Many of you are about to achieve something extraordinary this weekend. Perhaps not self-actualization as defined by Maslow, but nevertheless something quite special. It is a major marathon training milestone both physiologically and psychologically. For experienced marathoners, it represents an affirmation of sorts; the body is trained and ready to go. For first time marathoners its completion represents the very first exhilarating moment and the knowledge 26.2 is within reach. For all, it establishes confidence. What is IT? It is the 20-miler.
Just as many of you will complete your very first 20 miler this coming week on the Kal-Haven Trail, I remember experiencing the same joy of finishing my very first 20 miler a mere 4 years ago on the same trail, through the Safari program. It was a day I remember well. My training partner that year was also training for his first marathon, and as the two of us started down the narrow path, I still hadn’t made up my mind as to whether I would actually run a marathon. Less than 3 hours later, I had come to the realization that 26.2 was within my reach and I knew I could do it. Shortly after the run I signed up for the Detroit Freepress Marathon.
Although there are alternative schools of thought, 20-milers are the anchor of most marathon training programs. Long runs over 90 minutes, train the body to store glycogen and utilize fat for energy. Endurance Training also increases the capillarization of your muscles. It also has psychological benefits. During a 20 miler, you simulate the stresses your body will go through during the marathon. When your legs tire, you learn how to isolate different muscle groups, shorten your stride and cope when the fatigue of 26.2 sets in. Sometimes more than anything, you want to stop, but through the experience gained through your long runs, you learn how to persevere until the end.There is no scientific evidence that clearly establishes the longest distance to run during your training, hence the various schools of thoughts.
The Hanson’s regiment eliminates 20 milers altogether for all but the most elite runners. Galloway uses a 26.2 miler to establish confidence for the marathoner. Our Daniels/Pfitzinger philosophy recommends 22 miles, with 24 being the ultimate limit for experienced marathoners who are not injury prone. Even though scientific evidence doesn’t establish a clear cut long run distance, there clearly needs to be a balance between running far enough to stimulate the physiological adaptations needed to cover the distance while remaining injury free. Frequent runs that are too long will make you strong but slow because you won’t be able to run your other workouts such as lactate threshold runs at the proper intensity. You risk of injury will escalate because your muscles fatigue and lose their ability to absorb impact.
Experience (rather than scientific evidence) indicates that gradually building to long runs 21 – 22 miles will maximize the probability that you will arrive at the starting line in top shape while staying injury free.It is also recommended that long runs be run 10-20% slower than goal marathon pace, with the first part of the run being close to 20% and gradually building up to 10% of goal marathon pace. If you do long runs in this intensity range, a 22 miler will take about the same amount of time as it does to run the marathon. This provides an excellent stimulus for the physiological adaptations needed to complete the marathon, and it provides psychological reinforce that you can run a steady pace for that length of time.
Reference: Pfitzinger, P., and S. Douglas. 2001. Advanced Marathoning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
