The experiment
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I have been a one-man experiment for the last 3-4 months, doggedly following the low-mileage / high intensity schedules from the Furman Institute of Running. I followed Furman schedules for 10k and HM last year with some success.
The task:
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Based on 5k PB of 18:19 last year and 10k PB of 37:55, I followed the Furman schedules for a predicted marathon pace of 6:49 (sub 3). This consists of 3-4 runs a week, one speed session, one tempo session, one long run, significantly faster than in most other schedules. These are interspersed with cross-training days, which for me consisted of biking for an hour.
For race day, based on my Half Marathon result (1:25:55) and given a general lack of confidence after a 2 year marathon gap, I aimed at an actual MP (Marathon Pace) of 7 minute miling, which would get me a 3:03 marathon PB.
Shakespeare marathon 2010: 3:11:43
Antwerp marathon 2008: 3:13:02
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April 2010
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125 miles run, 65 miles biked
hrs (sessions)
bike – 4:25 (4)
run – 15:14 (13)
total cardio:19h39
race pace: 5 in 4h52
avg pace: 7.19
Long runs: 20m @ 7:05
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April 2008
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124 miles run, 24 miles biked
hrs (sessions)
bike – 1:30 (2)
run – 16:24 (15)
total cardio: 17h54
race pace: 1 in 1h19
avg pace: 7.53
Long runs: 17m @ 8.21
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March 2010
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159 miles run, 171 miles biked
hrs (sessions)
bike – 11:10 (13)
run – 20:06 (15)
total cardio:31h16
race pace: 4:17h 4 sessions
avg pace: 7.36
Long runs: 15 @ 7.42, 22 @ 7.35, 15 @ 7.14, 20 @ 7.18
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March 2008
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181 miles run, 92 miles biked
hrs ( sessions)
bike – 5:57 (6)
run – 24:32 (20)
total cardio: 30h29
race pace: 1 @ 1h22
avg pace: 8.07
Long runs: 23 @ 8.00, 21 @ 8.34, 20 @ 2.40, 15 mile race @ 6.51, 19.5 @ 10
Feb 2010
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133 miles run, 119 miles biked
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hrs (sessions)
bike – 7:44 ( 9)
run – 16:57 (14)
total cardio:24h41
race pace: 1 @ 45 mins
avg pace: 7.38
Long runs: 18 @ 7.50, HM race @ 6.31, 20 @ 7.30, 18 @ 7.30
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Feb 2008
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175 miles run, 48 miles biked
hrs (sessions)
bike – 3:00 (3)
run – 23:42 (20)
total cardio:26h42
race pace: none
avg pace: 8.07
Long runs: 20 @ 8.37, 18 @ 9.00, 14 @ 8.34, HM @ 6.43
—–
Jan 2010
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164 miles run, 111 miles biked
hrs (sessions)
bike – 7:10 (8)
run – 21:44 (18)
total cardio:28h54
race pace: none
avg pace: 7.55
Long runs: 20 @ 7.54, 17 @ 7.30, 15 @ 7.20, 13 @ 8.18, 17 @ 8.12
—–
Jan 2008
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152 miles run, 102 miles biked
hrs (sessions)
bike – 6:30 (7)
run – 21:09 (18)
total cardio:27h39
race pace: none
avg pace: 8.20
Long runs: 21 @ 9.06, 21 @ 8.00, 18 @ 8.34, 13 @ 8.30
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Phew, right, bit of a mess, but I think that made some kind of sense and was vaguely readable.
The result
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3:11:43 achieved in a very painful marathon with a real last-6-mile fade, my first ever.
My previous PB was 3:13 set in Antwerp in April 2008.
There are obviously many other variables, not least the fact that I’m two years older, and over 40 now.
Despite fading from my target drastically (splits of 1:31 and 1:40), in retrospect I’m quite impressed I managed to just PB while following this schedule.
Training time:
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The total aerobic training time is really not far out, although the average pace is way up in 2010, as expected from the Furman schedule with its faster running. This puts paid to the idea that Furman is ‘easy’, requiring less time. I gave it as much welly as the Runners World schedule from 2008, and in fact reckon that to get the best results you need to double the amount of time I put in to cycling at least, so it’s not a plan for the short-of-time in search of a PB.
Injuries:
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NONE. This was after all the primary reason for starting the plan, after shin splints during a brief toy with a higher mileage Hadd regime last year, so I’m happy with that result. Even when I return to a plan with more running, I’m convinced of the benefits TO ME of cross-training and/or leg strengthening. I have a very sedentary job, and a very sedentary background prior to taking up running 6-7 years ago. Arse on chair for 10 hours per day DOES NOT EQUAL fit for running.
Mental attitude:
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It felt great to be running faster quite a lot, and I enjoyed knowing exactly what I had to do in each session, or if not enjoyed, then I felt challenged and invigorated! Some of those reps were sick-making.
Single race result = lack of conclusive proof of anything at all!
I put all this training into one race of course, and so many things can go wrong or right with a race that it can be hard to judge a training schedule solely on this basis. Stratford 2010 was hotter than I’d have liked. I’d been feeling low on energy for two weeks prior (iron deficiency?). But the sore quads in the race I’d be inclined to think were the result of fewer long runs and less time on feet (no long runs over 2h40). The last long run was a 20 miler faster than I’ve run 20 miles before. I did worry that this took a lot out of me, and looking back at the logs I’d say that it probably did, in combination with an iron-low diet. It felt so good at the time, that a pace of 5 secs per mile faster for a further 4 miles seemed to be an easy task.
I’m confident the Furman schedule could work for me, but I would need to at least double the biking mileage to a respectable level. 30 miles a week is barely reaching a normal commuting level, but the winter this year has been a bit off putting as far as biking outdoors goes. I dislike those ‘I know a guy who . . .‘ type statements, but . . . two guys on the RW forums who I chatted to achieved 2:47 and 2:59 respectively. The key factor seems to be that that they have a good background in triathlon, and generally did a lot more cross-training than I did.
What happens next:
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Given that finding training time is always a problem, I’ll probably now return to a 5 x running per week schedule + 1 cross-training session. Looking at such schedules now, they just look so nice and easy! I could go for a run and not even bother to look at my watch. Ahhh, this’ll be such fun! If the 5 x per week schedule works out well, who knows, I could finally commit to even higher mileage. There’s always the struggle with lifestyle though, and my underlying knowledge that it’s the hills that will finally lure me, not a road marathon time target.
In conclusion my dear friends, I would definitely use Furman again, especially if any higher-mileage injuries recur. I would recommend it to others too without question for distances lower than marathon, and for the marathon if you’re prepared to commit time to the cross-training, or are already a duathlete or triathlete.
The contrast of 2008 with 2010 is very interesting. It is especially interesting to note that total cardio time was fairly similar. Run mileage was not a great deal less in 2010 but intensity was much higher, so your total training effort appears to have been greater in 2010, and you were rewarded with a handsome PB. As you say, you cannot draw too many conclusions for a single race, but overall, the experiment was a success.