How to Break Through the 4-Hour Marathon Barrier?
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On Running
Even if there are no races, running training still needs to be carried out.
For young male runners with generally good physical fitness, a full marathon in 4 hours is a challenging but achievable goal, prone to falling out after a brief rest
I have been running for 20 years, and I have several gauges for my running performance. 310, 330, 345, 400, 430, 500. These gauges have different experiences of quantity turning into quality, similar to a threshold, and the experience during this period is also quite different. Before, I wrote how to break through 330, today I'd like to share with you about the 400 threshold
Many runners, from starting to completing marathons, to pursuing results, always experience some quantitative changes leading to qualitative changes. A full marathon of 4 hours is a huge watershed moment, dividing runners into 'temporary runners' and 'system training' camps. A 35-year-old male runner breaking into 400 is likely to be a relatively simple and reasonable combination, with a monthly running volume of 150 kilometers, basically without problems.
Let's start with the basic hard indicators:
1Monthly running volume reaches 150 kilometers
2Single run distance exceeds 30 kilometers
310 kilometers into 50 minutes
With these three indicators, it's not a problem to enter the full marathon in 4 hours.
I150 kilometers monthly running volume combination
First, let's talk about 150 kilometers monthly running volume. It seems a lot or a little, depending on the training. If trained every other day, with relaxed running + interval training + lactate threshold running alternating, and weekend long-distance runs, the training is already quite good. Of course, this 150 kilometers cannot be extreme, such as running 5 kilometers every day, even if the monthly running volume is 150 kilometers, it is completely useless, just for maintenance running, not training; or running a marathon every week, also not training, that cannot achieve what we said about the other two indicators.
Monthly 150, when you first start, should be mainly relaxed running, primarily accumulating mileage. Gradually increasedistancespeedThat is, gradually to meet the other two indicators.
IISingle run LSD 30 kilometers
Now let's talk about the matter of exceeding 30 kilometers in a single run. How many people have never run 30 kilometers in training, just to run a marathon, or all their over-30 kilometers are in the race? I think there are quite a few.
A single 30-kilometer long-distance slow run should not be a strenuous effort, but a natural result of gradually accumulating mileage. Long-distance slow running is the foundation of endurance and the core of marathons. It's like building a foundation, allowing us to continuously become more and more enduring. The more calmly and unhurriedly a single 30-kilometer run is during training, the stronger the endurance will become. In Beijing, there's an 'Aosen 30KM LSD Jogging Group' which is a well-known expert in the core of marathons. Runners in that group have good results.
For a 4-hour runner, a single 30-kilometer LSD is key to preventing speed decrease, many people's failure to enter 4 hours is due to excessive speed decrease in the latter half. From the perspective of finishing time, runners who can finish in 4 hours generally have almost the same speed throughout the whole race. Runners who are outside 4 hours 40 minutes will generally slow down in the latter half.
IIISpeed habits 5 minutes/kilometer pacing
Finally, let's talk about speed indicators. To complete a marathon in 4 hours, the average pace should be around 5 minutes and 40 seconds. Excluding water stations, toilet breaks or other temporary situations, the normal running speed should be controlled at 5 minutes and 35 seconds. This means that if you can get used to a 5-minute-35-second pace over 10 kilometers, it's not a problem to maintain a 5-minute-35-second pace in a marathon.
For 4 hours, the requirement for absolute speed is not high, if the step frequency is 180, one step is about 0.98 meters, less than 1 meter, it's a very relaxed rhythm. It's a very good training rhythm. When you get used to a step frequency of 180 in training, the difference is mainly in step length. Even if it's a 5-minute pace, a step frequency of 180, one step is only 1.11 meters.
In summary, you will see a typical 4-hour runner running like this:
Step frequency 180, one step about 1 meter, not much difficulty in each step. The endurance built through training provides a solid foundation, allowing you to maintain this state to the finish line. It's that simple.
Those who can't enter the full marathon in 4 hours are mostly due to insufficient endurance, and the older ones are mostly due to insufficient absolute speed (and mainly because they don't take big steps).
If you can already run into 4 hours and 20 minutes, you can focus on increasing speed or endurance in two directions.
IVTactical strategies to avoid mistakes in the final stage
Breaking into 4 hours, having the required training elements for monthly running volume, speed, endurance and final stage performance. A runner who can run a marathon in 4 hours is basically following a scientific approach to running. Entering the next stage of 345, 330, 310, 300 or even faster is a natural progression.
With 3-4 months of gradual progress and systematic training, even if you fail, you can still recover to a pretty good level.
In 2020, where are you planning to break 4 hours?
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20204
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