Dreams Can Come True by Training Smart
Most of us have dreams as runners. Mine was to break 40 minutes for the 10K, and it took nearly a decade to achieve it. For others, it may be a 4-hour marathon. For elite runners, it might be qualifying for the Olympic Trials. While dreams have to be grounded in reality (I will never run a sub-3: 00 marathon), changing your training habits may help you achieve what once seemed impossible.
I want to share the experience of one of my runners, MCRRC member Greg Cooke, who did the improbable by knocking 24 minutes off his marathon time and qualifying for Boston 2000.
Greg came to me last spring having run a fairly fast marathon of 3:47 as a member of Paul Friedman's First-Time Marathoners Program. Greg did not have particularly impressive numbers that would lead me to think he could run a 3:25. His 10K PR was 47:55. This meant he would have to run a marathon at a pace faster than his 10K PR pace, a daunting task indeed.
I told Greg that he had to do several things. Most important, he had to buy in 100 percent to the concept of effort-based training that involves training with a heart monitor. Second, he had to take a long-range approach to his training. Third, he had to be consistent with his running.
It was not easy at first for him to train with a heart monitor because it slowed down his training pace. He was no longer able to run with his friends because his heart monitor kept him running so slow. His spring training program called for building a mileage base with all easy runs and no racing. I even insisted that he run the Cherry Blossom at 70-75 percent effort. He was disappointed in his 85-minute finish because that had been his time in 1998. I reminded him to keep the big picture in mind—that his spring training was part of a building block.
After building his mileage, Greg began serious anaerobic threshold training (AT) at 80-85 percent effort. AT runs are probably the most effective training distance runners can do, especially newer runners. His scheduled called for weekly AT mile repeats as well as a 20-minute AT run. Initially Greg had great difficulty with the workouts. He could not complete the 20-minute run. His third mile repeat was slower than his Boston Marathon qualifying pace (7:45).
He became discouraged because he could not run his marathon pace in the third mile of his workout. But he never gave up and was determined to do whatever was necessary to achieve his dream. My only advice was to keep going. I had seen first-hand with other runners that it often takes weeks, if not months, for the training effects of AT workouts to manifest themselves. All of a sudden, in mid-July, Greg experienced a major breakthrough. He was now finishing his AT runs, and his mile repeats had dropped nearly 30 seconds per mile. He was getting faster. Boston was no longer just a dream, but there was a lot of hard work still ahead.
Greg never wavered from the training program I set up for him. On occasion, he would suggest doing other workouts that he saw in various running magazines. I told him that his effort-based training was working and to keep the faith. The real eye opener for him came at Annapolis. Greg zipped through that hot 10-miler with a PR of 75 minutes. A few weeks later he ran a 1:36 half marathon for another PR.
I thought Greg could manage a sub-3:25 time in the Steamtown Marathon if he ran a smart race and if the weather gods cooperated. I continually reminded him that the key to a successful marathon is to go out easy and run at an even pace. He needed to trust his training; after all, he had done many scheduled workouts at his marathon pace. Greg kept to his pace and finished the marathon in a time of 3:23:19—qualifying for Boston. He also learned a lot about what it takes to make that kind of effort. He said he felt unbelievably tired the last 10 miles. His hard training paid off, however, and he even ran a 7:34 mile at the very end of the race.
Greg was so successful because he understood that it was going to take time to achieve his dream. Effort-based training made him slow down on his easy days so he could build up strength and endurance. Once he had a base, the AT training was very effective. I have no doubt that had he started AT training without a base he would not have achieved his goal. Finally, he kept a consistent approach and did not flip-flop between different training philosophies.
Perhaps some of those reading this may want to revisit their own dreams and come up with a plan to make them a reality.
Coach West is a licensed coach, affiliated with MCRRC, and available to coach motivated adult runners. A portion of his coaching fees for MCRRC members is returned to MCRRC. For further information about personal coaching opportunities, contact Coach West at kirtwest@comcast.net.
