Luke Humphrey (1)

Another book that could have been a pamphlet. The basic strategy is to run a lot. Specifically, 6 days a week, with 1 speed/strength workout, 1 tempo run, and one long run, with easy runs the other days. In other words, the same approach used by virtually every programme out there. The one big difference is the deemphasis of the long run, which is limited to 25% of total weekly mileage. Instead of resting before/after and making it the focus of training, it is only a bit longer than the show more "easy" runs, but meant to be run on somewhat tired legs. This approach aims to provide high volume with lower risk of injury.

There are three versions of the training plan, which are somewhat confusingly labeled (the "beginner" is actually intermediate), and all assume a baseline level of fitness and the ability to run several miles at least a few times a week. So this is not a "couch-to-13.1" approach, but meant for runners who have already built up to the 10k distance and looking to progress from there, or marathoners looking to improve performance at the relatively shorter distance.

The rest of the book is fairly standard running advice, likely too rudimentary for anyone able to complete the training programme. The nutrition section is predictably a bit weird, as these things tend to be. While generally sound, it's clearly meant for the elite runner who weighs 140 lbs and runs 95 miles per week and is looking only to improve their finish times, not at all concerned with overall fitness or strength or worried about losing weight. As such, it is high in carbs, which is fine, but at the expense of protein, which comprises a mere 10-15% of calories. For a 2000 calorie diet, that means only 50-75 grams of protein per day, which is at best half of the general recommended range to preserve or increase muscle mass. Another minor yet weird anomaly is favouring fruit over vegetables, which brings in a lot of extra sugar.

But worst of all, there is almost no mention of heart rate or zones. Instead, the plans rely solely on pace, based on goal time and previous race results. As if we were back in the 80's before heart rate monitors were a thing. And for the more elite athletes, there is no real discussion of lactate thresholds, VO2_max, or the other metrics that are commonly used in almost every modern competitive traininig system. While the results may ultimately end up doing the same thing, and this approach is arguably simpler and hence easier to follow, it's a lot less scientific and doesn't optimize training based on environmental or factors or physiology. show less

***.5

The Hansons approach is notorious for its high mileage and few days off. Although generally best for competitive athletes, many normal people have also found success with their programs. As indicated by the title, this book is meant for people of all abilities who are training for their first marathon. This runs the gamut from a Couch-to-Marathon plan for beginners who are just starting running, to experienced runners at shorter distances looking to step up to the longer distance. show more
Probably the biggest departure from most programs is the cap of 16 miles for the longest run. But don't be fooled into thinking that you're getting off easy, as the weekly mileage is high and the long run is done on tired legs. Throughout the week there are various types of high intensity workouts, including a 10-mile run at goal marathon pace.

As with the previous book of theirs, they aren't big fans of using heart rate zones, and rely instead on pace based training targets. While this is certainly appropriate for competitive athletes trying to improve their PR time, for a book aimed at first time marathoners without a time to beat, I remain skeptical.

The training plans are 18 weeks long, which is on the short side for marathon training. They say that it's enough to be running 3-4 days for 10-15 miles per week before starting, but things escalate quickly, and within a few weeks they have you running 50 miles over 5-6 days per week with a 15 mile long run! Therefore, I would consider it essential to add a 6-8 week pre-plan buildup to 5 days and at least 20 miles per week before starting the actual plan. The most they suggest is an 8-week Couch-To-5k plan that culminates in a 30 minute jog, which in their view is plenty of time to complete a 5k. For many new runners, this is incredibly ambitious, and it can take several months to build up to that level of speed. So even though they are writing for first time marathoners, the target audience is still quite fit, able to finish the marathon in under 4 hrs after the 18 weeks. Which is out of reach for many people, especially beginners.

On the positive side, there's a lot of good no-nonsense information regarding all aspects of training, nutrition, hydration, recovery, etc. For instance, many books end with the big race, this one includes a whole chapter to answer the "and then?" questions that everyone has but are usually overlooked. Therefore, I would recommend this book to anyone contemplating their first marathon, even if they don't intend to follow the Hansons training plans. show less