LISTEN TO EPISODE 65 HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/65-will-running-a-marathon-make-you-faster/id1446735036
Why it could be good to wait to do 26.2 The marathon is all about aerobic strength. Holding a moderate pace over a long distance. We aren’t worn down so much by the speed of our pace, but rather by the distance over which we are holding it. Aerobic strength takes time to build. It’s not something that happens overnight, or even over weeks. But it does happen. Every time we lace up we are adding a brick to our aerobic base. It is something that we can continue to build and improve on over the course of our running careers. There is no real expiration date on aerobic fitness. However, the same cannot be said about speed. It’s a fact of life that as we get older, we slow down. We tend to lose some of that gut-busting power we had when we were younger. For some this happens in their early 30’s and for others, like 5x Olympian and Masters world record holder Bernard Lagat, it may not happen until well into their running careers. But the fact remains the same, at some point it does happen.
So shouldn’t it make sense that we train speed while we still can?
Why do many elite runners wait to run the marathon until their mid-20s or 30s?
When do most people peak in their running speed?
Can you gain speed and aerobic endurance at the same time?
What would be the negative of going right to the marathon?
Is there a greater chance for injury?
What happens when athletes jump into the marathon right away?
When is the right time to make the switch to the marathon?
What are the benefits to having variety in training: switching from 5k training to marathon & vice versa?
When athletes stagnate in the marathon, can it be beneficial to switch into speed for awhile? Confidence boosting?
Is it less time consuming or maybe easier to train for a marathon when you are fast already?
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✨For OPTIMAL performances in all race distances, the answer is YES. Here’s why…✨
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👉Aerobic fitness takes time to build, and by “time” we don’t mean a 16 week marathon build up. We mean slowly over the course of many YEARS! The marathon is nearly 100% an aerobic event
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👉Everytime we go on a run, we are adding another brick to our aerobic fitness house and there is no real expiration date on that aerobic fitness. We can continue to build on this throughout our lives! HOWEVER, the same cannot be said about speed. Speed/anaerobic fitness declines as we get older, whereas aerobic fitness improves as we age!
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⚡️SPEED DECLINES AS YOU AGE: You reach your full speed potential in your 20s. If you want to capitalize on that speed and run your fastest 5k, it is BEST to focus on the 5k during these years of your life. Focusing on speed/shorter distance races makes you a stronger runner. You become a very efficient runner when you have years of experience focusing on speed
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⚡️BETTER FIRST MARATHON EXPERIENCE: Your FIRST marathon time is VERY dependent on how long you have been running consistently/your endurance sport background. The marathon will feel easier if you have a background of speedwork and mileage
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⚡️SPECIFICITY IS KEY: You can get to certain levels in each distance FASTER if you focus on one at a time (i.e. get very specific with your training). Yes, athletes can PR in the 5k or 10k during marathon training. This happens more easily for newer runners who don’t have PRs from running college track and cross country
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⚡️SAFEST APPROACH: The marathon requires a very strong body and strong base. Jumping into the marathon can set you up for a whole host of imbalance issues and then injuries due to running form that was not properly developed during shorter distance training
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REMEMBER:👇
⭐️You are still a runner if you don’t do marathons. Running marathons does not MAKE you a runner. Simply running makes you a runner!
⭐️If the only distance that excites you is the marathon, then go for it! But if you really want optimal results, you should wait
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