Modifying the Norwegian approach to lower mileage

Try and discover

You'll probably lose fitness no matter what you do if you cut your training volume in half. But if you have limited time for training and want to maximize what you can do with the time you have, this is a good candidate for the most effective use of your time.

This has probably been discussed multiple times, but this is a long thread so I'll ask just in case: Could this method be beneficial for half marathon/marathon training with two sub-threshold sessions per week, and the third session being a long run with marathon pace intervals? Let's say:

M- Easy

T- Sub-T

W- Easy/Medium Long

T- Sub-T

F- Easy

Sa- Long (8-12 miles of marathon pace)

Su- Easy

The weekly mileage would be higher (80-100 miles) since I'd be training for a marathon and have the time/desire to run higher mileage. Would this be a feasible plan? Or possibly alternate weeks, i.e. One week traditional Sirpoc training week, the other week the one I outlined above then repeat. Appreciate any input.

Been doing this method since the beginning of January. Easy paces then were around 9:20 per mile, any subT days I would do about a mile warm up, then the subT stuff, then 1-2 miles cool down. Started to average about 8:10 in total with the subT efforts for the run. Did one 5k in February at 18:36.

Since then my easy paces have come down to 8:40, and subT days have nearly doubled in mileage and pace has dropped to 7:40 for total run with warm up, subT, and cool down.

Have been on very low mileage, weeks consisting of 20-34 miles per week, looking to ramp it up for a fall marathon. I typically do 3 subT efforts per week, sometimes including the 3rd in the long run, which isn't very long. Some weeks I only do 2 subT workouts. Instead of racing I have done some hard segments, which are basically races, 1 mile segments at 20 seconds faster than 5k pace. Next 5k here in April, then that will be in as I build up to 60 mpw this summer and then get back to 60 once during marathon block. SubT will definitely stick around as I try to mimic sirpoc's marathon plan, but with a bit less volume and about 30+ minutes slower goal.

Thanks for sharing, pretty cool that you happened to get coached by sirpoc himself without even realising until now.

Hearing these success stories gets me so excited for the future, wish I could fast forward 9 months!

Sirpoopy keeps his marathon training method secret. In case it does not bite.

Just checked his Strava. No secret there.

I wouldn't bother. Honestly, not to put you off, but at that volume you will likely just get worst. I don't think there's really any way to scale 12 hours into singles. I think I'm likely at the limit, before I would need to at least starting doubling easy runs.

I mean my whole training is always in Strava. Every single run barring warm ups for races. My training is boring enough that people don't need me spamming their feed with multiple runs. Every single KM I run is on Strava, expect for race warm ups (spoiler I can't be bothered to cool down from races most of the time).

As for if this doesn't bite, as you put it - who knows? The only thing I can say for sure is marathon training works for the 10k. As marathon is all I have been focusing on and I was very happy with my almost minute PB at 30:41.

We will find out in 25 days I guess.

Does this change the protocol for the longer session or do you think it’s not repeatable year in year out without becoming too fatigued over a long period of time?

And do you think i know your name on Strava? Just a stupid answer, unbelievably.

If you think this is the stupidest thing I've said, you haven't read much of the thread.

Anyway I have no problem people knowing who I am, people are welcome to follow me, it's not interesting training day to day, or hard to find me in the Strava group if you want to.

But of all places , with the lunatics (who are quite often funny) on LRC, it's probably the one place I'll just remain as sirpoopy for now.

The true fans gate-keep the SirPoopy strava so the letsrun trolls can stay trolling forever

He's done numerous 20 milers, it will definitely work for London. Congrats on the 10km PB and thanks for giving us the blueprint to be successful on 7-9 hours a week!

Okay, I'll ask: What do you do for race warm-up? I've got my own routine, but I'm curious what you do.

For a 5k, jog a 5k out to the race normally with 400m at HM Pace to just wake up as you need to get out fast ish, so that gets a couple beads of sweat on.

A 10k. Maybe the same. Sometimes less. I ran 3km at the weekend warmup in my 10k.

A HM, I've done 3, twice I didn't warm up other than maybe half a km from the car to start line. The other time I did about 2-3km. Sub threshold workouts I just jog 10 mins and get going, but that's all on Strava.

Do whatever you feel works for you. It's likely a very small part in what results in a good race or a bad one.

The biggest issue I see at races is guys stressing themselves out. I just chill out, have a chat with people and get going. Seems to work for me at hobby level. I would obviously not suggest anyone who is highly competitive take this approach. But I think there's enough good to be said for just do whatever keeps you relaxed and comfortable.

I went from 60-70mpw to about 50mpw on this method and continued to eke out small PRs (5k from 17:53 to 17:25 over about 7 months) but then I felt pretty stalled and ran around 17:25 in october, november, and december. I dunno if maybe I wasn't increasing the paces appropriately or what. Looking for a big 5k pb soon though. I've been doing Daniel's 65-70mpw since January and ran a big half marathon pb a few weeks ago.

I guess then my main question would be: If I'm training for a marathon, would it be better to alternate one week include three sub-T efforts, and the other have two sub-T workouts and a long run with marathon pace imbedded? Or should I just stick with the traditional three sub-T workouts method? I saw Sirpoc did a 4 x 5k workout which seemed marathon specific but I don't think it was technically his long run, so I was just wondering if there'd be a big downside to merging the final sub-T workout into a long run when practicing marathon pace in particular.

He might get round. But no more than that. I've seen his training and there's absolutely no way he will even break 2:30 on this training I'm afraid to say. Speak as someone who has done 25+ Marathon and counting. Ran 2:32 at the age of 40 and it took way more than 75 miles peak weeks. I think people are in for a bit of a wake up call if you think you can just rock up and train for a marathon like this and perform good.