Training for only a marathon distance, and neglecting training for shorter distances, often can result in not getting the opportunity to improve your VO2max and running efficiency. This ultimately impacts or limits the ability to improve performance at the marathon distance. Training needs to include a change of stimulus. Without adding a new stimulus, often fitness will decline. It is important to train all energy systems.

My approach, for those more focused on performance at the marathon distance, is to look at things over 18 months to 2 years. Below I outline a typical strategy to achieve this by breaking out the 18 to 24 month period into blocks with specific focus, and addressing the need for training all energy systems and providing new stimulus to make gains.

I also outline the typical approach I take with athletes who are training specifically for the half marathon, and 5k / 10k distances. I break out my blocks over a year for these distances.

Regardless of the distance you run, the key to endurance is our anaerobic threshold. It allows us to run a faster speeds before fatigue and lactic acid begin to take place.