Workout of the Week: Marathon Intervals

Fall is marathon season! Many athletes, especially first-time marathoners, are apprehensive about preparing for the later miles of their event. It’s common knowledge that just going out and running 26.2 miles in training is likely counterproductive, so the question is: How does an athlete prep their body (and mind) to stay strong as the miles tick by? This is where marathon intervals come in.

I like to combine intensity and timing during a run to balance session training stress and fatigue or mechanical stress. A little intensity above race pace early can reduce glycogen stores and induce fatigue. This is what makes a run shorter than a full marathon mimic the actual event. Toward the end of these marathon intervals, we bring the intensity back to simulate the push needed for the last few miles.  

Because this workout uses both distance and time for prescription, it scales with athlete ability. Faster runners will cover more distance during the intensity blocks but will work through the middle volume section quicker. Runners expecting a longer finish time will have a bit less intensity, but they’ll log more time on the road during the volume block. Generally, marathon intervals ought to be around 18 miles and 2 hours, 30 minutes for many runners.  