What are some good, ball-busting marathon workouts?

I like workouts where you get depleted and tired before you even start the hard running.

5 miles in the AM, then in the PM do 9-10 miles easy followed by 8 x 1k w/ 1 min jog. Pace on the 1k would probably start around HM and end at 10k or so, so not fast, but the goal is to stay relaxed while running faster than marathon pace on tired legs.

5 times around a hilly 3 mile loop, where the first mile gains 250', the second is pretty flat, and the third drops the same 250'.

The pace changes really work you. Hammering the mile up still takes me 6:40, transitioning to a flat 5:50 or so (my marathon pace), and then a pounding 4:50 down. Switching from the mile down to the next mile up is roughhhhh.

Ball busting mile repeats:

After a mile, have a friend kick you in the balls, run another mile, another kick to the balls, etc....

6 mile warmup, 10 x 800m w/ 400m jog recovery, 6 mile cooldown. The last 6 miles are the hard part.

The hansons do something like 16 miles with 4xmile repeats in the middle at marathon pace.

1XMarathon at race pace.

A Marathoner wrote:

1XMarathon at race pace.

Really tough guys do 50k at marathon pace.

hansons have several.

12 mile cut downs.

2 by 6 mile 10 seconds per mile faster than race pace

long runs include 3 to 5 miles faster than race pace at the end

26.2 kilometer at race pace 1 month prior to the marathon

They preach that all of these workouts shoul not include a taper before or after the workout

Here are a few for the more advanced marathoners out there:

5 x 5k @ MP to 1% faster with 400 jog recovery

20 mile run with first 10 miles easy and last 10 miles at MP

20-22 miles at 95-96% of MP (15-20 seconds slower than MP)

AM: 20k - first 10k easy last 10k at MP

PM: 20k - first 10k easy last 10k at MP

MPR workouts are pretty much what i was going to put.

10 x 2000 works as well if you feel you want to be a on a track (dunno why you would tho)

Anything with a good 2 hours on your feet and about a half marathon worth of pace work is gonna be a good marathon workout. That or just straight long runs at MP 10 miles working to 16. 10 and 10 is probably my favorite though, its an eye opener for most.

My favorite in my last build-up was an 18 mile progressive. Start at 45 sec/mile slower than MP and build up to 10k pace by the last couple. But then my MP pace is pretty weak compared to my ability at shorter distances. So this might be a bit much if your MP is strong...

50 miles Saturday. 75 miles Sunday. Only 30 miles on Monday before work.

the kenny moore- 30 miles easy then 6 miles at marathon pace

the victor rothlin 40k (about 25 miles) at 80% marathon pace- about normal training pace for most- then 5x2k at marathon pace or faster with 400m jog rests.

fairly standard specific sessions, 1:30 progression run first 30mins at about 80% mp, 30mins 90%mp, 30mins at mp- so for a goal fo 2:20 you would go 30mins at about 6:25 pace, 30mins at about 5:50 pace and 30mins at 5:20 pace.

5k to 10k repeats at mp with 1k only 20 seconds slower rest covering 20 to 30k of work.

40k/25 mile long run at 90% to 95% mp- so goal of 2:20 run 40k at about 5:50 to 5:35 pace.

similar to one that nj said is

10-12 mile run alternating miles at 15 seconds faster MP and 15 seconds slower than MP.

25 milers "Japanese Style" - 5 x 5 mile loops - starting painfully slow on the first 5, gradually increasing the tempo with each loop, then running faster than goal marathon pace over the last 5 miles.

Anyone can look like a hero on the track doing 800m - 1 mile repeats in marathon training. Running faster than marathon pace after already running 20 miles, that is a different story

Classics:

-10 Easy, 10 MP

-"Wave workout", Alternate 1 mile EZ 1 mile MP for 20 miles

-3 mile repeats (or 5k if you like metric). Do three to five depending on skill level

I've talked to a few Kenyans from different camps and they all did the same workout for marathon prep. Once every two weeks, do a run that is two and a half to three hours long. Run easy until the last 5k, then hammer. From what I could tell the last 5k is almost all out.

I love this thread. Thanks for all the great responses.

Combine this one with another one of the above workouts.

Sit in a position so both of your legs fall asleep before you go out on your workout for the day. You shouldn't be able to feel your legs while running.

I call this "the stranger".

Would 10 times a mile at MP goal pace with a minute recovery be good?

How about 4321 mile going from MP pace down to half-mary to 10k pace for the 2 and 1?