Types of running workouts for 3K distance through Marathon Distances
Long Run
The main value of the long run in a running training program is to train your body to be more efficient at burning fat and sparing your glycogen stores. For both the full and half marathon distances if you can teach your body to burn fat rather than depleting glycogen stores to produce energy, you’re less likely to run out of fuel and “hit the wall” come marathon day. The faster you go on your long runs the less likely it is that your body will learn how to burn fat efficiently, and the more likely it is that you will hit the wall in the marathon. The effort should be fast enough to be challenging, but it should not feel too difficult. Your pace should allow adequate recovery before your next harder effort workout.
Recovery Runs
Recovery or easy runs are second in importance to only the long run in marathon training. The purpose of this run with whatever long distance you prepare for is to spend more time on your feet, which ultimately results in increased strength. It’s critical not to skip these workouts.
Tempo Runs
Tempo runs are excellent for developing stamina, confidence and sense of pace and they also serve as controlled workouts, run just under race pace. They are slower than interval workouts, but longer. An example of a tempo run workout is to warm up with an easy 10-minute jog, stretch and then run a minimum of 20-25 minutes slower than your most recent 10K race pace. What’s the physiological “secret” behind tempo training? It raises your lactate threshold velocity, the running speed above which fatigue sets in quickly. As your lactate threshold velocity increases you’ll run at faster speeds without getting tired. Tempo runs are an excellent “bridge” to racing, they require you to run hard for relatively long periods. Try to avoid running tempo runs on hilly courses, look for a relatively flat course so you can maintain the pace.
Hill Workouts
This workout is designed to build muscular and cardiovascular strength in preparation for the faster training you will eventually do on the track or roads. The hills you choose should be at a 4% - 6% grade and should take approximately 90 seconds to run. 90% of all distance runners are deficient in muscular strength. By running hills, you can develop elastic muscle fibers which are a runner’s biggest source of power. Because hill running requires both steady state and oxygen depleting efforts, they provide a good transition from aerobic to anaerobic capacity. This crossover to anaerobic intensity is very important to helping runners sustain a higher lactate tolerance. Hills improve endurance and enable runners to maintain the hard pace necessary for successful racing without going under. One must watch to maintain the right intensity when executing a hill workout and watch for bad form that would indicate you might be 2 struggling and may need to go easier or not too far. Strive for a shortened stride, full leg extension, high knee lift and forward lean when doing hills. It’s recommended runners lengthen their strides on down hills.
Fartlek
Urban running lore says that the name is Swedish and means “speed play”. “Speed play” entails you simply do fast bursts of running in the middle of a run, usually a longer, endurance-type workout. There is no set formula for the workout so for example you could run hard, from one telephone pole to the next, or you could run hard for time, say one minute hard followed by a minute of easier running. It’s recommended you do a fartlek workout on grass, a dirt path or over a cross-country course.
Interval
Training
Running fast (at your current race pace or slightly faster) for short periods of time, with a rest break between each hard effort. Early sports scientists and coaches used the term interval to describe the rest break, but over the years this term also means the hard, fast portion of the run workout. Interval workouts are usually done on a track, so you can get an accurate time and measure your progress from week to week.
Races
Races should be scheduled every third or fourth week of a running and training program, with the emphasis on the final race. You want to feel race fit by the time you race any long distance race from the 3K to the marathon. If you race on the weekend you can still do your long run workout on Sundays but you might be a little fatigued. For full and half marathon distances if you have to choose only two workouts to do rather than easy runs, you should do your weekly long runs and execute tempo runs or race more often. You should not consider yourself specifically with times during marathon training.
60 Minute planned Full and Half Marathon Pace Run
For marathon training only the final touch to your training is executing the marathon pace run. They are done at your anticipated full or half marathon pace and its purpose is to get you accustomed to running at that pace. It’s a great opportunity to practice drinking during these run workouts.
Active Recovery
You should take one day per week off of running, but not off of exercise. Active recovery workouts mean you may participate in some form of workout other running such as; swimming, cycling, ElliptiGO or elliptical machine. This is a good day to rest and relax both mentally and physically from running. Rest is generally overlooking by many runners. Without it you risk breaking your body down rather than strengthening it. Your body needs sufficient time to recover from and adapt to the hard training done during the rest of the week.