London Marathon 2017 training — ‘Special’ phase (part one) theory

The ‘Special’, or ‘Pre-Competition’ phase is the second step of the progression, bridging the gap between base fitness and marathon specific training. It takes place from 15 to 8 weeks to race day.

This part of the plan is where I try and convert the aerobic strength and short speed work from the previous phase into something resembling hard, sustained long distance running. It’s not about marathon pace just yet, but the kind of running that will make marathon pace feel easier: a little at 5k pace, a lot at 10k pace, and a hefty chunk of 10mi to half marathon pace work.

To be honest, I’m never entirely sure of the difference between anaerobic and lactate threshold (I think I have known this, but have since confused myself), but I do know they are probably much the same and around 10mi pace. Therefore, if I want to improve my threshold (and I do), I have to train above and below that pace: 10k pace (10kP) and half marathon (HMP) pace.

Elements of both paces will come into play throughout the phase, but as a broad trend, it seems preferable to start with an emphasis on short, 10kP work and then progress to longer, HMP work. This will then, eventually lead into marathon pace during the final, Specific phase.

All the while I want to maintain my endurance and keep some flat out speed strength. The difficulty is fitting it all in.

What also makes things difficult is that I’m (and I’ve said this a lot in these posts) not sure what pace to aim at.

And, I am starting this phase with a knee injury.

I don’t want to plan an eight week progression that I either won’t be able to achieve, or will become irrelevant or inappropriate should my fitness change. For instance, at the moment, I’m not sure if I can manage two or three hard sessions a week.

So I’ve decided to split this phase into two. Part one will be 10kP-focused, culminating in the Chichester Priory 10k at Goodwood. After that, part two will be HMP-focused, leading up to the Heartbreaker Half in Fordingbridge at the end of February.

To do well in these races my sessions are going to have to feature long periods at race pace, and my long runs will be multi-paced in structure.

Currently I seem unable to maintain a fast threshold pace for long enough to do well in a race. Hopefully, in eight weeks’ time I’ll have sorted that out. I might have to hurt myself to do it though.

Key points:

• Weight: Get lighter.
• Strength: Home strength circuit once a week. Magness pre-comp I in the gym once a week, if my knee cooperates. Squats in week 14 as maintenance. Pre-comp II from week 12.
• Hill sprints: Really, really aim to do these once a week.
• Rowing: Follow the plan outlined in another post. Be prepared to do lots of running if I can’t run.
• Racing: Hampshire Cross Country Championships and Chichester Priory 10k.
• Orienteering: Maybe, as a fartlek, but I don’t know if I’m a fast enough navigator to make it a worthwhile running exercise at the moment.
• Mileage: Aim to build it, but be wary of the knee injury.
• Southampton AC Tuesday nights: Keep doing these as they are good support for 10kP work, but it is probably best to de-emphasise these from week 11 onwards.
• Southampton AC Thursday nights: Do these only if I don’t do hill sprints and SAC Tuesdays. Otherwise my Thursdays are probably better spent doing…
• Thursday LT sessions: These worked well before Seville. Try and build to 30' @ LT. However, if my knee doesn’t cooperate, then try…
• Thursday fartleks: Playing it by ear.
• Weekend sessions: 10kP work packaged into a longer session. Possibly 120' inc. 5x 1k and a Parkrun.

I’m going to keep this plan fairly lose as I’m not sure how well my body will hold out. This could all end up being rowing…