What? High-intensity speed training for a marathon? Don’t shake your head yet. It’s true.
What is High-Intensity Speed Training?
First, a definition. By high-intensity speed training, I’m talking about shorter intervals, probably on a track, done at about 90-95% of your effort level, or at about your 5k pace.
Frequently in marathon training, shorter intervals are disdained in favor of longer, slower efforts. Marathon pace training, long intervals at half marathon pace, and lots of long, slow distance.
Why High-Intensity Speed Training?
Short, high-intensity speed training intervals can have a place in marathon preparation, especially during the last eight weeks of training. They improve your running economy (your VO2 max, or the amount of oxygen your body can use at a given pace). And while high-intensity speed training is challenging, it is also refreshing, after months of slower marathon training, to let it go and move fast.
Running faster is also a reminder of what running fast is. Completing a 400-meter interval at a six-minute per mile pace can make your 7:30 marathon pace feel much easier and more manageable. Likewise, so can an eight-minute interval compared to a 10-minute pace.
How to Incorporate High-Intensity Speed Training into Your Marathon Prep
Many great marathon plans are out there, and they will all get you to the finish line. Adding high-intensity speed training during the last eight weeks of training will give you an extra edge.
Eight weeks out from your goal marathon, add the workout below once every other week to your program, replacing one of your other workouts. The total volume should be about 7-10% of your weekly mileage. The final speed workout should be at least two weeks out from your race.
How Fast Should I Run?
The 400-meter intervals should be completed at about your 10k pace, the 200 meters at your 5k pace. If you haven’t run a shorter race in a while, aim for an effort level of 95% for the 200 meters, and about 85-90% for the 400s. Fast and hard, but not all-out.
High Intensity Speed Training: The Workout
Warm up by running five laps around the track at a moderate pace. In the final lap, pick up your pace to “moderately hard.” Spend about five minutes doing drills. These will prepare your body for the workout to come. Here is a detailed post (and videos) about running drills from 2:41 marathoner Tina Muir.
During the workout focus on your good form. Keep good posture and arm movement.
The two minutes rest is between the 400-meter intervals and the 200s not between each interval.
Don’t skip the cool down or the stretching. Here are some great stretches for runners.
Another way to incorporate high-intensity speed training is to add it to your regular training workout. If you’re running one-mile intervals at 15k pace, cut the volume in half, then complete the workout by running either 400 or 200 meters at high intensity.
High-intensity speed training is one of the tools that I used to bring my marathon time from 4:10 to 3:16. I use it for the athletes that I coach to give them an extra edge going into their race. Not everyone needs or wants to do this fast and challenging training, and it may not be appropriate for you. Always remember that I’m a coach, but not your coach. Your workouts should be in line with your abilities and fitness level.
Do you incorporate fast intervals into your training? Are you training for a marathon? Or any other distance (this workout will work for them all!).
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These are great, Debbie! I definitely believe in keeping some faster running in the mix during marathon training!
My coach includes intervals, hills and fartlek sessions alongside the longer marathon-specific work. It’s a nice change from all those kilometres at marathon pace, and it reminds your legs that they can move faster!
Marathon training can get so boring with all the miles, all the MP runs. Adding in some fast work is such a nice change.
I agree this can be really helpful! Depending on the runner, I usually include some faster intervals every other week while making sure to keep MP miles in the mix. Those faster intervals can feel challenging when you are used to marathon pace but they also make MP feel easier!
Good point. Real speed work is a nice change from the long, slow miles and MP runs.
It’s really nice to have some variety to blend into the training. Speed isn’t my favorite thing, but this is really helpful, and will definitely have great results!