The Key Workout Types for Marathon Training

Training for a marathon: where to start?

With the beginning, quite simply! Deciding to take on a marathon is a major step, and often not the easiest one. Congratulations on the challenge. Before looking closely at your training for your next marathon, you need to ask yourself a few questions. The answers will help shape your preparation. What is my marathon goal? What is the course profile? How much time do I have to prepare? Can I fit a tune-up race into my marathon build?

Once you have answered these questions, you can share the information with your coach, or work through it yourself if you train alone, so you can adapt your training plan. If you already have a solid running base, it is advisable to allow at least three months of preparation. During that time, you will work through different training blocks. A block generally lasts between two and four weeks, depending on its focus. Between blocks, a few days of reduced training allow you to absorb the work, recover and start the next phase ready to go.

There are countless types of workouts. They can be grouped into a few broad categories: easy aerobic running, intervals, hill reps, marathon-pace work, strength training and recovery. Each category helps you improve one or more aspects of your running by targeting different intensity zones. Keep in mind that varying your sessions also prevents training from becoming monotonous.

Easy aerobic running

The best-known type of running is probably also the most popular: easy aerobic running. It is popular for an obvious reason: at this pace, runners are nowhere near the red zone. In a training plan, easy running accounts for around 80% of weekly mileage. Put simply, it is your slowest pace. It corresponds to roughly 65% of your MAS (maximal aerobic speed). A runner with a MAS of 15 km/h should run easy efforts at around 9.8 km/h. Yes, that is slow, but it is supposed to be.

Easy running improves your cardiovascular system and your muscles’ ability to use oxygen to produce energy. Any other superpowers? Of course. At a low intensity, your body relies more heavily on fat as an energy source. That preserves your glycogen stores for harder efforts and the closing stages of the race. You become more economical with your energy, an important quality for any marathoner. Easy running also improves your ability to sustain a long effort. You can run for longer without generating excessive fatigue.

Easy running is often overlooked by beginners, who assume that running slowly has no value. The secret to running fast is knowing how to run slowly.

Strength training and general physical preparation

Often underestimated, strength training could become the hero of your marathon. Here is why. General physical preparation, or strength training, is a performance factor for runners. What does it involve? A series of exercises designed to strengthen muscles, improve posture and prevent injuries. Although it is particularly useful for runners, strength work is not limited to the legs.

Elite runners are increasingly incorporating strength training, and even gym-based weight training, into their preparation. For several reasons, it has become non-negotiable. First, getting stronger helps reduce the risk of injury. By exposing your body to a certain load, you allow it to adapt and become better equipped to handle that load. With targeted strength sessions, you can improve muscular endurance, power, strength and even your ability to resist fatigue.

The key takeaway is simple: by adding strength training to your preparation, you improve your chances of reducing late-race discomfort and staying as strong as possible all the way to the finish.

Intervals and speed work

Intervals, or interval training, are a formidable weapon in marathon preparation. The principle is fairly simple: alternate hard efforts with recovery periods. This method targets performance very effectively. Depending on the length of the intervals and the speed involved, the work generally falls in zones 4 and 5. Overall, you are working at between 90% and 100% of your MAS. Why train at this intensity when a marathon is run at a moderate pace? For several reasons. Intervals improve your maximal ability to consume oxygen, the famous VO2 max. That means your muscles receive more oxygen, even at high intensities. They become more efficient, allowing you to run faster for longer.

Interval sessions also improve your tolerance to lactate. During intense efforts, the demand for energy exceeds the body’s ability to supply oxygen, so lactate is produced. As it accumulates, it contributes to muscular fatigue and that familiar burning sensation in the legs. Interval training teaches your body to manage and recycle lactate more efficiently. You have probably noticed it, but these sessions also boost your mental strength. You learn to stay in the discomfort for longer, which is no small asset for a marathoner. Including intervals in your marathon training plan is well worth considering.

Here are some workout ideas:

• 10 x 400 m at 100% MAS, with 1:00 to 1:15 recovery.

• 2 x 10 x (30 sec / 30 sec) at 100% MAS, with 3:00 recovery between sets.

• 2:00 / 3:00 / 4:00 / 5:00 / 4:00 / 3:00 / 2:00 at 95% MAS, with recovery equal to half the duration of each effort.

Hill reps

Even if your target marathon course is relatively flat, hills are an excellent way to improve as a runner. Running uphill develops muscular power, strengthens your muscles and reinforces your running technique. For a marathoner, hill work is valuable even if it does not represent a major part of the training plan. Hill sessions are short, so you can maintain quality without increasing weekly mileage, preserving your recovery in the process. That is especially useful during busy weeks at work.

Strengthening your muscles without hitting the gym is another benefit of hills. Uphill running contributes to muscular development by placing a high demand on your muscles. It prepares your legs to better withstand muscular fatigue, particularly late in the race. You also improve your form when running uphill. The gradient forces you to lift your knees, maintain a tall posture and land more toward the forefoot.

Here are some workout ideas:

• 8 x 150 m uphill, breaking each 150 m into 50 m fast, 50 m controlled and 50 m fast; recovery is a downhill jog.

• 6 to 10 x 30 seconds uphill at a fast pace; recovery is a downhill jog.

• 10 x 50 m uphill sprint; recovery is a downhill jog.

Marathon-pace running

The famous marathon-pace session, the one runners dread so much. And for good reason: these workouts are far from easy. In a marathon build, pace-specific sessions are often long and generate a significant amount of fatigue. That is why you do not schedule them every three days. They are nevertheless essential if you want to hit your goal.

Marathon pace is the speed you aim to hold for the full 42.195 km. For example, a runner targeting four hours would aim for roughly 5:40 per kilometre. The intervals in these sessions are therefore run at your planned race pace. Why include them in your training plan? To teach your body, and your mind, to hold your target marathon pace. After a few sessions, you may find that the pace has become automatic. That also means you will not need to stare at your watch throughout the race. Training at your target pace also allows you to . Finally, your mindset will be your best ally when it comes to completing these sessions. You will then be ready to hold that pace for 42.195 km on race day.

Here are some marathon-pace workout ideas:

• 25 km including 10 km at marathon pace, with the rest at easy aerobic pace.

• 2 x 30 minutes at marathon pace, with 5 minutes of recovery.

• 4 x 5 km at marathon pace, with 3 minutes of recovery.

Recovery and rest

Recovery and rest are sometimes the forgotten parts of marathon preparation. Yet they are just as valuable as any other type of session. Preparing for a marathon over several weeks creates muscular, mental and sometimes overall fatigue. You therefore need to rest and build in recovery phases.

A few easy days are generally scheduled between training blocks. That does not mean doing nothing; it means significantly reducing the training load. No intensity, just easy jogging and rest. Some runners see rest as wasted time, but the opposite is true: rest allows you to regenerate and start the next training block feeling ready to go.

Looking after your recovery is part of the job for any runner preparing for a marathon. Finish sessions with a cool-down, including a few minutes of very easy running, fuel properly and stay well hydrated. Other recovery methods include compression socks, self-massage, stretching, electrical stimulation, compression boots and cold baths.

There is no single perfect way to prepare for a marathon. Instead, you will build your own recipe around your goal, running experience, availability and personal constraints. Enjoyment and commitment are the common threads running through most successful marathon builds. Now it is your turn.