Best Way To Train for a Marathon While Still Maintaining 200/400 Top Speed?

A sub 20 marathoner would never use "big 'thon", so here goes, you can't maintain 200/400m top speed for 26.2 miles.

Um. Thanks?

i sprint marathons

Ok-- to re-iterate:

I don't want to SPRINT for 26.2 miles at TOP SPEED.

I want to be able to both run a fast marathon, and also a quick 200 or 400 in a separate setting.

Any ideas?!

PEDs bro

What PEDs would you recommend?

0/10

use of the word 'thon gave it away

In all reality it's not possible to train for a marathon and keep 200/400 speed. BUT, can keep speed work in the program and not lose much 1500 speed. That's probably the shortest distance you can still keep speed for although I'm not expert so maybe someone will prove me wrong.

For instance remember Farah's marathon plan? I doubt he did it every week but that week he did 10 x 200 @ 29 and then 10 x 200 uphill walk/jog down recovery. Close to his mile pace for those (maybe more 3k for him but maybe mile pace at the time). I have used this in my own training. Recently I did a workout on a hill 10 x 1:15~ (jog down recovery), 2 x 30 seconds (walk down recovery), 2 x 20 seconds (walk down recovery), 2 x 10 seconds (walk down recovery).

If I were you I would hold off racing or time trailing a 2/4 until after the marathon but short hill repeats should at least keep the speed there although may not improve it.

Good luck!

Wow, thanks guy!

Just curious, what have you been able to hold down for the 200/400 by using that training method?

Other options wrote:

For instance remember Farah's marathon plan?

His marathon was basically a failure, and then he had a hard time recovering.

Read Canova's stuff. You only lose what you don't train. If it's your top end that you're trying to maintain then do his prescribed 6-10s hill sprints with full recovery (say working up to ~10.) His marathoners do these too.

You might also throw in some of his circuit work in addition.

Mathemagican wrote:

I don't want to SPRINT for 26.2 miles at TOP SPEED.

Why not? That would be great. I'd feel like Superman if I could do that.

Okay-- so are these hill sprints like balls out? Or just really fast?

Well - you've gotta have balls in order to, you know.

Guys I just ran a 26.x 200m sprint! In the middle of a 120 mile week!

Anyone know if this is a record?

If it came at the end of a 2:02:48 marathon, yes.

Mathemagican wrote:

Guys I just ran a 26.x 200m sprint! In the middle of a 120 mile week!

Anyone know if this is a record?

Short hill sprints and strength work (mostly focused on endurance but some heavy weights and low reps). Then things like plyos.. Pretty hard thing to do tho

If you're that "fast" speed can be sharpened. Train for the "'thon" and when you're done and recovered focus on getting the speed back.

Guys, I pulled a hammy! Fuuuck!