Reddit reviews Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary 3-Run-a-Week Training Program

Bona fides: I'm running 15 marathons in 12 months this year, including Chicago and NYC myself (with MCM in-between). But I also run 63-100 miles/week. I ran my marathon PR in Feb (3:08, previous PR was a 3:12). The vast majority of my training miles have been recovery pace, for me that's 9:05/mi. The second bulk of my miles are general aerobic, typically 8:20/mi. If it's enough time between marathons and I'm feeling recovered, I'll do an 8 x 1K session @ 8K race pace w/600M RI. I occasionally do some marathon pace running as part of my medium and long runs. I'm doing very few tempo runs.

My approach for each race has been a game-day decision. I generally go out aiming for 3:25'ish (7:49) and if I'm feeling good a couple miles in, pick up the pace. Most of my races I've finished 3:15 +- 2 minutes. One race it was exceptionally warm, so I ended up pacing another runner to a 3:42 finish. Another race I blew up and ended up at 3:32.

So anyway, I'd recommend that she prepare for Chicago using her choice of marathon training schedule, including full taper, as if it will be her only marathon. If everything feels great that day, weather is good, etc, then she should go for a PR at Chicago. Then she should use a multiple-marathon schedule to prepare for NYC, and just run NYC for fun. Advanced Marathoning has a bunch of multiple-marathon schedules depending upon weekly mileage and time between races. I can post one later today for 4 weeks.

edit: 4 weeks between marathons schedule - scale mileage as appropriate. Or she could just run all recovery mileage, getting in one 15 miler if possible if her only goal for NYC is to complete it after a successful Chicago.

OTOH, if things aren't right for a PR at Chicago, say it's warm, or she missed a week or two of training, etc, then she should use Chicago as a long-run. She should run well below her marathon pace, possibly using a walk-run scheme. For example, in the past I've set my watch to kilometers, then run ~ 9:00/mi for 1K, walk for 30-60s, repeat. You'll still end up below 10:00/mi doing this, which is around a 4:20 marathon.

Then, she should go for a PR at NYC. There's 4 weeks between the races, so she could run all easy/recovery the first week after Chicago, then follow the last 3 weeks of her schedule again to prepare for NYC. I did something like this in 2013, using Grandfather Mountain in early July as a long-run, finishing around 4:20, then getting my first BQ in early September (3:12, prior PR was a 3:22). I realize that's 8 weeks instead of 4, but it's a similar idea.

BTW, sub-4 is ~ 9:09/mi. You write that she running most of her miles at that pace. Easy miles should be 15-25% slower than MP, so she should really be running her easy miles at 10:25-11:20/mi. Her volume is also low for a marathon that's 13 weeks away. And she likes to cross train. You might look at the Run Less Run Faster schedule which is 16 weeks, using NYC as the target marathon, and just fitting in Chicago as an over-distance long-run, going easy there as I described, then possibly skipping the speed work the first week after Chicago and just doing equivalent easy mileage.

• http://www.furman.edu/sites/first/Documents/The%20Less%20is%20More%20Marathon%20Plan.pdf
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Faster-3-Run-Week/dp/1609618025/
  
  (I've used RLRF + Crossfit successfully. That's what I ran my 3:22 off of. But I think I padded the mileage by about 10-15 miles a week with additional recovery miles.)
  
  $0.02.

Some questions in regards to the no stretch and no cool down: how are your performances? How much have you improved since you started running? Do you have any justifications for not? Also there is some research on the less is more theory. There is actually a whole book on it.. called [Run Less. Run Faster](
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1609618025/ref=mp_sim_p_dp_3?pi=SL500_SY125&qid=1347257908&sr=8-1)


I think this article is great. The author asks a lot of interesting questions. Then he postulates some theories around what is known and what is practiced. I'd love to see some research on the cool down effect planned over a periodized season. I would think the people who put in cool downs after intervals, tempos, races, etc will be more prepared for end-season tapers and championships than their non-cooling down counter part.

Someone on here recommended The Furnam First program to me.

Here's a PDF

but I ended up picking up this book:

Run Less, Run Faster

I've only just started after doing a half marathon just a hair under 2hrs... my goal is to get a bit more comfortably under 2hrs now.

The main crux of it is pushing your body faster so it adapts to running faster. 3 runs a week: Speed run, tempo runs and long runs.

I did the first tempo run on Sunday and bailed after 2/3rd's because it was hot as shit and I couldn't do that pace in that heat. Did some speed work at the track this morning and bailed again after 2/3rd's because I had to get home and get the kids up!

I'm probably not selling it but the idea interested me so I'm going to keep going and see what happens... I have another half in December

Can you cross-train at home at all? Having a stationary bike at home and riding it for 30 minutes while watching TV can actually be kind of fun. Other strength exercises, like circuits of push-ups, planks, squats/lunges, can also help your running a lot.

Are you running the same distance every time? You can gain fitness running 3 times a week (see this book, which actually advocates only 3 days a week of running, along with 2 days of cross-training). The trick is to have a purpose for each of those 3 workouts. For example, your Wednesday run could be a tempo/interval/fartlek run, your Saturday run would be a very easy 2-3 mile run, and your Sunday run would be your "long slow distance" (LSD) run. Start with your LSD run at 4 miles, and increase it every week by a half-mile or full mile, if you feel comfortable doing so. Go slow on your LSD run. Really slow. Time on your feet is what's important.

You can become a better runner on 3 runs a week if you are smart, and patient. Every time you go out for a run, ask yourself, "what is the purpose of this run"? Is it to work on speed (Wednesday intervals/fartleks)? Is it to loosen up (Saturday shrot run)? Is it to work on overall endurance (LSD run)? You'll progress faster this way, and you'll likely feel more of a sense of accomplishment at the end of each run too, since you'll have had a specific goal and met it.

Good luck. Don't add miles or speed to quickly; the most-important secret to being a runner is to keep from getting hurt!

Running three days a week and cross-training at least two is the basis behind the book Run Less, Run Faster. The authors have you doing speed work on a track instead of the hills you're running, but you're fairly close to the "FIRST 3-plus-2" programme already. The book is not well-regarded by others on /r/running (in spite of the fact that the authors did studies which show it's effective) but I'm about twelve weeks into their "novice marathon" programme and it's treating my injury-prone legs very well.

You don't need to buy the book, the high points is that the two days a week of intense cardio will pretty much compensate for the aerobic base you normally achieve with extra miles at an easy pace.

Oh, and be sure not to do your long runs too fast. Run Less, Run Faster has them faster than most plans, it usually has you running them at only 9 to 28 seconds per kilometre slower than your marathon pace. But 6:30/km is only 7 seconds slower than your marathon pace for a 4:30 finish.

Maybe check out Run Less, Run Faster 3+2 plans? I had to wrestle with the same sort of question as my main race this year will be age group nationals (olympic distance) in August.

However, I still wanted to PR in the marathon this April. Last year I followed a similar schedule but dropped biking and swimming completely with around 7 weeks left before the marathon. This year I've just boosted the volume significantly. With six weeks left I'm just over where I was last year for running mileage, but my overall training volume is significantly higher (137.25 hours compared to 94.25 hours over the first 13 weeks of training). This equates to an approximate increase of 3.25 (7.25 to 10.5) hours per week. I've also dropped intensity significantly, adopting a more polarized approach.

We'll see how it goes.

Awesome you'll do great! The two books I used to get an idea of my custom training plan were https://www.amazon.com/80-20-Running-Stronger-Training-ebook/dp/B00IIVFAEY , Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary 3-Run-a-Week Training Program https://www.amazon.com/dp/1609618025/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_tgoNybD4BWG66 and you could use the running chapters from Be Iron Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets For Ultimate Fitness https://www.amazon.com/dp/1599218577/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_AhoNybMDF2E54. I'd recommend reading and then blending to make a plan that works for you. I didn't agree with all the run fast tips so blended with others. Also try and get these in paperback as there are charts and such that are hard to read via ebook version.

Good luck!

The usual rule of thumb for marathon training is 50 miles per week at the height of your training. If you can't reach that during the week because of commute times and such, I would just run like you do for your half marathons during the week and make sure you really utilize the long run over the weekend.

Long runs are the most important training run for a marathon. During your training if you can hit between 20-24 miles consistently for a few weeks then you should be fine for a marathon.

I hesitate to say you should run to work because carrying too much stuff while running may change your gait too much and end up in an injury.

The hardest part of marathon training is reaching the starting line injury free.

You should also read the book run less run faster.
http://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Faster-3-Run---Week/dp/1609618025/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457113381&sr=8-1&keywords=run+less

It doesn't detail a marathon training plan, but it does cover interesting research where runners would only run 4 times a week and make improvements on their mid to long distance race times.

A quick summary is, the most important runs during your week are, the long run, and interval training/speed work.

If you want to do a lot of swimming, or possibly bike sessions as well, I would recommend looking at either FIRST/Furman or modify Daniels for 4-5 days a week.

If you're regularly running a sub-30 5k, you'll be fine to step up the distance. I'd recommend Run Less, Run Faster; with paces programmed from your best 5k time, 3 x runs per week (fartlek, tempo, long) and 3 x cross training days, I found it the perfect way to train for longer distances.