Workout of the Day: 5 Mile/1 Mile Alternations x 3
5 Mile/1 Mile Alternations x 3
Intensity — 1/2 Marathon pace on 5 Mile reps, Marathon pace on 1 Mile reps
Recovery — n/a
Exertion — 8/10
Context & Details
Upgrading performance ability in the marathon is really about upgrading your default running speed. Scientifically speaking, in endurance running we call this Lactate-Threshold velocity.
Improving this performance variable is the primary objective of a marathoner’s training. Alternation workouts do this very well. Running faster than marathon pace is more effective at enhancing a runner’s Lactate Clearing Rate than running at marathon speeds.
Think of marathon pace as a goal default pace, one to overshoot in training, not meet. Many runner’s often hit the wall in the marathon because fatigue slows them down to a default pace. You want your default pace to be target marathon speed, not slower.
This is why I prefer doing large amounts of quality work for the marathoner at 1/2 marathon to 10K speeds. Sessions like this see the marathoner log a solid volume of running, but the exposure to higher running velocities of 1/2 marathon speed will elevate their lactate-threshold much better than large quantities of marathon speeds.
This workout totals 18 miles of continuous running and replaces the standard weekly long run. It’s best performed once every 2 weeks in the heart of marathon training. You can also scale it down to replace the traditional slow, weekly long run for cross country and 10K runners. Simply make the 1/2 marathon segment 2 Miles in length and the marathon portion 800m in length.