4 months to a 4 hour marathon??

I've never seen either plan.

But any plan that gets you running more is going to help.

fendermh1027 - 2008-10-10 10:34 AM Why not try the less-popular "2 months to a 2 hour marathon"?

I am trying that later this year, but need to wait to get my year end distribution to afford the bionic legs, additional heart/lung operation, and time machine.  They are even more expensive than a new bike.

I actually used the "4 months to a 4 hour marathon" plan and I think it would have worked -- I felt trained enough to complete the marathon at that pace, but my race of choice was Chicago Marathon 2007... you know, the one they cancelled and renamed a "Fun run"?

Yea, so not actually proved out, but I liked the plan. Straightforward, and really, not all that different from other plans that are out there.

If your goal is to improve your running for triathlons, skip the marathon altogether.  Run more and train to race a 10k.

My corollary to this is that most people should train for a 10K the way they currently train for a marathon.

I have no idea about the specifics of the plan, but it would seem that the training paces would be stenuous (or conversely, lax) if the four-hour marathon goal wasn't right for you. In which case you should choose a more appropriate plan.

I've heard people say similar things about for example, the FIRST plan, that the training paces were too strenuous. But when it came down to it, neither their marathon goal nor the methodology by which they chose those paces were approprate.

Agreed. Get a 10K plan that peaks at 50mpw or so.

Might I suggest:

I think both of the plans you're considering are based on having a solid running base before starting. Unless you run more than your log indicates, you may not have enough base. A solid base would be more like running 20-25 miles/week minimum for a period of at least 6 months to a year.

However, if your goal is to just run faster doing a marathon may not be the best approach. You would really benefit more just by running more. Get your weekly mileage into the 40+ range for several months through a combination of longer slowish runs and shorter fastish runs. Keep it at about 70-80% slower runs. If you can maintain this regimen for 4-6 months, by next season you'll be much stronger and faster as a runner.

djluscher - 2008-10-10 10:19 PM

fendermh1027 - 2008-10-10 8:34 AM Why not try the less-popular "2 months to a 2 hour marathon"?

hmm... i might try to squeeze this in after i finish my 8 min abs.

 Hitchhiker: You heard of this thing, the 8-Minute Abs?
Ted: Yeah, sure, 8-Minute Abs. Yeah, the excercise video.
Hitchhiker: Yeah, this is going to blow that right out of the water. Listen to this: 7... Minute... Abs.
Ted: Right. Yes. OK, all right. I see where you're going.
Hitchhiker: Think about it. You walk into a video store, you see 8-Minute Abs sittin' there, there's 7-Minute Abs right beside it. Which one are you gonna pick, man?
Ted: I would go for the 7.
Hitchhiker: Bingo, man, bingo. 7-Minute Abs. And we guarantee just as good a workout as the 8-minute folk.
Ted: You guarantee it? That's - how do you do that?
Hitchhiker: If you're not happy with the first 7 minutes, we're gonna send you the extra minute free. You see? That's it. That's our motto. That's where we're comin' from. That's from "A" to "B".
Ted: That's right. That's - that's good. That's good. Unless, of course, somebody comes up with 6-Minute Abs. Then you're in trouble, huh?
[Hitchhiker convulses]
Hitchhiker: No! No, no, not 6! I said 7. Nobody's comin' up with 6. Who works out in 6 minutes? You won't even get your heart goin, not even a mouse on a wheel.
Ted: That - good point.
Hitchhiker: 7's the key number here. Think about it. 7-Elevens. 7 doors. 7, man, that's the number. 7 chipmunks twirlin' on a branch, eatin' lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch. You know that old children's tale from the sea. It's like you're dreamin' about Gorgonzola cheese when it's clearly Brie time, baby. Step into my office.
Ted: Why?
Hitchhiker: 'Cause you're f&#@$&' fired!