How marathon training works

How Running Works: How Running Works: The Workout and Recovery ProcessThe Workout and Recovery Process

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Motivation | Results | Answers


““The recovery process is just as important as the hard The recovery process is just as important as the hard workouts you do”workouts you do”

If you’ve done any reading about training, you’ve probably come across this statement before, but maybe

you didn’t fully understand why it was true or how it worked. I want to use this presentation to illustrate

exactly how the workout/recovery cycle works. So, sit back, relax and enjoy!


Joe Runner’s Original Level of Fitness

Mon | Tue | Wed | Thur | Fri | Sat | Sun

\

Day of the Week

Joe’s Hypothetical 5k Time

First, let’s set the table – Here are what the axis on our graph stand for

5k

Tim

e

22:00

18:00


1. First Workout: Joe completed his workout on Monday morning. This line represents how Joe’s body is responding to the training

Original Fitness Level


5k

Tim

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22:00

18:00


1. First Workout

2. Post Workout: As you can see, post workout, Joe’s muscles are fatigued and his “fitness” is actually worse than before he started


5k

Tim

e

22:00

18:00


2. Post Workout: Muscles are fatigued

3. Recovery and Supercompensation: Once he recovers from the hard workout, Joe’s fitness

increases.


1. First Workout

5k

Tim

e

22:00

18:00


Great, so how do I put that together in a training plan?


Workout #1


5k

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18:00


Workout #1 Workout #2


5k

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Workout #1 Workout #2Workout #3


5k

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22:00

18:00


NEW LEVEL OF FITNESS!


5k

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22:00

18:00


I Get It!

But, what happens if I workout again before I am recovered?


Workout #1


5k

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22:00

18:00


Workout #1Workout #2


5k

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18:00



Workout #3


5k

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18:00



Workout #3


No Fitness Gained

5k

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Wow, that makes sense, but how do hard workouts and medium workouts

fit into the equation?


Hard Workout = A lot of fatigue


Example of a Hard Workout

5k

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Hard Workout: And it takes a long time to Recover



5k

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But a LOT of fitness gained once you recover



5k

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Example of a Medium workout


Medium Workout: Not as much fatigue or recovery time needed

5k

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But, you don’t get a BIG gain in fitness


Example of a Medium workout

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So, how does it all come together…



Hard Workout Assigned

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First, we have a hard workout



Easy Recovery Runs or Off Days Assigned

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Second, we have easy recovery runs or off days in between the hard workouts to facilitate recovery



Medium Workout Assigned

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Third, we assign a medium workout to capitalize on the fitness gains from the hard workout to keep improving fitness or to get ready for another hard workout



Medium Workout

5k

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18:00

Combining the easy, medium, and hard workouts in the right order and frequency is the way in which you can start running faster.

Hard Workout

Easy Run


This is the foundation of your training plan This is the foundation of your training plan and why your runs are scheduled in the and why your runs are scheduled in the

order they are. By being smart and running order they are. By being smart and running the workouts as closely as planned, you’ll be the workouts as closely as planned, you’ll be setting yourself up to improve and to keep setting yourself up to improve and to keep

getting faster! getting faster!

How marathon training works

Self Improvement

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