Podcast
Luke Humphrey Running
Hosted by Luke Humphrey Running · EN
Hansons Marathon Method / Personal Coaching / Training Plans / Boston Qualifying Plans / Hanson's Marathon Method
19episodes
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Unlocking Marathon Success: Insights from Recent Research on Performance Characteristics
Dec 400:20:51Tap to summarizeToday, we are going to dive into a fascinating article that’s been making the rounds regarding the performance characteristics of high-performing marathoners The study, published in Sports Medicine in September 2025, looked at the training data of 917 Boston Marathon qualifiers 1-3. It compared their training habits from 12 to 4 months before the race against their habits in the final 4 months 4. The headline that caught everyone's attention? The study suggested that decreasing your training frequency in the final 16 weeks leads to faster performances. But before you go slashing your weekly runs, we need to read between the lines. Here are my two cents on the study and how you can actually optimize your marathon training. The Foundation: Why Your Baseline Mileage Matters Most The study revealed a crucial stat: 50% of the differences in race times were accounted for by how consistently a person trained 12 to 4 months out from the race. The top performers were logging about 10 hours a week of overall training during this period. This completely aligns with what we preach: building a high baseline volume is critical 6. If your normal, week-in and week-out volume is 20 miles, and you can steadily build that to a comfortable 30 miles a week, you've established an entirely new baseline in your fitness. The higher your baseline volume, the higher your peak volume can safely be when you enter a specific marathon segment. When you enter that final 6 to 10-week block with a massive aerobic base, you are primed to fine-tune your fitness and perform at a high level. Debunking the "Train Less, Run Faster" Headline The study noted that 36% of the time variance in the final four months was determined by a change in frequency, concluding that less frequent training equated to faster times 3. As a coach, I strongly push back on the idea that simply training less in your final 16 weeks makes you faster. Here is what the headlines miss: Decreased frequency does NOT mean decreased volume. A runner might drop from running 14 times a week (doing two-a-days) to 10 runs a week, simply trading their shorter double runs for one longer single run 9. In a marathon segment, your workouts and long runs get significantly bigger. You might drop a 6-mile recovery day to take a full day off, but you are still hitting 60 to 65 miles over 5 days instead of. You aren't doing less; you are doing more volume inside bigger workouts. The Cross-Training Loophole. The study grouped all cross-training under one massive umbrella. If a runner swaps a 1-hour run for a 2-hour bike ride, they are decreasing their running frequency, but they are still putting a massive stress on their aerobic system. Lumping cardio-based cross-training (like cycling or rowing) into the same category as strength and mobility (like yoga or core work) drastically skews what "training less" actually means. Finding Your Marathon Training "Sweet Spot" So, how do we take this data and use it to maximize your performance, especially if you have a job, a family, and a busy life? Over the last 20 years, I’ve found that high-level amateurs (running sub-3:00 to 2:38 ranges) don't need to run 100-mile weeks to succeed. For most runners chasing a fast Boston Qualifier, the training sweet spot is a peak volume of 60 to 75 miles a week. You can comfortably hit this volume running 5 to 6 days a week. This structure allows us to: Hit appropriate length long runs. Log 10+ miles of marathon pace work and tempo runs. Maintain 1 or 2 full rest days (passive or active) to prioritize strength training and vital recovery. This approach gives you the necessary cumulative fatigue to excel in the marathon without pushing you over the edge into overtraining. The takeaway: Don't just take the flashy headlines at face value. Decreasing your running frequency to prioritize massive, marathon-specific workouts and proper recovery is a great strategy, but it requires a massive foundation of baseline mileage first. Keep putting in the consistent work, balance your training with your life, and the results will follow. Take care, and talk to you guys later! LHR Community: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/community/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukehumphreyhmm/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LukeHumphreyRunning Training Plans: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/training-plans/Team LHR: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/team-lhr/Personal Coaching: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/coaching/Books: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/books/
Transcribe →Unlocking Your Running Potential: The Importance of Building Volume Wisely
Nov 2400:29:11Tap to summarizeWe are at that time of year when a lot of you have just finished your fall marathons. You’ve crushed your goals—maybe you went from a 5-hour marathon down to a 3:45—and now you’re asking the big question: "What do I do next?" Logically, most runners think, "If I ran this fast on 50 miles a week, imagine how fast I’ll be on 60 or 70!" It’s natural to think that more miles equals better results. Now, if you know me, you know I love high mileage. I personally run 65–70 miles a week just because I enjoy it. But as a coach, I want to push back a little on the idea that you always need to increase your volume to get better. Here is why we need to be careful with volume, and how to build it the right way. Don’t Rush the Process If you are still seeing big improvements at your current mileage, why change it? Sometimes we rush to get to the "next level" so fast that we leave a lot of potential on the table. Ask yourself this: If you want to add 20 minutes of running to your day, is that time actually best spent running? Or would you become a faster, more resilient runner by spending those 20 minutes doing core work, mobility, or strength training? If you skip those foundational things just to add miles, you might get away with it for a little while. But eventually, you’ll hit a point where your body breaks down. I’ve seen athletes spend a year or more in a cycle of injury because they tried to force volume their bodies weren't structurally ready for. Baseline vs. Peak Volume When we talk about mileage, we need to look at two different numbers: 1. Baseline Volume: This is the mileage you can run week in and week out without getting injured and without special planning. 2. Peak Volume: This is that really high number you hit for just a few weeks during the hardest part of marathon training. Your goal right now—especially in the "off-season" or between races—should be raising your baseline. If you can get to a point where running 35 or 40 miles a week feels totally normal and easy, you are in a great spot. From there, you are only about 6 to 8 weeks away from being ready to race any distance. Are You Actually "Handling" the Volume? I hear runners say, "I handled the volume fine," but then they had a bad race. My take is: if you raced poorly, you probably didn't handle the volume. Surviving the training isn't the same as absorbing it. Here are a few signs you might be overdoing it: • Aerobic Decoupling: This is a fancy term for your heart rate drifting up. Go for a long, easy run on a flat route. If your heart rate is significantly higher in the second half of the run than the first half (while keeping the same pace), your body is struggling to handle the load. • Workouts Getting Harder: If you do a workout in Week 8 that feels great, but a similar workout in Week 13 feels impossible, that’s a red flag. You aren't adapting; you're just getting tired. Play the Long Game Running is a long-term project. It took me over 10 years to go from high school mileage to being an Olympic Trials qualifier. I spent my college years getting injured because I tried to jump to 80+ miles a week before I was ready. Don't look at your progress in weeks or months—look at it in years. If you are new to a high-volume plan (like the Hanson’s Method), consider just repeating the same cycle. You will likely see massive improvements the second time around just because your body has finally adapted to that workload. The Takeaway I want you to run more miles, but only when your body is ready. If you rush it, you might spend the next year fighting injuries. But if you take the time to build your strength and slowly raise your baseline, you’ll stay healthy and keep setting PRs for years to come. Train smart, and I’ll talk to you later! We'd love to work with you: Private Training Community: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/team-lhr/Training Plans: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/training-plans/Personal Coaching: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/coaching/Books: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/books/
Transcribe →Mastering Your Training Schedule: A Guide to Effective Planning
Nov 1700:22:48Tap to summarizeHey guys, it's Luke here! Welcome to Lesson Two of our planning guide. In Lesson One, we talked all about setting the right goals—which is absolutely crucial for runners of all abilities. If you haven't checked out the goal-setting course yet, I highly encourage you to go back and do that first so you can set realistic, actionable targets. But today, we want to move beyond just setting a goal. We are going to look at how to actually block out an entire training schedule. When I sit down to plan, I'm looking at the timeline from the end of my last race right up to the end of my next race. To make that timeline work, I have two absolute non-negotiables: proper recovery and dedicated race-specific training. Non-Negotiable #1: Proper Recovery To me, it just doesn't make sense to start a new training block when you aren't recovered from the big race segment you just completed. For example, you can't run a hard late-fall marathon and then jump right back into a difficult Boston Marathon segment without taking the time to fully recover. While the exact recovery looks different depending on the distance, the main thing is that you go into your next long segment fully recovered. Non-Negotiable #2: The 8 to 10-Week Race-Specific Block On the other end of the calendar, you need to carve out at least 8 to 10 weeks dedicated to race-specific work, which also includes your taper. This is especially true for half marathon and marathon segments. If you aren't able to maximize that race-specific training window, you probably aren't going to maximize your performance on race day. "Bridging the Gap" So, you have your recovery at the start, and your 8 to 10 weeks of race-specific work at the end. What goes in the middle? Ideally, that leaves you with about 4 to 6 weeks (or maybe a little longer) to focus on base building, general fitness, and transition work. I talk a lot about "bridging the gap," and that's exactly what this middle phase does: it bridges the gap between your recovery phase and getting your body to a place where it can actually tolerate the hard, race-specific work ahead. Plan Around Your Real Life The goal of this planning phase is to lay everything out so you don't get blindsided later on. I highly recommend using a blank calendar to pencil everything in—and I literally mean pencil, because you are going to need to erase and adjust! Look at your upcoming work travel, holidays, and family trips. Honestly, one of the biggest segment killers I see is runners taking a vacation during the final 6 to 8 weeks of a training block. Going to Disney and spending all day on your feet, or taking a winter ski vacation, makes it nearly impossible to get proper training in. I don't care what your intentions are—if you are on a ski slope all day, you are not getting your runs in! Plan around these events in advance so you can adjust your schedule and run your hard workouts before you leave. The Golden Rule: Volume Before Intensity If you find yourself short on time, or if you are adjusting a plan that starts with mileage that feels a little too low for you, remember this rule: always focus on building volume before intensity. You can absolutely bump up your easy volume, but do not add volume and intense workouts at the same time. When people try to add both simultaneously, that is usually when they end up injured 6 to 8 weeks down the road. Build your easy base mileage back up to where it needs to be first, and then the intensity will naturally follow. Don't be upset if you have to start at a lower intensity. It is a process, and it's much better to ease in than to go all-in on goal paces too early and get injured before you even reach that crucial 8-week race-specific block. Lay your schedule out, pencil it in, and protect those non-negotiables. Next time, in Lesson Three, we'll dive into starting out at the right intensities. Talk to you later! LHR Community:https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/community/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukehumphreyhmm/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LukeHumphreyRunning Training Plans: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/training-plans/Team LHR: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/team-lhr/Personal Coaching: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/coaching/Books: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/books/
Transcribe →Podcast: Incremental improvements- goal vs current pace
Nov 1000:17:53Tap to summarizeMastering Your Training Paces: Goal Pace vs. Current Pace Listen up, runners! Once you’ve mapped out your training plan and laid out the structure of your mileage, the absolute most important step to take is making sure you are starting out at the correct intensity. In my early coaching days and in the first edition of the Hansons Marathon Method, I almost exclusively talked about "Goal Pace". But as we’ve grown and analyzed more data, it's become clear that starting your training block exactly at your goal pace isn't always the smartest move, especially if you haven't run a marathon in a few years. Let’s break down the critical differences between Goal Pace and Current Pace, and how you should use them to have your best race day yet. The Trap of the "Goal Pace"Goal pace is the pace you ultimately want to sustain on race day, and ideally, it's where we want your fitness to be during the last month of your training plan. If you are an experienced runner looking to shave just a few minutes off your personal best (say, going from a 3:00 to a 2:57 marathon), setting your workouts to your goal pace right away might only change your splits by a few seconds per mile. That's a highly manageable jump. But here is where runners get into trouble: if you are trying to take massive chunks of time off your personal best—like going from a 4:00 to a 3:30 marathon—jumping straight into goal pace can send you right over the edge. Think about it: if you set your early workouts to a 3:30 marathon goal pace before your body is ready, you might be running your marathon-pace workouts faster than your current half-marathon pace. Your speed work could suddenly be faster than what you can currently run for a 5K! This is completely unsustainable and puts you behind the eight ball from day one. Similarly, be careful with race equivalency calculators. Plugging a recent 5K time into a calculator to get a marathon equivalent gives you a great 30,000-foot view. However, it often grossly overestimates your current marathon fitness. Treat those calculator times as an end-goal or a ceiling to approach as you get race-specific, not as the paces for your first few weeks of training. Embracing Your "Current Pace"For the first four to five weeks of your training plan, you need to shift your focus to your Current Pace. This is your actual, baseline fitness right now. By using your current fitness, you ensure you don't overtrain early on. But how do we find it if the calculators don't line up? Use Recent Race Data: This is your most relevant workable data. If you just ran a summer 5K or 10K series, use that to dictate your half-marathon training. If you are moving up to the full marathon, a recent half-marathon gives you pretty good baseline information, though you should take it with a grain of salt as it might still slightly overestimate your full marathon fitness. Make sure your tune-up races align with the specific training and strength work you've been doing. Course Comparisons: If you're switching from a flat course to a hilly one, compare your past equal-distance races. You can use tools like findmymarathon.com to see what an equal effort on a flat course (like Chicago or Glass City) equates to on a hilly course (like Boston) to guide your expected current paces. The Six-Minute Test: If you've had a long layoff and don't know where you stand, try a six-minute test. Essentially, you run as far as you can in six minutes to extrapolate reliable data about your current fitness level. Bridging the Gap: Progressing from Current to Goal PaceYou don't want to stay at your current pace forever, but you have to earn the right to progress. Do not jump to a faster pace level just for the sake of jumping! You need to wait until you have the data to support the move. As your coach, I recommend waiting four to six weeks before adjusting your paces—about four weeks for consistently training, experienced runners, and at least six weeks for newer runners. Spending an extra two weeks at your current pace allows you to truly maximize the physical adaptations of your current fitness level, which is incredibly beneficial. During this time, look at your aerobic efficiency and aerobic decoupling metrics. Track how efficient your heart rate is staying on your long, easy runs and whether you are seeing big heart rate jumps over longer workouts. You can easily pull this data from Garmin Connect apps, Coros dashboards, or a paid Strava subscription. Once your efficiency data, a new six-minute test, or a tune-up race proves your fitness has improved, you can confidently plug those new projected times into your training log (like Final Surge) and march closer to your goal pace. Set yourself up for success by starting in the right spot. Honor where your fitness is today, stay healthy, and you'll be hitting those big goal paces when it actually matters 6 to 8 weeks down the road. Keep the train rolling! LHR Community: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/community/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukehumphreyhmm/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/LukeHumphreyRunning Training Plans: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/training-plans/Team LHR: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/team-lhr/Personal Coaching: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/coaching/Books: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/books/
Transcribe →Mastering Marathon Training: Key Principles
Nov 300:12:36Tap to summarizeSummary In this conversation, Luke discusses the essential components of successful marathon training, emphasizing the importance of endurance, stamina, consistency, understanding fatigue, and maintaining a healthy relationship with nutrition. He outlines how to build endurance and stamina, the significance of consistent training, and the need to differentiate between general fatigue and overtraining. Additionally, he highlights the importance of proper fueling for performance, encouraging runners to view food as a source of energy rather than a restriction. Takeaways Endurance is the ability to cover a distance without regard to pace. Focus on building volume before intensity in training. Stamina is crucial for maintaining a desired pace during a marathon. Consistency in training is key to long-term success. Understanding the difference between tiredness and overtraining is essential. A healthy relationship with food can enhance performance. Nutrition should be viewed as fuel for training, not a restriction. Runners need to adjust their caloric intake based on training demands. Losing weight should not be the primary goal of training. Focusing on five key areas can lead to successful marathon training. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Marathon Training Essentials02:12 Building Endurance and Stamina05:20 The Importance of Consistency in Training07:30 Understanding Fatigue vs. Overtraining10:09 Nutrition and Fueling for Performance Support our work: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LHRunning LHR Community: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/community/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukehumphreyhmm/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeHumphreyRunning Training Plans: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/training-plans/Team LHR: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/team-lhr/Personal Coaching: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/coaching/Books: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/books/
Transcribe →The Ultimate Guide to Boston Marathon Prep
Oct 3000:38:30Tap to summarizeThe Boston Marathon is not just a race; it's a journey that demands strategic planning and preparation. As a seasoned runner who has experienced both triumphs and challenges on this iconic course, I want to share insights that can help you run your best Boston. Understanding the Course: Boston is a course that rewards patience and punishes haste. With its rolling hills and infamous Heartbreak Hill, it's crucial to tailor your training to these unique challenges. Start by working backward from the race date, ensuring your training plan aligns with the course's demands. Training Plans: For most runners, a 14-week dedicated training plan is ideal. This timeframe allows you to build on your existing fitness without overextending yourself. Whether you're aiming for a sub-3-hour finish or simply to enjoy the experience, there's a plan that fits your goals. Hill Preparation: Incorporating hill workouts into your routine is essential. These sessions not only prepare your muscles for the course's demands but also build strength and resilience. Remember, hills are speed work in disguise, enhancing your overall performance. Recovery and Balance: Recovery is as important as training. Allow yourself time to recover from previous races before diving into marathon prep. This balance ensures you're physically and mentally ready to tackle Boston. Prepare wisely, train smart, and embrace the challenge. The Boston Marathon is more than a race; it's a celebration of endurance and determination. Subscribe now for more insights and tips on conquering the marathon world. Links for Boston 6 Week Prep: https://bit.ly/4myndqj Boston Plans: https://bit.ly/3IDlC4B Join Our Community: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/team-lhr/
Transcribe →Podcast: Unlocking Your Marathon Potential: Strategies for Spring Success
Oct 2700:15:56Tap to summarizeSummary In this episode of the Luke Humphrey Running Podcast, Luke discusses the transition from fall marathon training to preparing for spring marathons. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining training consistency during the off-season and provides insights into effective training strategies, including volume building and speed work. Luke outlines two scenarios for runners looking to improve their marathon times and offers practical advice for winter training considerations. Takeaways -Fall marathons are ending, and spring training begins in January.-Focus on maintaining training consistency during the off-season.-Consider joining a training group for structured support.-Volume is crucial for improving marathon speed.-Assess your weekly mileage to align with your marathon goals.-Incorporate speed work to improve race times.-Winter training requires adaptation to weather conditions.-Stay engaged with the running community for motivation.-Small, consistent progress is key to long-term improvement.-Avoid neglecting training to prevent setbacks. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Marathon Training01:07 Spring Marathon Training Plans03:03 Assessing Fall Race Performance03:42 Scenario 1: Increasing Marathon Speed through Volume08:36 Scenario 2: Improving Speed for Marathon Success12:40 Training Strategies for Winter Conditions15:31 Consistency and Health in Training Important Links Please support our work: buymeacoffee.com/LHRunning Boston Training Group: https://www.finalsurge.com/coach/LukeHumphreyRunning/training/programs/bostonmarathontraining FREE LHR Community: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/community/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukehumphreyhmm/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeHumphreyRunning Training Plans: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/training-plans/Team LHR: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/team-lhr/Personal Coaching: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/coaching/ Books: https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/books/
Transcribe →LHR Podcast: Approaching the Hansons Marathon Method Beginning Marathon Plan.
Oct 2000:20:40Tap to summarizeTranscript: Hey guys, this is Luke Humphrey. Welcome back to the Luke Humphrey running podcast. I appreciate all the great feedback from the last one. Yes, the audio is much better, right? And so I think that will be a much better listening experience. And a lot of you reconfirmed what I was kind of aware of. A lot of you listen to the podcast while you're running or doing whatever. It's nice to have that instead of just a YouTube video, which I would tend to agree with. In today's episode, I'd like to discuss the prerequisites for the HMM beginner plan, as they seem to be a fairly common source of confusion. And part of that is, when I wrote the book and talked to Kevin and Keith, we were aware of some things, but other things we were not aware of, and so some of it was just, we didn't know it was an issue until more people read the book and then it became apparent that it was an issue. And I think some of it is just because of how the beginner plan is set up and all that good stuff. So today, that's what I want to talk to you about because it really is our goal to make people as successful as possible. And so two, that means we have to make sure that they are in the right training plan, right? If they're not in the training plan, the training plan itself could be great, but if it's not the right one for you, then it's not going to do any good. So we want to make sure that you make the right choice in training plan and that it fits you where you're at no matter you know, one of things I'm going to talk about is just the fact that like sometimes you have to throw out the whole, you know, title of beginner intermediate advanced because a lot of times it's really just based on what you're trying to accomplish and what you can fit in during a week, right? It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or not. cause I think a lot of people will tell you that the beginner plan of Hansons Marathon Method is much more like an intermediate plan compared with other programs. So, with that being said, who is the beginner plan for? And I think that's the first place we should probably start. And so, you know, it's not necessarily recommended for those who are brand new to running, know, meaning that you signed up for a marathon because it was something that you wanted to do before you turned a certain age and you've never really run before and now you're gonna run a marathon in 18 weeks. This probably is not the best plan for you. I would recommend other things. So if that's you and you're listening to this, I encourage you to listen through this the whole way, but recognize that you're going to be better served taking another avenue. And it can still include this plan, but it might require more time between the time you're deciding to start this now. and when you really should be starting for your next, for your first marathon. cause I think there's, there's things you need to do to get ready to be able to handle what this schedule is going to be asking you to do. And so from my experience, a lot of people, put themselves in a situation. It's probably going to be a little over their head, maybe not right away, but what it's one of those things where you get six, eight, 10 weeks down the road and it just is all added up over time. It just becomes too much to be able to for your body to to keep up with and that's when things get bad pretty quick and then we're scrambling to try to even get you to the starting line and I think if we approach it the right way we don't have to we can take a lot of that worry out right and so so if this is you just talking about being a first-time marathoner what I would encourage you to do is take some time the very least build your volume up to 20 miles a week, right? So if you're starting from zero or you're only like, you know, a couple miles, a couple times a week and you're like, know, my kid is a perfect example. Like I thought she was gonna be running 10 miles a week in cross country this year. And I would say she probably averaged six a week. And that was basically her running at practice two miles, three times a week, right? Is what it came out to. So if that sounds about like you, then I would take some time, build that volume up to, you know, I would start with adding days first and then add volume to that, right? So if I'm running three days a week, I would go to four days a week and then five days a week over several, over a few weeks and then add volume to those runs to the point where you can get to 20 miles a week and feel fairly comfortable with that. And I think if you did that for four to six weeks, you could probably do that pretty easily. And then you would be in a position where maybe you could start the training plan. For instance, if you're listening to this and you have some time, but that date that you're going to run the marathon is set, like you already signed up, it's going to happen regardless, and you can't get out of it, then you have say 22, 23, 24 weeks, start now, build that volume up and get to the point where you can handle that volume. And then you can at least set yourself up for when you get to doing workouts in the beginner plan, you're going to be in a much better situation to handle them. Because now the volume itself isn't new. You're used to the volume. The only new thing that we'd be adding would be intensity. And it's when we're adding both volume and intensity at the same time that things can go pretty sour in a few weeks. Usually you can handle it for two to four weeks. And then it's just you've kind of reached that breaking point where It's just not tolerable anymore. Right? So the better option would be if there's not a date set now, take your time, build that volume to like 20 miles a week, like we talked about, and then do a training segment, like where you're doing a 5k would be the simplest thing to do, right? Train for a 5k run that 5k. Cause then you're going to introduce yourself one to more volume. You're going to introduce yourself to newer things in training, like some longer runs, some repeats on the track, some threshold runs, things like that. You're going to get more accustomed with that. So it's not necessarily about running the 5K itself, but it's more about learning the different variables in training and being able to apply those in training so that when you come to the marathon, which is much more important to you, then you'd be more prepared to be able to handle that. And you're going to know why we're doing certain things, right? And it's going to be much easier to apply to yourself than if we're just throwing you into it all at once. And so that's a lot to ask of somebody to learn all these new things that they're not necessarily accustomed to, and then add all these things in their training, that's probably gonna be too much and a little bit of overload for them. And it really doesn't set you up for a good chance to be successful in the marathon. That would be better, and then you can use that 5K that you race, and you can use the time from that, or whatever you decide to race. And then you can set an established time to start training for the marathon, you would give yourself a much better baseline to kind of know at least where to start on for a goal time, right? So, you run a 5K and X amount of time and you throw it into a chart, and it says, "Well, I can run a 430 marathon. Okay, well, that's a great place to start." We can throw that training in, and we can set our paces based on that 430 marathon. And then we can adjust accordingly based on how you handle that, right? So it just makes more sense to do it that way, but I get that. You might be behind the eight ball on this, and you've already signed up and now you're like, man, I'm, I've got to figure this out real quick. So, that's the adoption would be to just at least build your volume up before you start the training plan, and then start the training plan and go from there. All right. So, given all that, I would recommend the beginner plan for a person who has experience as a runner. They've run other races. They've run, you know, 15, 20 to 30 miles a week before they've done different types of workouts or at least are aware of these different types of workouts, things like that. It can be their first marathon. That's not, know, if somebody has experience in racing, you know, five Ks, 10 Ks, maybe even a half marathon, then yes, absolutely. The beginner plan would fit that person pretty well, right? It's more about if a person is brand new to running, this plan itself is probably. a little much for that person. Especially if there's no time. If you're starting right from scratch, jumping into a plan, probably too much. But if you have experience and you've raced other races, the Beginner Plan is a great place to start. I would even argue that if you've run a marathon or two, maybe three marathons, say your first one, you just kind of took on a whim and you just followed a plan on the internet. And then the second one, maybe you got a Hale Higdon book or something like that, or a Galloway book or whatever. And you followed those, but now you're trying to get, okay, now I'm more performance minded. I really want to see where I can go. You're looking at what we were, it was in the plans, and you're like, Wow,, that beginner plan might be too easy, but the advanced plan is probably too much. I would start with the beginner plan. I've had people run, you know, well under three 30 on the beginner plan. I have people who just stay with the beginner plan, right? They used it once they started seeing improvement. So that's just kind of what they stick with. And they know, I think they throw in a little bit of their own personal tweaks here and there, for the vast majority of the schedule is the beginner plan, and they have done really, really well with it and it fits a lot of people. So that's what I was talking about earlier,...
Transcribe →
LHR Podcast: Addressing Hansons Marathon Method Myths
Oct 1300:22:13Tap to summarizeTranscript:Hey everyone, welcome back to the LHR podcast. It's been a while. We've been revamping a lot of stuff behind the scenes on our website and things like that. fortunately the podcast took a little bit of a backseat, but I think we're back now. I think we're going to be in a position where we can do things much more regularly. when I was going back and looking at some stuff, you know, we got some pretty old, it's a pretty old content that probably needs to be updated. So, Be on lookout for that, just some new updates on some old topics, maybe more just really improving the quality of the content. I know some of the audio and the older stuff that we have out there is pretty rough at points. So trust me, I know. I'm aware. That was a long time ago. And things have definitely improved since then. So. Be on the lookout for that, but we're going to start off today with kicking some things off with spelling some myths of Hanson's Marathon Method, which if you don't know, my name is Luke Humphrey. I am the owner of Luke Humphrey Running. I've been coaching since 2006 and myself and alongside a lot of the assistant coaches that work for me, we're members of the Hanson's Distance Project for a number of years. have a couple. current athletes still there. And then I am the author of the Hanson's Marathon Method book series. you know, we've been not the sometimes we get confused with being the authors of the program, but that is definitely not me. That is for sure, Kevin and Keith Hanson, which I guess I've just kind of become a spokesperson for over the years. But, you know, our a lot of our coaching is based off of what Kevin and Keith have taught us. And And as the author of the Hansen's Marathon Method, I get to field a lot of those questions. So what I want to do today is just kind of discuss really the three biggest things I get with people who are kind of on the fence with Hansen's Marathon Method. Maybe they have some friends putting some things in their ears. Definitely some people, some influencers and bloggers and YouTubers with their own take on things, which I would. agree with some of it not necessarily all of it. think there's some things that need to be clarified. think when you see when I see people say or write certain things it's kind of clear to me that they didn't necessarily look at the whole program they just looked at a PDF file of the plan and didn't really look at what we explain in the book. So hopefully this will help you. make a decision, whether it's not to be with us, we just want you to be in the best program for you, but we do feel that this will help this program, the Hanson's Marathon Method will help a lot of people reach their goals, whether it's to run, you know, sub three hours or just complete their first one, you know, as best that they possibly can. And, you know, whether that's, you know, three, thirty, four or five hours, we definitely feel like we can we can get you there. So let's jump right into it. The first one that I get a lot is that it's a low mileage or less is more type of program. And I can attest to you that that is not the case. Even VeloPress, who published Hanson's Marathon Method books, they were kind of on that train at the start as well. They wanted a title to kind of reflect that. I know that when Kevin and Keith https://youtu.be/5vTGIYrmGqk gave me the opportunity to write the book, we saw it and we're like, I don't really know if that's the best route to go. And we kind of explained to them, you really have to look beyond certain aspects of the program and you'll realize that it's definitely not a less is more. You're running six days a week and even though the long run is only 16 miles, you're putting in… a significant amount of mileage and really more miles than a lot of programs you'll find, you know, free programs on the web or, you know, what you see in other books and things like that. So you really have to take a whole 30,000 foot view of what the program's really saying and not be so hyper-focused on one aspect. And so, as I mentioned, I think that, I think that people get stuck on that 16 mile thing pretty easily, because that's what, you know, that's the point that people see the most. Like that's, you know, that's what was marketed in the book. And that's what people will first bring up is that the long run is only 16 miles. And like I said, I think people get really fixated on that. And it's not, it's not the whole program. And they tend to put blinders on what they just see that they don't really look at, you know, what you're doing before and after that. And so I think you really have to look at what you're doing leading up to that 16 mile long run and then what you're doing after that. And so it really becomes a point of balance and being able to fit a lot more stuff into a program than just putting a hyper focus on the long run. And then I think too, where people get fixated is they will look at like the first two weeks of the program and more so the beginner program. a little bit less in with the advanced program because you jump into certain things a little bit quicker in the advanced program. But in the beginner plan for sure, you have several weeks where it's a very gradual buildup. And I agree that that, when you look at that, yes, you would kind of look at that like, oh, it's not really a whole lot. But once you actually get into the program beyond that first few weeks and we start doing some things, then I think that… it becomes clear really quick that it's not a less is more, not a less is more plan. So, you know, I'm going to talk more about the 16 mile long run in a second, but the truth is with HMM, you definitely put in a significant amount of miles. Like I said, you're building to six days a week. You're running two to three, you know, what we call SOS days per week, which, you know, two workouts in a long run. And then your easy volume is fairly significant with You know, being over an hour for a lot of people on your easy runs. so it, the mileage will add up pretty quickly. And, know, what we have found that it's not necessarily the volume that gets to people. It's when the intensity is too much for a person. And so, but we do, I think a really good job of just putting that into context in the book and trying to explain and, know, whether you see on these podcasts and things like that, where we really put a lot of emphasis on. appropriate intensities given the day. And I think if people can kind of lock into that mentality, they not only survive the training, but they actually thrive with the training. And so it's hard for sure, but it's incredibly doable when you go beyond what you just see in highlights and what other people are saying about, the book or whatever, but haven't really put it into practice completely. And so you can, you, can do a lot more than you think you can. And we hold your hand and do that for you with the book, with everything on our site and everything like that. So I would take a little bit deeper dive into some of that stuff and see if it's a right fit for you. Moving on from that, though, I think the second point is that 16 miles is the longest you're allowed to go. And I think the biggest thing you have to clarify here, Kevin says this all the time when Kevin was doing Kevin, you know, I've spent a lot of time with Kevin when he was doing a lot of the programs and, know, this all comes back from Kevin and Keith wanting to do a training program for people training for the Detroit Marathon, which we're in the Detroit Metro area. Their four stores are in the Detroit Metro area. And, you know, obviously the Detroit Marathon is a big part of the running community around here. And so they really wanted to do a good program for that. you know, they were doing clinics and hosting clinics in the stores and that's kind of how. I got started with kind of looking at that after I finished my master's degree at Oakland University. And they said, well, you'd be a good fit. And their kids were getting older and they wanted to kind of move away from that so they could spend more time with their family. And so I was like 23, 24 at the time. And so it made good sense for me to move into that. But anyway, he would say that it's not about 16, it's not about 20. Neither one of those numbers are. are magic numbers, right? They're not the end all be all, you know, as I've coached, you know, I've been coaching since 2006. I've seen a lot of things in those, those two decades where, know, you'll see people hit the wall at 16 miles and then you can have people not hit the wall at all. you know, and I think you get stuck on that where you see so really everywhere you look, it's like, well, the 20 miles race begins at 20. It's true. Yes, the race, it's almost like your halfway point is almost like the 20 mile mark, right? But it's not, it's not a given and it's not a, prerequisite to being able to run a marathon that you can cover a 20 mile long run in your training, especially if it's a 20 mile long run that takes you four hours to do, or, you know, you focus so much on that 20 miler that you really aren't doing much the rest of the week. And so. That's really where I really feel like Kevin and Keith were coming from with that. It's like, we kind of have a rule 25 to 30 % of your weekly volume and kind of combine that with three hours, right? So for the vast majority of people that we work with, 16 miles fits well within that 25 to 30 % of their volume and that three hour rule. But I would also say too that if I've had a person who's run that's gone through the program a couple times and they've done really well, they've managed the training pretty well, they've seen success, then I have no problem moving them up to 18, 20 mile long runs because, especially with the advanced program, you're peaking at about 60 miles a week, little over maybe,...
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Jan 29, 202400:18:52Tap to summarizeAs a coach or an athlete, we look for guides as to how much work is an appropriate amount for a given athlete. I have mentioned this before, but again, often we discuss the 80/20 rule in training- 80% of our work should be easy and 20% hard. The question then becomes what is hard and what is easy, and in terms of hard, how should that look? So, I’d like to break down some general guidelines. In terms of the 20%, for most of my athletes, that’s going to be anything faster than half marathon pace. However, when talking about true definitions of hard, researchers will argue that 20% is anything harder than the lactate threshold, or the pace that you can hold for about an hour. Race pace, that’s anything from 10k pace to just under 20k race pace for my fastest athletes. Right now, let’s look at threshold work. Now to be clear as mud, the term threshold has a lot of names. The most current is LT2, which stands for 2nd lactate threshold. In practical matters, it’s the point where blood lactate starts to accumulate exponentially. You have probably also heard the terms anaerobic threshold, lactate threshold, the onset of blood lactate accumulation, or maximal lactate steady state. These are the same thing. Ok, got it? Good! Now, what you want to know- how much can I include in my weekly volume? Well, the rule of thumb appears to be that I can include about 10% of my weekly mileage in the form of threshold work. Now, I must caveat this with the point that, when reading this, don’t think that every week should include 10% threshold work. No, we are just saying that when including threshold work, these should be your guidelines. What kind of workouts should I be doing? At the basis of theory, you have two options. The first is the traditional tempo. The second would be repeated at your LT. Is either of them better than the other? I wouldn’t say that, as both have a place in training and they both have different features. So, any type of runner would benefit from incorporating both. Tempos: Most coaches agree that a 20-minute tempo at LT is the staple of building stamina in the endurance runner. Now, coaches will extend those out based on ability. For example, coach Joe Vigil talks about extending these out to 6-8+ miles for his elite runners. On the other hand, Jack Daniel’s talks about doing longer tempo runs, but slowing the pace down, the further you go so that by the time you get to about 60 minutes, the pace is much closer to the marathon pace than the original threshold pace. As a lower mileage runner, a 20-30 minute tempo run might essentially be your 2-3 miles allotted for a threshold allowance for the week. It might also be a pretty tough run. If you are a higher mileage runner a 20-minute tempo might be 4 miles, but you are under that 10% allotment. We then have an issue- do we get that extra few miles in another workout, make the current workout longer, or just let it go? That’s where LT repeats can come in for both groups. LT Repeats LT repeats would be like any other repeat you did for speed, just a little slower (maybe) and less recovery. You might end up with a little overall volume. Overall, we are looking at repeats that are maybe 3+ minutes in length with a pretty short recovery. For most athletes repeats of 800’s to km’s are the Goldilocks distance. 6-10 x 800 5-10 x 1k 4-8 x 1200 These would all be staple workouts. I like the repeat for a few different avenues. One, when just building up. These make a lot of sense for all groups. Whether you are just starting as a beginner or just the beginning of a segment. It allows athletes to accumulate more time and volume without quite as much stress. It also opens the door to getting creative with some combination workouts (speed and LT or LT and half marathon pace). If LT is hard for you then going the repeat route allows a little faster recovery to allow for a second quality session along with a long run if placed right. Whereas a tempo might need to negate that second workout for the same runner. There are quite a few plays with this. Now, don’t take this as me saying I don’t like tempos. I certainly do. In fact at higher mileage, when running a half marathon, not only would a person do a tempo of 10-20 minutes, but they could do something that would represent multiple tempos on the same workout. I think using a tempo or a race that will put you in that 20-30 minute range every 4-6 weeks during the appropriate segment makes a lot of sense as a checkpoint in development. I mentioned it earlier, but what about doing half-marathon pace work? How would that work? Well, let’s look at it this way. Say you are a 60-minute 10k runner (about 9:40/mile), that would put an equal ability half marathon time at about 2:13. The faster you get, the closer half marathon pace is to the true LT pace, while the slower you are, the further away you get from what your lactate threshold pace would be. Regardless, the half marathon pace is significantly slower than LT, so I don’t necessarily adhere to that 10% guideline as much. Depending on the person, and how fast they are, I might keep their LT work to repeats, but as a second workout of the week, add an appropriate distance half marathon pace “tempo” run, that is, easier to manage. Secondly, it is a race-specific pace that I would want a person to be dialed into by the time the race came around. How much that is, to me it really depends on the person and how well I see them tolerating what I am giving them. Runner LevelLT WorkHalf Marathon WorkBeginner400-1k repeats800-mile repeats/ build to 2-4 miles @ goal pace runsIntermediate600-1200 repeats1-2 mile repeats/3-6 miles @ paceAdvanced runner800-1 mile (maybe 2-3k)1-3 mile repeats/3-7 miles @ goal pace Examples of how I might progress runners based on mileage and ability. That should give you a start on the topic of threshold training. If you want to dive a little deeper, you can check out the articles below. https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/lactate-threshold-and-the-marathon/ https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/mixed-pace-workouts/
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