Planning next cycle

5 week: General-Recovery-slow run and strength.

9 week: Special block impromevents improvement of the aerobic power on the anaerobic threshold.

9 week: Specific block: improvement of the aerobic capacity on the aerobic threshold then decrease of the distance between the aerobic and anaerobic threshold.

Can you give an example of the two 9 weeks blocks? What's the difference between Special block and Specific block? For reference my PB is 03:06 and would like to break sub 3. Thanks

Dimitry wrote:

5 week: General-Recovery-slow run and strength.

9 week: Special block impromevents improvement of the aerobic power on the anaerobic threshold.

9 week: Specific block: improvement of the aerobic capacity on the aerobic threshold then decrease of the distance between the aerobic and anaerobic threshold.

In special block you work at the two ends of an area related to the marathon rhythm that in your case is 4'14"to obtain 2h 59'.

First zone are works with speed slower then 4'14": slow run, medium pace and medium-fast speed for many km only as support to the development of the anaerobic threshold, but at the opposite extreme there are the speeds greater than 4'14" which are the heart of the special block with works such as:

fast runs of 8-15 km or in progression of speed also.

Repeated long runs of 6.33-8 km such as 3 x 7 km rest 3'-4'by stop.

Repeated medium of 4.66-6.33 km as 4 x 5 km rest by stop.

Repeated short repeats of 3-4,66 km such as 5 x 3 km rest 3' by stop.

Long fractionated of 1200-3000 meters such as 6 x 2000 mt.

Medium and Short Fractionated at 3k-5k rhythm and at 10k rhythms suchs 20 x 400 mt or 20 x 500 mt rest in jog.

Finally, in the specific block, the heart of the work revolves around your target pace of 4'14" with a 3-4% above and a below 3-4% the zone of 4'14"

Run at a marathon pace of 18-25 km, unformed or in progression.

Long duration running around your metric aerobic threshold such as 30-35 km at 4'20-25 "up to 4'14".

Slow Long Runs of 30-45 km at 5'00"/km.

The repetitions of the special block are lowered to the marathon pace but in the meantime the rest is no longer standing still, but rises in intensity: this is specific speed-endurance of Canova:

Repeated long runs of 6.33-8 km, such as 3 x 7 km at marathon pace with rest 1 km at 4'35 ".

Repeated medium of 4.66-6.33 km,as 4 x 5 km at marathon pace rest 1 km at 4'30 ".

Repeated short repeats of 3-4,66 km, such as 5 x 3 km slightly faster than 4'14 "rest 1 km 4'25".

The same are the long or medium fractionated such as 10 x 1000 meters at 4'05 "rest 1 km at 4'20".

Finally mixed training of continuous running with in the middle and / or at the end the repetitions such as:

10 km at 5'00 "+ 5km at 4'14" + 4km at 4'14 "+ 3km at 4'14" + 2 km at 4'10" with rest of 1 km at 4'30".

or:

15 km at 4'30 "+ 10 x 1000 meters at 4'05" with rest of 1 km at 4'30 ". Total 35 km.

Everything is to be adapted to how many days a week you train and your recovery skills.

Planning next cycle wrote:

I'm just coming off pfitz 12/70 plan and I signed up for the London marathon in October.

It's about 23 weeks. How best to plan it?

Pfitz got 5 weeks recovery cycle.

Is it better to do 5 weeks recovery followed by 18/70.

Or it's better to do 10K 8 weeks cycle then 12/70 after?

Did you race a marathon at the end of the 12/70? If you did, I wouldn't underestimate the importance of recovery and I'd take the full 5 week recovery before going into the 18/70.

If you didn't race a marathon, an 8 week 10k cycle followed by 12/70 sounds good.

It definitely differs from one person to the other, but I think the key is for everyone to understand what their limit is. Sometimes it's actually indicated to push those limits, but to know when to push and when not to is the hardest part. You've already received some really great indications from people more qualified than me, but I just wanted to weigh in and also say that I'd also take the full 5-week recovery. I'm relatively new to the competition stuff, but I'm trying to do my best and research the area as much as I can. There are plenty of amazing resources online, I can actually recommend you my favorite Cycle World, I'll leave the link here if you are interested https://www.cycle-world.co.uk