Jul 21 in General Discussion
How To Build Your Endurance Properly
When I think about building my endurance, I actually start with the end in mind.
I reverse engineer it from when my marathon is to the current date.
The more time you have, the longer you can build your endurance.
If your marathon is in 12 weeks, then you would have to increase your long runs by about 1-2 miles a week.
But if your marathon is in six months, then you can increase your mileage every few weeks.
So the most important thing is that you give yourself enough time to train.
If you are someone who is training for their first race and is out of shape, then you want to give yourself the additional time.
Think of building your endurance like getting on an airplane.
When you first get on an airplane, it’s not moving. Then it starts to move a little bit faster, then faster and faster until it’s flying.
You want to match your weekly volume with your current conditioning.
If you aren't ready for the physical demands of starting a 16 week training plan, then you can get injured.
It happened to me when I was training for my first marathon.
I wasn’t ready for the physical demands of running five times a week so I ended up injuring both of my knees.
So what does this look like in practice?
What I like to do is run each distance two weeks in a row before I increase my mileage.
This gives me the opportunity to prove to myself that I am capable of running the same distance.
It also allows me to work on my speed.
The first time I run the distance, my goal is to just complete it.
The second time I run that same distance, I try to beat my previous time.
This approach also allows for you to stay confident throughout your training.
If you struggled to run a certain distance, having to run even farther next week will feel very daunting.
It will fill your brain with self doubt and fear because you will question if you can run that distance.
An actual training plan that you can follow (first 8 weeks)
Week 1 - 2 miles
Week 2 - 2 miles
Week 3 - 3 miles
Week 4 - 3 miles
Week 5 - 4 miles
Week 6 - 4 miles
Week 7 - 5 miles
Week 8 - 5 miles
Follow this structure to increase your endurance safely and strategically.
If you got value out of this post, share it with a friend who just started training for their first half or full marathon.
Tony
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How To Build Your Endurance Properly
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