previous post.  I was very interested in his approach, especially as it related to heart rate training, which I have used effectively in the past.  I also revisited a previous approach to base building that I have used in the past quite successfully, the Lydiard method. (For a quick look at Arthur Lydiard’s training approach see this Running Times article). 

These two approaches are similar in that they are based on the same ideas in exercise physiology, but they do differ some. Both advise large amounts of aerobic running to build a strong base before doing any faster anaerobic work. Both advise athletes not to rush this and to spend a substantial portion of the training calendar in this mode. However, they do differ on where in the rather large aerobic range one needs to be training, with Maffetone at the extreme lower end of the range and Lydiard utilizing more of the range of aerobic paces throughout a training week.

After a month on the Maffetone method and reviewing the Lydiard approach by way of a really great new book called Healthy Intelligent Training, 2nd Ed, I am “hacking” my base building training.  I am keeping Maffetone’s ideas of the heart rate training and keeping an eye on the intensity level to encourage fat burning. I am also keeping the diet modifications and the monthly testing  at maximum aerobic training heart rate as he describes.

However, I have decided to work with slightly higher heart rates and to follow Lydiard’s suggestions related to how much training to do and how often. Why did I make these changes? Because I believe that both Maffetone’s and Lydiard’s methods will achieve the same goal (a strong base, better aerobic fitness, faster race times), but I believe that Lydiard’s method is the more efficient way to do it.

One other thing that Logan mentions in his talk is the idea of “healthy and happy.” I have no doubt that Maffetone’s method would make me healthy, but at heart, I am a competitive animal. Lydiard’s methods, I think, are going to make me happier in the end by bringing me into competitive shape more quickly and by allowing me to plan my race seasons more effectively.

How about you? Is your running making you both healthy and happy? If not, maybe you need to “hack it.”  And, in a completely shameless and self-serving plug, if you want help with that hacking, check out my Coaching Services page.  I would love to do some hacking on your behalf!

If you would like to check out Logan's amazing video that made this post possible:

Understanding Your Marathon Training (Part 3)

Well, here I am bouncing down the highway heading to Kentucky for this weekend's trail marathon (more on that in a later post). I promised this final post midweek, so I thought I would get this out to you on the drive. 

This post will cover the remaining types of workouts you are likely to see in an advanced marathon training program. If you have not read the previous two posts of the series, you may want to see Part 1 or Part 2. This post focuses on  interval training, marathon paced runs, and strides.

Interval Training:  Most intermediate and advanced marathon trainings, in addition to the lactate threshold workouts, include some type of interval training. Interval training works on developing your maximum aerobic capacity, the VO2 max.

Interval training involves a period of fast running followed by a period of recovery. The speed, distance, and amount of recovery will vary by program and workout. This is what most runners would think of as a typical "track" workout, but intervals can be run on almost any flat course.  A measured course is best, but you can really do them anywhere with today's GPS technology on our wrists.

Many runners mistake this type of training for running "all out." This often leads to running the interval workouts too hard, which besides not training the appropriate systems also greatly increases the chances of injury. Going "all out,"will exceed your maximum aerobic capacity and push you into an anaerobic state. That is too be avoided.

According to Pete Pfitzinger, the correct pace for running the interval workouts for marathon training is 3k to 5k race pace. However, since most of us don't run 3k races, it is best to run these at about your current 5k race pace. Pfitzinger and Daniels disagree slightly on the optimal time for the duration of the faster runs, with Pfitzinger saying 2 to 6 minutes is optimal and Daniels saying that the optimal duration is 3 to 5 minutes, but the difference is probably not that significant.

What is significant to note is the distance that these time frames permit. Although mile repeats are often a part of marathon programs, unless your current 5k pace is a sub 6 minute mile, you will be running for too long according to either of the two recommendations for optimal training.  Daniels and Pfitzinger both recommend that the distances be between 400 and 1200 meters for the fast running portions of these workouts, depending on your current running speed.  

One of the drawbacks of working with a predetermined program rather than having a coach is that you, as a self-coach, need to think about these things and adjust the program so that what you are doing is optimal training for you. If your 5k pace is slower than 6 min/mile, you should not be doing mile repeats as part of the marathon program, according to  both of the experts. If your program calls for mile repeats, you may want to adjust it down to 800/1000/1200 meters instead to stay within what most experts agree is optimal.

The rest between these bouts of faster running can also vary. The idea is to recover enough so that you can maintain your effort for the next one and also be able to complete the required number of repetitions in the workout.  Daniels recommends that recovery time be "equal to or a little less than" the bout of faster running. Generally your program will specify the recovery time.

Most marathon programs put a small number of these workouts into the program, often in the last several weeks before the taper. Too much of this type of workout can take a toll on your body and increase your risk of injury. Be very conservative with your interval workouts.  It is much better to be conservative with the pace and number and make it to the starting line, than it is too push too hard and be injured and on the sidelines for your intended marathon.

I may not make any friends with this one, but I want to warn you against group speed work. Many marathoners decide they need to run some intervals in their program, so they jump in with a local track club or other speed group. Often these groups are primarily 5k runners working on their 5k speed rather than marathoners. The tendency in these types of workouts is to run them too fast and to not run the type of intervals that are optimal for marathon training.  In addition, most group speed sessions have a predetermined workout that is not what your marathon program called for that day.  

Often these forays into group speed work in the midst of a marathon training program bring a rush of immediate satisfaction as the runner gets the boost in speed that these workouts do tend to impart, but then a few weeks later they often find themselves injured from the stress of running these too fast and intense speed workouts and then trying to also handle the stress of the mileage of the marathon training. If you are marathon training, do yourself a favor and follow your plan. Save those group speed work sessions for when pushing back your 5k PR is your primary goal.

Marathon Pace Runs: Many intermediate or advanced marathon programs will include some workouts, especially in the later stages, that are marathon paced runs. These are runs at your goal marathon pace to get you used to running comfortably at that pace. These are also an opportunity to work on your pacing. These runs actually should require more mental than physical effort, as your marathon pace should be one that you can sustain comfortably, literally for hours.

Most marathon training programs that include these will have you work up to 10 to 15 miles at marathon pace. Sometimes these are done on the down weekends between stretching out the long runs. Other programs may incorporate marathon paced segments at the end of the long run. Still others may call for a midweek medium distance run at marathon pace. What these all have in common is that they give you a chance to be comfortable with your marathon pace and practice the pacing. Resist the temptation to run these faster, even if you feel really, really good.

These marathon runs can also help you understand if you have picked a reasonable goal pace for your marathon. If you are struggling to complete a 12 mile run at marathon pace and the workout leaves you wiped out, then you may have chosen a goal pace that you are not yet ready for. These runs can help you figure out what is really doable and allow you to make adjustments.

Strides or Stride Outs: Most intermediate to advanced marathon programs will include strides. Strides are short (usually 100 meter or about 30 seconds) segments where your goal is to run quick but relaxed. You should be concentrating on quick strides and turnover.  Strides are a neuromuscular workout that help with running economy, stride rate, and running form. Be sure that you are sufficiently warmed up before doing these.

My first coach used to have me do these strides barefoot to work on form and to build the muscles in my feet and lower legs. I don't know if it is because I learned that way, but that is still my favorite way to do strides. I have also done strides in my socks and in aqua socks. One of the happiest part of spring running for me is when I can get out on the grass in my bare feet to do some strides.

This is a rather simplified explanation of the typical runs that are most often included in intermediate and advanced programs. If you are the type of person who is really not interested in an in-depth discussion, this may be enough for you to understand your program a bit more or to choose a program from those available that is based on sound principles. If you are the type who would like to read more, there are several good training books. The two I recommended in the previous post, Daniels' Running Formula and Advanced Marathoning by Pfitzinger and Douglas are two of the bests in my opinion. With that said, I will tell you that I prefer Pfitzinger and Douglas. 

This may seem like a lot to have gone through, but I think the more a runner knows about what he/she is doing, the more successful he/she is likely to be. Hopefully some of this information can help you as you move on to your next marathon success!! 


Now that we have talked a little about the programs, I'd love to hear from you. Are you training for a marathon or have you in the past? What program are you using (or did you use)?  What do you think of it? 

Understanding Your Marathon Training Program (Part 2: The Intermediate and Advanced Programs)

Part 1 of this two part post discussed beginner marathon training programs and the elements typically included in them. This post will cover the types of workouts usually seen in intermediate or advanced marathon programs (in addition to the previous types of workouts, which are still a backbone of the training schedule).

Where the goal in beginner programs is usually to get a runner through the experience comfortably and successfully, the goal in more advanced marathon programs is usually to improve upon a previous marathon performance. The runner does not just want to finish; he or she wants to finish faster. Therefore, the new addition in these programs is workouts meant to improve pace. These workouts generally are worked into the schedule by replacing some of the easy aerobic days and/or replacing a cross training day with a running day.

There are two main types of workouts meant to help runners improve their performances relative to marathon pace. These are lactate threshold workouts and interval workouts. Each works to improve different aspects of a runner's speed.

A Little Physiology: It is not my purpose to go deeply into physiology in this post, but you do need to understand a bit about how the body produces energy while running to understand the two types of speed work. This is a very simplified version of the explanation, but hopefully it will be enough. If you want a deeper explanation, two good training books to look at are Daniels' Running Formula or Advanced Marathoning by Pfitzinger and Douglas. These are two training books that intermediate and advanced marathoners should consider reading. They both contain excellent training plans for more advanced marathoning, and much of the information in this post is based on information from these two books.

When the body is doing activity, it has two ways to produce energy at the cellular level to move muscles, aerobically (with oxygen) and anaerobically (without oxygen). Aerobic energy production is going on constantly in our body and is what you are using when you are running your marathon and doing your marathon training.  

Both of these types of energy production create waste products called lactate in the cells and bloodstream that the body has to dispose of. In low intensity aerobic activity your body can dispose of these waste products faster than you are creating them, so these wastes do not inhibit your ability to continue running. If you are running aerobically at an easy pace you can literally run for hours and hours without these wastes becoming a limiting factor in your performance, which is exactly what we strive for in our marathons.

Anaerobic metabolism is not as efficient as aerobic metabolism and creates larger amounts of waste products, more than the body can eliminate efficiently. Therefore, when you are working anaerobically, you are on a very short time clock. Eventually, depending on how much of your energy production is being done anaerobically, the waste products will accumulate in the cell which will inhibit the function. The maximum amount of time a body can work with most of its energy coming from anaerobic sources is about four minutes, so anaerobic metabolism is not usually a factor in distance running (although you may dip into the anaerobic system in a finishing kick in a distance run).

Marathoners want to train their aerobic system without moving into anaerobic metabolism. Every runner's body has a maximum limit of how much energy can be produced by their aerobic system. This upper limit in the body's ability to produce, transport, and use this energy is called the VO2 max, and this is what runners train in interval workouts. You never actually use this pace in marathon running, but by pushing back this upper end, the pace at which you can run comfortably also gets faster. It shifts the whole range of paces that are comfortable for you to run.

As you speed up from an easy aerobic pace but before you reach maximum production, you will eventually get to the tipping point in waste removal, where you are producing more waste than you can remove. Once you get past this pace, you will eventually limit your ability to continue when you have collected too much waste to clear effectively, and you will have to slow down to allow the bodies waste disposal to catch up.  This tipping point is called the lactate threshold. However, the good news is that this process can also be improved with training so that runners can push back the pace at which the lactate threshold occurs. That is the goal of lactate threshold training.

Now that you understand the basic physiology, let's look at how these get worked into marathon training.

Lactate threshold (LT) workouts: Almost all intermediate and advanced marathon programs (and even some beginner programs) will include this type of workout. Pfitzinger and Douglas call this "the most important physiological variable for endurance athletes."   In these types of workouts you are meant to run at a pace that is just under the lactate threshold for a particular period of time. Stimulating the body in this way causes the body to adapt to make this level of effort easier and more efficient, which pushes back the pace at which the lactate threshold occurs.

The key component of this type of training is not to run too fast. If you run faster than your current lactate threshold, then you will not produce the desired adaptations. The tricky thing with this type of training is determining that pace. It can be done scientifically in an exercise lab by taking blood samples, but most runners don't determine it that way. Most programs that include threshold training will either include a chart by which you determine your threshold workout pace based on a previous race effort, such as Daniels' VDOT charts.  Others will tell you to run it at a pace that is roughly equivalent to your 15k race pace or that you could sustain for an hour without slowing down. For me this pace tends to come out to about 15 seconds per mile slower than my half marathon race pace.

The lactate threshold runs in your marathon program will usually be of one of two types. The most common is usually called a "tempo run" and involves up to 20 minutes of continuous running at LT pace. These should be done over fairly flat courses, and your goal should be to hold steady at your LT pace. In these workouts, it is better to go a little under the goal LT pace than it is to go too fast. This pace should be comfortably hard but sustainable. Besides the physiological training, they also train you to focus and develop self-discipline in pacing. You should not have to slow down toward the end of these workouts. If you do, you went too fast.

 

The second type of LT run that may be included is called "cruise intervals." These were popularized by Jack Daniels and have been incorporated into many marathon programs. These are shorter periods of tempo running, such as 5-15 minutes, with a short rest, usually one minute, in between. These workouts allow runners to spend more time running at threshold pace because of the short breaks that allow runners a bit of physical and mental recovery.

Many intermediate programs include LT workouts either every week or every other week. These are my favorite workouts, and I look forward to them. I always feel fantastic after these workouts, and you should too if you don't run them too fast. These workouts have a big payoff with a very low risk of injury. If you have not been doing these type of workouts in training, you will see improvements in your racing times at all distances by adding these in.  

Oh geez, although I originally thought that this information on marathon training would be a two part post, I can tell from the length of this, that I am going to need a Part 3. This was already a lot to take in. I am going to stop now. The next post will cover the second and more demanding type of speed work, interval training. It will also mention other miscellaneous types of workouts that may pop up in your marathon program, such as marathon paced runs and strides. I hope you will come back midweek for the final post inthe marathon training series. 

Understanding Your Marathon Training Program (Part 1: The Beginner Programs)

Many new runners today are motivated to start running because a marathon is on their bucket list. These new runners often don't know much about running and aren't sure how to proceed. Many join running groups where they often get support, but where they don't always get all of the information they might need to fully understand what they have undertaken. 

Often a runner may find a program on the Internet on his or her own, such as the  Hal Higdon's marathon programs or those at Marathon Rookie, or any of a variety of other standard programs out there. Or, he or she might join a group and be handed only the schedule itself, without much explanatory information about the purpose of the various workouts in the plan. For a new runner it is sometimes easier just to follow the plan without worrying about the "why" of it, but eventually if one continues running, it is good to begin to understand the various components in a solid marathon training program and to understand how each contributes to your running fitness.

Most marathon training programs have some combination of the following types of workouts: aerobic runs, long runs, recovery days, hill runs, tempo runs, and speed work..  The combination of these workouts that you need and the details related to these workouts change with the type of program (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) and which type of runner the program is intended for (new or experienced).

The basic beginner program for new runners doing their first marathon, such as Hal Higdon's novice programs, typically focuses on three of the five types of workouts: aerobic runs, long runs, and recovery days.  Let's take a look at this type of program.

Aerobic runs:

For all beginning marathon programs the most common type of run that is included will be an aerobic run of various distances. This is just what it claims, a run that is meant to improve your aerobic capacity, which means that it helps strengthen your heart and lungs, as well as build strength in your legs.

It is important that these runs be done at a comfortable aerobic pace, which means you should be doing them at a pace that allows you to "run within your breath." You should be moving fast enough to get a workout, but not so fast that you are unnecessarily stressing your body. Your heart rate should be elevated and your breathing deep but comfortable. These are those "conversation-paced" runs that are most pleasant when done with a group or partner. Don't be fooled by the easy and enjoyable nature of these runs. They are providing the foundation you need to handle the other more strenuous workouts in the program. Don't be tempted to go too fast. These are the runs that should make you smile and be glad you are a runner.

Long runs: For marathon training, this is a key component. Long runs are designed to help your body make the physical adaptations needed to cover the distance. It also trains you mentally to deal with the rigors of the longer race distances.  A typical marathon program will have these either once a week, or when the mileage gets higher, will have the long runs every other week, with a medium length run in between. This is because the long runs are strenuous.  It is important to allow ample recovery time between them. If the schedule calls for a step down week, do not decide that you don't "need" the easy week and keep pushing.

There are a variety of physiological changes that take place during a long run. Besides the obvious benefits to your heart and lungs, your body learns to store more glycogen so that your muscles will have more available for fuel on race day. It also teaches your body to burn fat more efficiently for fuel. These are the more common changes that most have heard of, but there are also deeper physiological changes that go on, such as increase in the number of capillaries that take blood to your muscles and increases in the number of mitochondria in your cells, which helps with energy production on the cellular level. 

Also, for those who have not run long before, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your legs develop the necessary strength and flexibility to meet the demands of running these longer distances.

These workouts also help the runner develop mentally. We learn to persevere even when it is uncomfortable. We learn that yes we can go that one more mile. We learn that if we hang in there through the rough patch that it often actually gets better after a while.

The long run should be done at an easy aerobic pace, just like those shorter easy aerobic runs, possibly a bit slower. The goal here is to cover the distance comfortably. As the distances get longer, do not be afraid to walk occasionally. In fact, some beginning marathon programs, such as those promoted by Jeff Galloway, plan walking breaks into these runs. (Yes, you are still a "real" runner if you walk during the long runs and marathon!) I did my first marathon training using a run/walk plan, and I still walk through the aids stations in my marathons. 

For the marathon, the long run is a key workout that must be respected and which should not be neglected. It is the most important workout in your schedule, and if you miss one, you should try to make it up on a following day if possible. If you miss too many, you seriously reduce the chances of completing your marathon.

Recovery days: Recovery days are days in the program that are meant to give your body a break and to allow it to repair itself and grow. These are especially important for beginning runners who may not be used to the impact forces related to running.

There are two main types of recovery "workouts" that might be included in a beginner program. One type is total rest, where no other type of exercise is done, except possibly some stretching or yoga. These days are most important the day after a long run. For new marathoners, those long runs are very stressful. A complete rest from exercise the day after a long run is one of the most important things you can do to help assure that you will get to the starting line in good shape.

The second type of recovery day is a cross training day. This can include a variety of activities, including biking, swimming, weight training, yoga, rowing, walking, or just about any other type of light physical activity you enjoy. The important thing to remember about these is that they are "RECOVERY."  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the activity that we are doing that we end up doing a harder workout than we intended to, so it leaves us tired for our next running workout. I have been guilty of this many times myself.

However, the key day to remember NOT to do overdo it is if you are doing a cross training day the day before a long run. It is very important not to go into your long run with a tired body or tired legs. The long runs are hard enough without any added stress, especially when they start being over two hours in length. Be extremely cautious with recovery the days before and after your long runs. A strenuous weight workout the day before a long run could be the thing that pushes your legs over the brink and put you at risk for an injury that will put an end to your marathon dreams.

Many beginning marathon programs are made up exclusively of aerobic runs and long runs, along with recovery days.  This is a good plan for beginners at the marathon distance, especially beginners who are new to fitness, running, and/or who may be overweight. This type of program gives your body a chance to adapt to the stresses related to the act of running itself and running long distances before stressing it further by worrying about speed. These types of plans are smart for a beginner to choose if you want to enjoy your first marathon and be injury free. Do not worry if you hear other more experienced runners talk about various types of speed workouts, or if you read an article somewhere that mentions them. For your first time, just worry about covering the distance. That is enough. There is time later to do it faster.

Some beginner marathon programs include workouts related to developing strength and/or speed. The two most typical types of workouts included in these programs in a beginner marathon plan are hill runs and "fartleks." 

Hill runs: Hill runs are often included in beginner programs. There are a few reasons for this. Running on hills helps develop strength in the legs. It also helps develop running efficiency. Finally, it prepares you for running hills in your marathon.

These hill workouts can be informal, such as doing an aerobic run on a hilly course, or they can be more formal with a specified number of repeats and a specified type of hill. These workouts are more strenuous, both aerobically and muscularly. You do not have to run these workouts insanely hard to benefit. Try to run these at a pace where you know that you are giving a comfortably hard effort, but not run so hard that you feel that you are exhausting yourself or over-stressing your legs.You should be sure to take a recovery day after a hill workout. Most schedules will give plenty of space between a hill workout and a long run. If you miss a hill workout and want to make it up, be careful not to do that too close to your long run. While hill workouts do build strength, they also increase your chances of injury if you overdo it. 

Fartleks: Most beginning marathon programs do not recommend formal speed work for beginning runners. However, many programs will include "fartlek" runs. "Fartlek" is a Swedish word that means "speed play." These are typically aerobic runs in which a runner picks up the pace and runs faster occasionally. This can be done in a variety of ways. One can do faster running using landmarks, as in speeding up to a particular sign, tree, or other landmark, or perhaps for one block. One can do it by time, speeding up for say 30 seconds or a minute every five minutes. I have even done fartleks based on music on my MP3, speeding up at the chorus of a song or for an entire song. These workouts should be fun. You should enjoy the faster bursts as a way to introduce yourself to thinking about running faster in a fun and non-stressful way. 

(Occasionally a beginner program may include either tempo runs or speed work of some type. If you have that type of beginner program, please see Part 2 of this post for information on those types of workouts.)

These are typical workouts for a basic beginner program. For some runners, a more challenging program may be more appropriate. Who might be a good candidate for a more advanced marathon training program? The more advanced marathon programs work well for someone who has completed their first marathon successfully and is ready to start thinking about a time goal. Another type of runner that might begin with a more advanced program is one who has raced for a year or more at shorter distances, 5k to half marathon, and is now ready to move up to the full marathon distance. These runners won't be challenged enough with a basic marathon program. A third type of runner might be an athlete who has a strong background in an aerobic sport which develops leg muscles, such as biking or soccer.

All of these type of athletes might look for a marathon program that includes workouts related to developing speed, which include the remaining two types of workouts: tempo runs and speed work.  These two types of workouts, and some programs that include them, will be discussed in Part 2.