Ladder workouts for marathon training

6K, 5K, 4K, 3K, 2K, 1K at goal marathon pace; recovery 1K @15% slower than marathon pace.

3 sets of (3K, 2K, 1K) at marathon pace; recovery 1K at 10-15% slower than marathon pace.

What's the logic behind ladder workouts for marathon training? I've touched on faster paces at the end of a marathon workout, but it seems like the marathon is an event that a pyramid doesn't model all that well. Or am I missing something?

I think it's fine for teaching someone how to pace. Start slower. Finish faster.

OP -- the 2nd example is much more marathon specific. The minute stuff should total a lot more if it's a primary workout in a marathon build.

Ladders like 4-3-2-1 x mile(s) are good. Longer reps + MP tempos are good too -- 3-5 x 5k, 4-5 x 2 miles, 8-12 x mile, 8-16 @ GMP in a 16-22 miler.

Ladder should be

10 mile @ Goal pace

60 sec rest

9 mile @ Goal pace

60 sec rest

8 mile @ Goal pace

At goal pace with 60 sec rest. This will teach your body and mind to be efficient and tough.

ladder workout wrote:

2 x (6 minutes, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) with 1 min rest.

Any other ladder workouts for marathon training?

This is a pretty weak ladder for the marathon, 53 minutes total with 11 of the minutes being rest... You're training for a 26 mile sustained effort. I like what the other person said 6k, 5k, 4k, 3k, 2k, 1k... That'd be a pretty tough big workout. Another one is a 4 mile, 3 mile, 2 mile 1 mile... More of a half marathon workout but can be turned into a marathon workout by making the recoveries a half mile steady or even a full mile sort of fast but still slower than MP. Or if you want to go back up the ladder, 3 mile -> 2 mile -> 1 mile -> 2 mile -> 3 mile.. That last 3 mile would be tough, but then again the marathon gets tough.

GettingFasterDude wrote:

6K, 5K, 4K, 3K, 2K, 1K at goal marathon pace; recovery 1K @15% slower than marathon pace.

3 sets of (3K, 2K, 1K) at marathon pace; recovery 1K at 10-15% slower than marathon pace.

I agree with 'pretty weak ladder' and the quoted post above. What I've done:

4 miles, 3-1/2, 3, 2-1/2, 2, 1-1/2, 1, 1/2.

1/2 mile in between each.

18 miles hard, 21-1/2 total + WU+CD. (I've kept those short so 23 miles grand total.)

This is just a rip-off of Canova's idea that the poster suggested. I had a trail with markers every half mile, so used miles instead of k's.

For a time-based fartlek, I've done:

5 min. on - 1 min. off; 4 on - 1 off; 3/1; 2/1; 1/1

6 sets. 15 minutes hard, 20 total for each. Grand total: 120 minutes, 90 hard.

Make the reps faster as they get shorter. The longest can be MP - down to near sprint for the shortest. No extra easy running between sets and this can be made pretty hard especially if you keep the 'easy' honest.

I would strongly recommend more than one moderate 22-24 miler before trying the first one and some long tempos faster than MP before the second.