A. Long runs:
To successfully finish a marathon race, you will require a lot of endurance and mileage in your body. To achieve this, you should include one long run every two weeks in your program and a semi-long run in between. You can either choose to measure the dis- tance or the time you will tackle. For time, long runs are; 2hrs, 2hr 15mins, 2hr 30mins or 3hrs. Semi-long runs can range between 1hr 20mins to 1hr 45mins. As the race day approaches, start reducing your long runs with at most 1hr 20mins a week before the race. If you will be able to measure distances then you can go for long runs of; 38km, 35km and 40km. Semi-long runs can be 25km or 30km. This method of measured distances is good for seasoned athletes since they will be better able to gauge their perform- ances against time and know when ready and what to anticipate in their races. Note that the semi-long runs should be run relatively faster than the long runs.
B. Morning and evening runs:
The rest of the days in the week, when you will not be having a long run, a speed workout, or a rest, it is advisable to go for at least a 1hr moderate run in the morning, then at least a 40 minute easy run in the evening.
C. Speed work outs:
Speed works can be categorized into two types: Intervals and fartleks. Intervals are either done on a track or on the road whereby an athlete runs fast for a specific dis- tance, stops to recover for a minute or two, then repeats the same. Fartleks are normally done on the road whereby an athlete runs fast for a specific time, then easy for a minute or two, and repeats again; alternating between fast and easy.
For a marathoner, these speed work outs should last for about 50 minutes not count- ing the time for warming up which usually takes 30 minutes. Speed work helps an ath- lete to increase his/her speed and also helps the body to get used to reacting and adapting in the race whenever a pace is raised suddenly and lowered again. You can do speed work once or twice every week.
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