2007 Experienced Marathoners Training Program
I. Introduction
Welcome to the Montgomery County Road Runners 2007 Experienced Marathoners Training Program. This is the sixth consecutive year for this structured training program. The program is designed to help runners with previous marathon experience reach their goals of improving their marathon times, or even just their marathon experiences. The program staff consists of volunteer coaches who share an enthusiasm for both long distance running and working with people.
This program is open to experienced distance runners who have completed at least one marathon. Alumni of the MCRRC First Time Marathoners who seek a more challenging training environment are encouraged to enroll. There are no criteria for speed, and we welcome runners of all paces. Please note though that the weekly quality workouts, long run schedule and recommended weekly mileage will be noticeably more demanding than the training schedule for the First Time Marathoners program and runners considering these programs should take that into consideration. In order to be ready to handle the training schedule for this program, runners should have a strong mileage base of 30-40 miles per week at the time the program begins in July in order to be able to safely build to the suggested peak mileage of 40-60 miles per week, and should be able to comfortably run 12-14 miles as a long run. It is recommended that runners use the time after the spring road racing season to gradually build their weekly mileage and long run distance with primarily easy, conversational paced running in preparation for the start of the program in July. Please feel free to contact the program director, Mike Broderick, (mikebroderick@comcast.net; or 240-338-2210) to discuss any questions which you may have about the program.
Note: The program director reserves the right to refuse to coach individuals who are believed to be unsuited for running a marathon, to be able to meet the demands of the training schedule or who may be disruptive to other program participants. Those individuals will be denied entry into the program or dismissed from the program as appropriate.
This program focuses on the cornerstone of marathon training, the long run, along with a harder and shorter quality run during the week at race pace or faster. The long runs and quality runs will be done as group runs. Participants will be expected to work three or more additional runs into their schedules each week. The schedule is designed to initially build strength and endurance, then gradually incorporates speed and culminates with a few race checkpoints. We recommend that you follow the weekly mileage guidelines; however, they are just that guidelines. While we believe that most runners will achieve improved marathon performances by incorporating higher weekly mileage into their training, everyone responds differently to training stresses and each persons ability to tolerate higher volumes of mileage varies. We recognize that your body or the other commitments in your life may not allow you to safely run the weekly mileage incorporated into the written program schedule. We will work with you to try to find the appropriate level for you. You must respect your physical limits and strike the appropriate balance with other obligations.
Unlike some training programs such as the club's First Time Marathon Program, we do not have any particular "target" marathons. Our program is suitable for training for a variety of fall marathons during the prime "season", so our schedule includes training mileages and goals for the following marathons since these are the most popular fall marathons among past registrants: Steamtown, Chicago, Baltimore, Marine Corps, New York, Richmond and Philadelphia. You will see that the posted weekly schedules for this program, and the long run schedule, have already been written to provide specific instructions for these marathons where the workouts differ from the regular schedule. If you plan to run a different fall marathon, we will be able to tailor your schedule accordingly provided you inform us of your plans. So, please let us know if your target marathon differs from those included in the schedule.
For those who are interested in what lies beyond 26.2 miles, we will be incorporating some informal ultra marathon training in this years program under the coordination of Coach Cathy Blessing. Many of the program coaches have ultra marathon experience and have run the JFK 50 miler one or more times.
Each participant in the program will be expected to volunteer at least once during the course of the program to assist with another MCRRC event. The success of MCRRC depends on its volunteers, and this is a rewarding experience.
In order to effectively communicate with everyone it is critical that we have good e-mail addresses. If you do not have internet access, please let us know immediately so that we can arrange another means of communication. It is also very helpful if everyone subscribes to the MCRRC e-mail listserv as this is a primary means of communicating news and information about club events and programs. You must be a member of MCRRC to subscribe.
II. Registration, Program Cost and Initial Orientation
a.) Program cost and Registration:
The cost for the program is $100 for members of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and $150 for non members. If you are not currently a member of MCRRC, you may join the club prior to registering for the program and pay the reduced member fee. Get more information about joining MCRRC. You may obtain the application for the Experienced Marathon Program by clicking on the link provided here. The funds collected from registration fees go directly to the MCRRC (a non-profit organization) to cover program administrative costs and fund other club programs. All of the coaches in this program are unpaid volunteers. Sorry, but there will be no refunds, regardless of the reason.
b.) Orientation:
We will hold our initial program orientation on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 10:00 AM at the Parks Department building at KenGar Palisades Park on Beach Drive in Kensington. KenGar Park is located off Beach Drive in Kensington, just north of the intersection of Beach Drive and Strathmore Lane/Knowles Avenue. The parking lot at KenGar fills up quickly. You may also go to the first street north of KenGar and park in the residential neighborhood, walking back down the path to our starting spot. There are also gravel pullouts south of KenGar along Beach Drive and a parking lot at Viers Mill Park on Garrett Road, 1/2 mile north of KenGar. It is very important that you do not park along Beach Drive except where there is gravel. Please respect the "no parking" signs as this is a serious issue for residents of the surrounding community.
III. Personnel
The coaching staff is here to help you reach your marathon goal, whatever that may be. It will help us immensely to get your feedback and input about both the program and your individual progress as we go along. Please dont hesitate to contact any of us by phone or e-mail to discuss any questions or concerns you have. If you think you are in a pace group thats too fast or slow, let us know and well talk about it. If youre having trouble with any of the workouts, weekly mileage or long runs, please talk to us about this. If there are any injury issues or concerns, we will want to know about them too as early as possible. If we do not know that you have concerns or problems, we cannot help so please speak up.
In order to facilitate easy and prompt access to the coaching staff for all participants, we have set up an e-mail account for use of this program that we encourage all of you to use: XMPCoaches2007@yahoogroups.com.
Mike Broderick (Program Director) is certified as a running coach through the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and is one of the four course instructors for the RRCA Coaching Certification program which trains and certifies adult distance running coaches nationwide. Mike is also certified as a personal trainer by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) and National Strength Professionals Association (NSPA). He coached runners through the MCRRC First Time Marathon Program for several years and developed this program for experienced marathoners in 2002. Mike also volunteers as one of the coaches for the club's Stride Clinic and works individually with runners who want a more personalized training plan. Mike has run over a dozen marathons and more than 25 ultra marathons involving distances from 50K to 100 miles.
Steve Hays is a four-time Boston veteran who has coached with this program since its inception in addition to previously coaching the MCRRC First Time Marathon and D.C. Marathon Training Programs. He is also a high school cross-country coach and is a certified running coach through the RRCA. Steve also has USATF Level I and II certifications.
Mike Gregory is an RRCA certified running coach and has coached in the First Time Marathoners Program, the DC Marathon Program, and this will be his sixth year as a member of the MCRRC Experienced Marathoner's Training Program coaching staff. In addition to coaching, Mike has been a competitive runner for over 20 years and has completed multiple marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 2005 and 2006.
Harold Rosen was a participant in the first year of the program and joined the coaching staff in 2003 with a primary focus on the back of the pack runners. Harold is certified as a running coach through the RRCA. He has completed over 25 marathons, including two Bostons.
Cathy Blessing is certified as a running coach through RRCA. She has served as a coach for the MCRRC Speed Development Program for several years and served as a coach for this program in 2005-2006 after being a participant since its inception. Cathy also mentored runners training for marathons through Big Brothers Big Sisters' Run for Kids Programs. She has completed over 12 road marathons and has moved into ultra running having completed several 50Ks and 50 milers. Cathy will also be coordinating our ultra marathon training this summer in coordination with the regular marathon training program.
Brian Kim began running marathons in 1998. He has since run about 30 marathons including multiple Boston Marathons. Brian has also completed the JFK 50 miler. He has participated in XMP since 2003 and coached with the First Time Marathon program in 2005-2006 and with XMP in 2006. Brian is an RRCA certified running coach.
Sharlene Deskins ran her first marathon in 1999 and has been a participant in the Experienced Marathoners Program since its inception in 2002. She is one of the coaches for the MCRRC Beginning Women's Running Program and is an RRCA certified running coach. She also coordinates long runs for the Prince George's County Road Runners. Sharlene has completed over 15 marathons and ultra marathons.
Marian Zobler has participated in the Experienced Marathoners Program each year since its inception and was a coach with the program in 2006. She started running marathons in 2001 and is a graduate of the MCRRC First Time Marathoners Program. Since that time Marian has run over a dozen marathons, including 3 Boston Marathons, and the JFK 50 miler. Marian is also certified as a running coach by the RRCA.
IV. Pacing Groups
Coaches will assign runners to specific training groups, which include runners with similar levels of pacing and conditioning. In order to assist the coaches in determining the pace groups, the program will require a recent (past three months) 5K or longer race time run at 100% effort so that we have an accurate measure of your current pace and fitness level. If you cannot provide us with a current race time at the beginning of the program, you will need to run a race of 5K to 10K as soon as possible in order for the coaches to assign you to the appropriate pace group.
The size of each pace group will vary depending on the number of registrants in the program and the distribution of people among various running paces. We likely will end up with groups in which some people are running a bit slower than their absolute perfect pace and some people are running a bit faster. While this is not ideal, it is an unavoidable consequence of training in a group context. However, we will make every effort to place participants in groups whose pace will provide them with an appropriate training stimulus to reach their marathon goals. It is important that the groups run at the assigned paces and that they stay together to the extent possible, especially on the long runs. If you are unwilling or unable to run with your group at the assigned pace, do not encourage the group to run at a different pace to suit you. It is not fair to the other group members to have their training impacted by others who do not wish to follow the program. Please come to one of the coaching staff to discuss with us any concerns you may have about the pace group to which you have been assigned if you do not think it is appropriate for you and we will work out a solution with you which does not adversely impact the group.
This program places substantial responsibility on the individual participants to attend, understand and execute the workouts. Coaches will be at each workout to explain the workout and answer any questions. Please speak up if the directions are unclear and the coaches will review them again. Individual coaches are not assigned to run with each pace group, so everyone must take responsibility for following directions and staying with their group for safety reasons.
V. When and Where We Run
We will meet for our group workouts on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings.
a. Tuesday Evenings
The Tuesday night quality run workouts will be held in two locations. Initially, beginning on Tuesday, July 10th, we will meet at the KenGar Palisades Park at 6:30 PM. We will do our training runs along the Rock Creek Trail. KenGar Park is located off Beach Drive in Kensington, just north of the intersection of Beach Drive and Strathmore Lane/Knowles Avenue. The parking lot at KenGar fills up quickly. You may also go to the first street north of KenGar and park in the residential neighborhood, walking back down the path to our starting spot. There are also gravel pullouts south of KenGar along Beach Drive and a parking lot at Viers Mill Park on Garrett Road, 1/2 mile north of KenGar. It is very important that you do not park along Beach Drive except where there is gravel. Please respect the no parking signs as this is a serious issue for residents of the surrounding community.
Just before Labor Day, as the days get shorter and we move into another phase of training, our workouts will move to the track at Walt Whitman High School. The school is located at 7100 Whittier Boulevard, Bethesda MD 20817.
b. Saturday Mornings
The location of Saturday morning workouts will vary. Our start times will be at 6:30 AM to beat the summer heat. Please review the schedule weekly. Our first group long run will be Saturday, July 14th and we will meet at KenGar Palisades Park (see instructions above).
Some special considerations should be followed for our long runs, especially those at locations other than the KenGar running trail. Safety comes first, so please stay with your pace group and please remember to be courteous to others on the trails. Hydration is extremely important, particularly in the kind of weather we tend to get in this area during the summer. Even though we will always run in locations where water is available along the route, the intervals between available water will vary, as will the weather. So, carry a water bottle with you for all long runs! For the point to point runs, you also need to pack some money to purchase your subway fare back to the start. The group also typically eats and socializes at the end of the point to point runs, which finish at locations where food is available.
Capital Crescent Trail: Many of our runs will start and end at the head of the Capital Crescent Trail in downtown Bethesda at the intersection of Bethesda Avenue and Woodmont Avenue, across from Barnes & Noble. There is a large public parking lot right where we meet and parking is free on Saturdays. We will also be doing one point to point run from here to Union Station, and will return via the Metro to the Bethesda Station, a short walk away.
C & O Canal: Any group runs on the C & O Canal will meet at the Carderock parking and picnic area. Directions: From the Beltway, take exit to Clara Barton Parkway/Carderock just before the American Legion Bridge leading to Virginia (If you cross over the Potomac you have gone too far.) Then head roughly west (upriver) for about a mile. You exit the parkway where the Naval Surface Weapon Center is located. At end of ramp turn left and cross over the parkway and into Carderock. Turn right after going through the tunnel under the canal and turn into the first parking area.
Shady Grove and Grosvenor Point to Point: These runs involve the use of the Metro system to return to the start. The starting points are the Shady Grove Metro station in Gaithersburg and the Grosvenor Metro station in Bethesda. We meet in the parking lot at the station (for Shady Grove meet in the west lot closest to Rt. 355) and run from there, ending at another stop along the system where we catch the Metro back to the start. For these runs you will need to pack money to pay for your Metro fare back to the starting point, as well as for food at the finish.
Other runs/races: As you review the schedule, you will note that there are recommended races included. These are not mandatory, but we believe that these races will help you in your training and can provide a better training stimulus than just going out for a harder paced run. Group training runs will not be held on the Saturday preceding Sunday races, and the mileage for those days is intentionally reduced. Please dont be discouraged if you do not have a PR in some of these training races. Remember that you are not training to run that specific race or distance, and that it is just a stepping stone toward your real goal race. Running these races on somewhat tired legs from your marathon training will help mentally and physically prepare you to get used to the feeling of racing with tired legs, and you will be better able to cope with these feelings during your marathon.
VI. The Training Paces
The program schedules contain a number of abbreviations and notations to designate the training paces to be followed in any given workout. What do they all mean?
The long runs, or "L" paced runs, are the standard long run pace done on our Saturday workouts. These should be at a comfortable, conversational pace. Their purpose is for pure endurance-to train your body to work for the length of time and effort needed to run a full marathon. We often hear complaints that the paces for these long runs are too slow. They are not. The problem is that those who complain are generally running their easy and long runs too fast. These paces are best suited for the specific physiologic training adaptations which we are trying to elicit and it will not help you to run faster on these runs.
Marathon pace, or MP, is exactly what it sounds like. This designates runs done at your projected marathon pace. These runs are incorporated into the schedule to train your body to run at the pace you will do your goal race, so that you recognize the pace and feel comfortable with it. To realize the benefits of these workouts, you must stick carefully to the pace, as running faster or slower will not produce the desired result.
Lactate Threshold, or LT runs are runs done at about your 10 mile to marathon race pace, or about 20 seconds per mile slower than your 10K race pace. These runs are meant to develop your bodys ability to tolerate and remove lactic acid from your system, so that you can maintain a faster pace over a longer race distance such as a marathon. Avoid the temptation to run these faster than the recommended pace, as this will get you running anaerobically and will not trigger the metabolic adaptations that this pace is designed to develop.
5K or VOMax runs will be done at the track, and involve running shorter distances at a pace slightly faster than your 10K race pace. These runs are designed to improve your body's ability to effectively utilize oxygen, as well as to develop leg turnover and strength. We will only do these runs toward the later stages of the training program as we get into the race preparation and peaking phase.
Strides are incorporated throughout the schedule. These are simply short fast bursts of running at a fast, but not all out pace. They are primarily designed to help improve your form and efficiency, but have the added benefit of actively stretching out your running muscles by taking them through a wider range of motion than you will do in most of your running at LSD or marathon pace. These should be done near the end of a couple of your easy run days.
To do them, simply pick up your pace gradually but steadily until you feel that you are running at something approaching the pace at which you could run an all-out mile. You should have a feeling that you are running fast but that you are still in control. If you are flailing your arms or struggling with your body mechanics to maintain the pace, you are running too hard. You should think about your running form as you do these; are your arms moving back and forth rhythmically to help drive your legs, are you landing just behind the ball of your feet with your footfalls, is your body upright without excessive forward lean, are you breathing deep into your stomach and not just on the top of your lungs? You should maintain the fast pace for about 15 to 20 seconds and then gradually slow to an easy jog to recover your wind, and then repeat. An easy way to do these is to pick out a landmark up ahead on the road such as a telephone pole or street sign and run your faster pace to the landmark. After you have recovered, just pick out another finish line to run to. You should try to do 4-6 of these strides on the days they are called for on the schedule.
VII. Rest and Recovery: Important for Injury Prevention
If you look over the full program schedule you will see that we have put together a training plan which is a modestly aggressive one, and one which will certainly require you to work harder than the programs which you may remember from doing a beginning marathoners training program. One thing that this will require is that you use some of the wisdom and experience you have gained from running your previous marathons to listen to your body and pay attention to it. You will get tired doing the mileage and workouts we recommend. This is an inevitable side effect of marathon training. Listen to what your body is telling you, and get some rest when you can. There are specific rest days built into the schedule. They are there for a reason; use them to truly rest and recover. During these rest periods your body actually responds to the stresses you put it through, and rebuilds stronger than before. If you dont allow for recovery, your body will not get stronger it will break down. This program may require you to rearrange your social schedule a bit for the next few months, both to accommodate the mileage goals and necessary rest in order to recover.
Aggressive training also means aggressive recovery. What do we mean by that? Simply that you need to start preparing your body for its next workout immediately after finishing a workout, by giving it what it needs to replace the resources expended in the workout just completed and the resources to rebuild itself stronger than it was before. Research has shown that your working muscles are especially receptive to replacing depleted energy stores within the first one half to one hour after exercise.
In the harder workouts on Tuesdays and the long runs or races on weekends, we significantly deplete our bodys supplies of carbohydrate energy (muscle glycogen) as well as challenging the muscles themselves to work harder. Immediately after these harder efforts it is important to begin replacing these energy reserves by consuming both carbohydrates and protein. Good choices are fruit juices, fruit, bagels, cereal and other grain products, and protein sources low in saturated fats such as low or non-fat yogurt, peanut butter or soy milk. Many commercially available energy bars will provide a quick, easy and balanced recovery meal. Another easy to use product is a liquid product such as Ensure.
The important thing is to get some good quality carbohydrate and protein into your system to begin the recovery process as soon as possible after your workout, preferably within the first half hour. This will go a long way, combined with a good balanced diet, to insuring that you have enough energy to complete the workouts in your training schedule.
VIII. Nicks and Dings (injuries and avoiding them)
It is virtually inevitable that some people will experience injuries of one sort or another during a marathon training program. There are many things that we can do to help reduce the chances of injury, or at least to minimize the effects of smaller problems that may arise along the way. What was said earlier bears repeating-listen to your body. It usually has good information that it tries to give you, if you only pay attention. Most injuries are preceded by warning signs, and if recognized and responded to immediately, could prevent a serious problem from occurring. Often this simply means taking an extra day off, or turning a planned hard workout into an easy one. Some simple tips to follow for now are these:
- Don't run in worn out shoes. If you have more than 300-350 miles on your shoes, get new ones. The shock absorbing ability of the old shoes has been seriously degraded and they are not giving you the protection you need. Go to a good running shoe store to buy your shoes and talk to the salesperson to be sure that you are in the right shoes for your biomechanical needs. R & J Sports on Parklawn Drive in Rockville and in downtown Bethesda has knowledgeable salespersons and great prices.
- Eat well and get plenty of rest (see above).
- Stretch regularly. A supple muscle with a full and unrestricted range of motion is less likely to get injured. Do some light active stretches such as shallow squats, lunges and walking with very long strides before your runs to prepare your muscles to work, and then stretch all of the major leg muscles after your workouts.
- Chill out. With ice, we mean. If you feel a bit of soreness after a run, don't hesitate to grab the ice bag. Many times a quick application of ice to a painful knee, ankle or shin is much more effective than anti-inflammatory medication, and may prevent a minor irritation from becoming something more significant or chronic.
- Do not run two hard workouts back to back. Always follow a hard workout with an easy one or a rest day to allow your body to recover. A run which is longer than 25-30% of your total weekly mileage is a hard run even at an easy pace.
- Don't increase your weekly mileage too quickly. A good rule of thumb is to limit weekly mileage increases to no more than 10%. Our recommended weekly mileages for this program follow that progression.
- Don't try to run in a pace group for workouts that is not appropriate for your current level of conditioning. Just because you ran a 43 minute 10K four years ago doesnt mean that you should be running with that group now. Be honest with yourself about your current level of fitness and dont hesitate to drop back to a slower paced group if that means running the right pace for you now. You will still improve, and will be much less likely to get injured
- Don't be a slave to the written program schedule. Things happen in life that may impact your ability to complete a designated workout, or to run as many miles as the schedule calls for. You may also find that your body does not tolerate the weekly mileage volume called for in the schedule. It is important that you do not push yourself beyond your own personal limits in order to comply with a more general training plan. Please remember that the coaching staff is here to help you, but we need your feedback in order to be effective.
IX. Assistance and Further Information
For answers to any additional questions about the program, please contact the program director, Mike Broderick, by e-mail at mikebroderick@comcast.net or by phone at 240-338-2210.
X. Conclusion
This program is designed to take each runner to a new level. It requires commitment. We expect to work with each and every participant to make it successful for everyone.
WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.
