I know these posts are a bit annoying but I'm just keen to get some general thoughts. I've been following the HADD approach to distance running to train for marathons for several years (for anyone who doesn't know this, it was advice from a coach posted on here years ago - search for it and you'll find a bunch of threads).
For various reasons I missed a bunch of target marathons over the last few years but finally it clicked for the Berlin marathon last year and I ran a PB of 2:56:30. My previous PB was from 10 years before and that was 3:24:32 - did that off pretty inconsistent training, following a Pfitzinger plan but not sticking to it that well. I got injured in the buildup for Berlin so only ended up getting 8 quality weeks (plus just short of 2 weeks taper). I was on pace for sub 2:50 until 35km and then hit the wall, realising I was over confident and had gone out too hard. Took me 37 mins to finish from 35km. I was annoyed at myself for going too hard but luckily I didn't mess it up completely and still managed to get under 3 hours (which was my original target before getting carried away).
If a manage a full buildup without injury I think I'm good for sub 2:50, maybe even sub 2:45 if it all really clicks in training and on the day. This is all just following HADD's approach which is just two sub LT runs a week, long run and the rest very easy aerobic mileage. I peaked at 85 miles in the buildup for Berlin but reckon with a full buildup I could get it higher but this is all without doing any specific speedwork, marathon pace work or adding much quality work to the long run.
My thinking is I'll stick to HADD for one more marathon but hope to do 15 weeks plus a 2 week taper (compared to 8 + 2 for Berlin due to that injury) and then after that I'll try a different approach, incorporating more speedwork and marathon specific work. What do you think my potential could be? If you were me would you do one more marathon following HADD or switch it up now to include more marathon specific training?
I have also read a few threads on here recently where people talk about moving down in distance to improve their speed and then working back up to marathon distance - do you think that's worth considering for me? I am 41 by the way so I don't feel like I have lots of years to experiment with different approaches. My main goal is to run the fastest marathon I can. Secondary goals are to improve all of my other PBs. I have never focussed fully on any other distances but have run some shorter races. My mile, 5k and 10k PBs are all from a 10k race (5:39 for mile, 18 for 5k and 36:59 for 10k) My half marathon PB is a segment from the Berlin marathon (1:22:10).
So my questions are:
- Do I stick to HADD for another marathon and try to complete a full buildup injury free and see what time I can run with that before trying a different approach for the next marathon? Or should I switch to a different approach now and accept I've gone pretty much as far as I can with HADD and I'd make bigger gains if I did more marathon specific work.
- Do I move down in distance and work on my speed and then move back up to marathon or at 41 am I better off sticking with the marathon now if I want to get the best PB possible (given marathon is my main goal) or could I improve more if I bring up my speed first and then bolt back on the aerobic volume and go for a faster marathon?
- What do you think my potential is for the marathon based on the info I've provided? (ask if you need more info!) I feel pretty confident I can go sub 2:45 in the next year but how much better, if at all, could I do if everything line up? I'm not in a rush either so I can do several buildups over the next 2-3 years if that's what it takes to hit my potential but I am aware of my age and expect I might start slowing
- What do you think my potential is for the shorter distances? I know this is probably harder to say as I haven't really trained properly for any other distances. The only one I did some specific training for was that 10k race where I ran 36:59 and also recorded my PBs for 5k (18:00) and 1 mile (5:39) but only because I haven't trained for or raced 5k or mile.