Ask the coach: Mileage before marathon training programme

I’m planning to do a spring marathon next year and plan to peak at 60 miles in one week during the 18 week plan. What type of weekly mileage should I tick over with during the autumn, before starting the 18 week plan?

Dominic

Running coach answer
Mike Gratton:

The period prior to your specific 18-week marathon training plan is best used to build mileage at the easy end of steady running. This means you can build up towards your maximum mileage very early on with low-intensity running, but most importantly, these slower long runs are essential in developing capillarisation, creating more tiny capillaries to the working muscles and improving blood supply. The engines of your muscles are mitochondria, and these are best increased by long, steady running, thirdly, you will be developing the ability to burn fat as an energy source efficiently.

I would suggest you reach your 60-mile-per-week target before going into the specific marathon block, then drop down the miles a bit while you build more quality running back into your programme. This will help you condition to the faster running, then when you feel you are ready, increase the mileage again gradually. In the pre-marathon ‘aerobic capacity’ training phase, you are probably looking at a 95:5 split in your training between easy/steady and faster running.

The faster running can be no more than the threshold pace as the emphasis is on aerobic capacity development; speed work is mainly to keep ‘your hand in’ ready for when you step up to the marathon-specific period. During the marathon block, the split may become the typical 80:20 balance between aerobic and anaerobic running. In the last few weeks, the balance may change to 75:25 as you come to a peak.

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