Since commencing personalised training programs in 2009, the Front Runner coaching team has been primarily focused on assisting both recreational and competitive runners competing in events ranging from 800m to the Marathon, as well as Full and Half Ironman Triathlon.
Over time, the tracking of data (through GPS and online training software) and personalised exercise prescription based on the runner’s individual goals and training history, has allowed for empirical data to be compiled from our ever-growing database of motivated and goal-driven runners. As our database grows, we continue to observe certain trends in the data that help guide our coaching team towards more accurate and effective exercise prescription.
As well as a strong scientific element to data tracking, working with a team of nine engaged coaches all with individual experiences and qualifications has enabled an excellent structure to develop hypotheses on further improving exercise prescription. With the popularity of the Marathon continuing to increase in recent years, we have updated our dataset from 2018, focusing on those runners who have broken the magical 3h barrier.
3 of our Sub 3h Marathoners: Toni (2.43), Miki (2.55) & Yi-Jin (2.59) during the 2017 Perth C2S HM
As of March 2020, 91 Front Runner athletes on an individual exercise prescription have bettered the 3hr marathon. The aggregation of this many athletes at a high recreational marathon standard, in combination with monitored training prescription, has allowed us to identify some strong data trends. We hope that awareness and knowledge of this data will continue to help our Front Runner community progress towards their individual goals, as well as educated fellow runners and coaches interested in enhancing performance in recreational Marathon populations.
Through Training Peaks software, we analysed the data based on what we believe are two key principles for successful distance running and how they related to Marathon performance (goal time):
- Anaerobic Threshold: Measured as their best 10k race time within 12 months of their goal Marathon
- Volume: Peak 4 week mean volume within the final 3 months of their goal Marathon
A 10km race is a practical estimate of the anaerobic threshold (the upper limit of how well the body can sustainably use oxygen for energy – read more HERE). The lower the 10km time, the higher the anaerobic threshold and the more effectively the runner can utilise oxygen for aerobic metabolism.
The peak mean volume the runners were able to sustain for four consecutive weeks in the lead up to their Marathon is a practical indication of their muscular endurance. As running is a weight-bearing activity, covering 42.2km’s requires significant muscular endurance. Four consecutive weeks were chosen to ensure the volume was a sustainable peak and not a once-off.
Of the 91 Front Runner athletes to have officially broken 3h for the Marathon, objective data was available and collated from 65* of these athlete’s performances. *multiple sub 3h Marathon’s from the same athlete have been included.
Figure 1: Each runners 10km pace & Marathon pace was plotted against their weekly volume (n = 65)
Figure 2: As training volume increased, the difference between 10km and Marathon race pace decreased.
Full Data Set
n = 65 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 66 Slowest = 40.30 Slowest = 2.59 Max = 170 Fastest = 29.26 Fastest = 2.14 Mean = 120 Mean = 35.01 Mean = 2.43
Males Only
n = 58 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 66 Slowest = 40.30 Slowest = 2.59 Max = 170 Fastest = 29.26 Fastest = 2.14 Mean = 120 Mean = 34.51 Mean = 2.43
Females Only
n = 7 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 77 Slowest = 38.30 Slowest = 2.57 Max = 145 Fastest = 34.40 Fastest = 2.34 Mean = 119 Mean = 36.29 Mean = 2.47
Sub 2h 20min
n = 2 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 150 Slowest = 30.32 Slowest = 2.19 Max = 170 Fastest = 29.36 Fastest = 2.14 Mean = 160 Mean = 30.04 Mean = 2.16 2h 20min = 2h 29min
n = 6 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 140 Slowest = 32.30 Slowest = 2.29 Max = 170 Fastest = 29.26 Fastest = 2.22 Mean = 159 Mean = 31.23 Mean = 2.26
2h 30min – 2h 39min
n = 13 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 90 Slowest = 35.54 Slowest = 2.39 Max = 160 Fastest = 31.12 Fastest = 2.32 Mean = 136 Mean = 33.52 Mean = 2.35
2h 40min – 2h 49min
n = 22 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 90 Slowest = 37.15 Slowest = 2.48 Max = 165 Fastest = 33.20 Fastest = 2.40 Mean = 121 Mean = 35.11 Mean = 2.44
2h 50min – 2h 59min
n = 22 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 66 Slowest = 40.30 Slowest = 2.59 Max = 140 Fastest = 34.50 Fastest = 2.50 Mean = 94 Mean = 36.59 Mean = 2.55 Breaking the Sub 3h Marathon (2h 55min – 2h 59min)
n = 15 Volume (km/week) 10km time Marathon time Min = 72 Slowest = 40.30 Slowest = 2.59 Max = 140 Fastest = 35.36 Fastest = 2.55 Mean = 97 Mean = 37.14 Mean = 2.57
Primary Observation
The clearest trend from the graphs on figure’s 1 & 2 is the reduced vertical gap between the trend lines for 10km and Marathon pace as you move to the right – i.e. the MORE volume you run, the LESS difference between your 10km and Marathon pace. We therefore conclude the following: for recreational runners chasing a sub 3h Marathon, your anaerobic threshold will determine the ceiling of your Marathon (i.e. the faster you can get over 10km, the faster your potential Marathon time) and your peak volume will determine how close you can get to that ceiling.
This presents a trade-off as such where runners who spend a lot of time increasing their 10km time at the expense of their weekly volume may find their Marathon may not improve. Alternatively, runners who chase the highest volume possible at the expense of specific training that will improve their 10km time, may also limit their Marathon performance.
Each runner will be different, bringing their own strength & weaknesses to the table. Therefore, to achieve your Marathon goals, we recommend consulting a qualified and educated coach who can provide you with an individualised program that contains an optimal distribution of training load across the week, that is periodised towards your end goal.
Additional Thoughts
- Specificity: Sustainable volume appears to correlate more closely with predicting Marathon performance than 10k time. This reflects the conditioning and the fatigue resistance of the musculoskeletal system, in addition to the fuelling changes in the cell that may relate to low intensity running specifically.
- The Complete Runner: The 10km & Marathon have similar attributes but different limiting factors, meaning relative success in one event doesn’t directly translate to the other event. To best enhance your Marathon performance, it is our belief that focussing on both volume and threshold increases is crucial to successful Marathon performance.
- VO2 Max: Training repetitions at VO2 max (i.e. above threshold – see HERE) appear to increase the relative risk of injury in recreational Marathon runners due to their fatigued training status. The perceived exception to this is if the athlete had track running experience from their youth.
- Strength Training: Resistance training that is targeted to the individual is the best asset for Marathon runners to remain consistent with their training. This is achieved by reducing injury risk under the high training loads associated with the Marathon as well as increasing their running economy (reducing energy cost @ Marathon pace). Adherence to strength training programs is most common post injury, however should be maintained where possible when in Marathon training (2x per week to improve strength, 1 x per week to maintain current strength).
- Biomechanics: Functional running drills and strides (see our YouTube channel HERE) that are performed 2-3x per week (as a W/U pre workout OR post easy runs) appear to be effective strategies for improving running economy in Marathon runners.
- The Group Effect: Group runs for easy aerobic volume sessions correlated with significantly greater adherence to their training program than prescribed but self-directed easy volume sessions. This advocates the role of “jogging groups” as an integral part of a balanced training program for recreational and advanced Marathon runners and not just group training for interval sessions.
We trust you enjoyed our insight into Marathon training and performance. If you wish to know more about this topic, or anything to do with your running training, please get in touch with our expert coaching team who are ready to assist you towards your next running goal! Please email us HERE or see our website HERE
May 2024
There’s no getting around it , training for a marathon is a long, hard slog. Early mornings, long afternoons and late nights. Add in inclement weather (luckily not a problem in Western Australia bar the scorching heat of summer ) and what started out as a good idea can become a ‘grind’. I always think about Brenden Foster’s quote when I get up for an early morning run and stumble out of bed on tired limbs, before staggering to the first kilometre of my run. It’s at this point I always remember to ignore your first kilometre, it lies to you, you will loosen up and rarely, if at all, have I finished worse than I started. In fact I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have regretted a run and over twenty plus years of running, consistently, that is a very small number.
I’m a big fan of the ‘train hard, race easy‘ approach to training. Basically the harder you train the easier the final race will be, simple really. Of course you need to also run the tightrope of avoiding injuries or burn out which is where the easy runs comes in. Runs where you just run for the pure love of running, no goal, no distance , just you and your thoughts. You are always tempted to run faster than you should and this has been the downfall of many runners, not giving their body times to recover. In my defence I do take a day off a week as I commute to work on my bike as you can see from my Strava (You are on Strava right? http://www.strava.com ) Highlighted in orange below.
As you can see from the image below I’m a big believer in double days and distance; sprinkle in some pace, avoid injury and you’re all good. Sounds easy right but you need to keep the fire burning, avoid the burn out that affects so many marathon runners. Personally I love the grind of marathon training as I feel my fitness levels increase and my daily runs start to finish quicker, as I run faster.
Keep an eye on heart rate though, no point running quicker but finishing totally spent, remember a marathon is 42km (or 26 miles for our American and British Cousins). Heart rate is an indicator of how hard you are running , what gear you are in basically. As you get fitter your heart rate will drop, in essence you’re running at the same pace but in a lower gear which means you can go for longer.
I’m also a big believer in running at marathon pace as much as possible when you train for a marathon, this way your marathon pace becomes ‘normal’ and the heart rate should adjust accordingly. Running a marathon is all about maintaining a target pace for as long as possible, the runner who slows down the least usually wins. Of course you also need to add pace, distance and easy runs.
Fatigue is another issue you will face in the middle of a marathon training block and fisiocrem is a necessity to ward this off. I have been using fisiocrem for many years but recently started to use it daily, twice a day and the results have been staggering, No long do I winch when I bend over to tie my laces, all niggles seem to have disappeared and my legs feel fresher for longer. There may be a placebo effect in there of course but it works for me and all I can do is recommend products I use. ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ )
An article by Toby Tanser in 2007 rings as true now as it did then.
Although there are a number of prominent, unique coaches working with the elite Kenyan distance runners today, the cornerstones of the “Kenyan program,” for nearly all, revolve around running fundamentals that were commonplace in the British Athletics training system in the 1970s and ’80s.Bruce Tulloh, Alex Stewart, and Peter Foster (brother to Olympic medalist Brendan) were three coaches who introduced the system that is still largely in place today. That the Australian phenomenal athlete, Craig Mottram, trains by these guidelines as well should tell us this is a system worth following.Catherine the GreatThe most consistent of Kenyan marathon runners has been Catherine Ndereba, who has used the same formula and training plan through her near decade-long marathon career that begun with a career-worst sixth place at Boston in 1999. She owns the remarkable record of winning a medal in every single championship that she has contested. “The first time I ran the marathon for Kenya, I won the World Championships,” she says. “Of course, running for my country is what counts; at the end of the career you are remembered by what you did for your country.”Ndereba uses a lighter mileage than her peers, running only between 75 to 90 miles per week. “This way I can keep my body fresh, and recovered,” she reasons. The focus she puts on her key marathons is extreme to the extent she will not extend herself in any session, even tune-up races, when honing in on the big day. Thus, she often falls in the world rankings during her key tune-up period.For a championship year, she runs a spring marathon with a twofold purpose: to prove to the selectors that she should be chosen, and also to test her body to see what aspects need working on. Her coach for her entire career, El-Mostafa Nechchadi, a charismatic Moroccan who once ran 2:10, likes to begin the program with hill training and strength work, yet never drifts too far from speed work that is event specific. This philosophy is shared with other Kenyan greats: “What’s the point of running 5K speed to race a marathon?” asks Lornah Kiplagat.Intervals are typically long reps with short recoveries. Short recoveries are a hallmark of Kenyan training. Joyce Chepchumba used 30 x 400m sessions with little rest prior to bringing home an Olympic bronze in 2000. “Why? There is no rest in the marathon,” she says, when asked about recovery time. “When I do 400s, it can be 30 seconds of rest.”Ndereba runs using this formula: 20 x 400m in 71-72 seconds, with a very short rest. She can pop off this session at any time of the year. Felix Limo rarely runs short intervals, but when he does–for example, a session of 400s–he “jogs” his 100m rest at a pace this author clocked at six minutes per mile!All Kenyan women, and Ndereba is a champion at this, adhere to the notion of running easy on the easy days. “On easy days, if you start pushing then the next day you cannot give 100 percent,” says Olympian and 2:27 athlete Alice Chelangat. “And nowadays if you speed and it is not 100 percent, then you better say goodbye to have any chances to win races.”Running with Ndereba on an easy session you will find the pace does not creep any faster than 7 minute per mile–slow considering her 5:17 per-mile PR marathon pace. Catherine is easily able to run a hard session one day and the next morning come out and burn a 10-miler at 6-minute pace. But she does not, and therein lies a Kenyan secret to success. It’s no different for most Kenyan men. Isaac Songok and Augustine Choge, for example, rarely break 8-minute pace on their easy runs.For Ndereba, the long run, the meat of the program, is run at a slow clip. “Easy speed up to 22 to 23 miles maximum,” she says. Five weeks prior to Osaka, she ran 7:30 pace for 23 miles. Tegla Loroupe ran under a similar program.Run Hard: Rest EasyLooking at the training diaries of three 2:06 marathon runners, Martin Lel, Felix Limo and Josephat Kiprono, you find a three-week cycle of long runs that moves from 30K to 35K to 38K before reverting to the shorter distance. For many, the long run is often the highest quality run of the week. Paul Tergat said one of his 35K runs in preparation for his world-record marathon was not that far off race pace.Rest is the most underrated word in the global running dictionary. Yet in Kenyan running, the best runners are the ones who best separate themselves from the outside world.“You can’t be thinking about business (for example real estate) and concentrating on running,” explains Solomon Busendich, who won the ING Amsterdam Marathon last October. “Your mind must be clear.”He cites the example of Boston Marathon champion Timothy Cherigat, whose life became so preoccupied with the wheeling and dealings of trying to build a gas station that his running career crumbled. The hotbed of Kenyan running, Iten, is a far throw from electric lights, busy calendars and the constant distraction of a typical American city.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
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BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/
or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ
The image above shows me at the end of what is probably my best ever race, a third place at the Fremantle half and a 56 second PB for the distance. I didn’t know it at the time but I would never run that well again, this run was the pinnacle of my running career. The funny thing was before the race I was close to not even starting as I so fatigued from the previous few weeks training I was worried I’d embarrass myself. In the end I rocked up very late to the start and decided I would run with the lead group, whatever pace that was, and hang on. I expected to get found out quickly and jettisoned off the back but what happened was quite the opposite and I ended up leading the way until the 18km mark when two far better runners decided it was time to change gears. Unfortunately I had been in top gear for a number of kilometres and had nothing in response, pity as I had already rehearsed my winners speech during the previous few kilometres.
Looking at my Excel sheet detailing my training for the end of 2016 (always have a backup incase Strava is highjacked by the Russians ! http://www.strava.com) you can see I was busy, very busy. Races are highlighted in blue, personal bests in red and wins in gold. Red numbers indicate the number of kilometres at sub 4min/k pace. This was a magical time in my running career, so many pb’s and a few wins, even a second age group at the World Masters Marathon in Perth. (7th overall) .
Leading into the Fremantle Half I had weeks of 104, 167, 164, 191, 149 and over 110km in the week of the race. I was so tired going into the race but somehow pulled off the run of my life of a 18 week intense training block including races every few weeks. So is the secret of running just run a lot and race a lot. Well yep, it looks like it is.
Unfortunately in 2017 I picked up a bad calf tear and my PB days were over . The start of the year went well enough although my times had slowed , especially Darlington Half where I had a PB of 1.17 in 2014. I ran the Bridges 10k and finished well enough but hung around for the awards ceremony where I won a bag for an age group win. In that time Mark Lommers brought me a cappuccino. The kicker was we had to run 3km back to showers and I ran with the bag. Dehydrated and running holding a bag didn’t end well and I somehow pulled my calf in the shower. This was then compounded by trying to stretch it out a few days later as I was desperate to run the Bunbury marathon later that week. I think I turned a tear into a bad tear confirmed by a scan.
A bad case of Plantar Fasciitis in 2018 was the final nail in the BK PB train, albiet I managed a win at the Australia day 100K and the Peninsula 10k before injury came calling . At 50 years old my days of running PB’s, for any distance under 100km , were over, this is when I found ultras. Three wins in 2022 at a 24 hour event, a 100km and a Backyard Ultra justified my move to the Ultra distances but I never thought it would be an all or nothing choice. ?
Well for the next six or so months I’m back into the world of marathon running starting with Bibra Lake in July and then Perth Marathon in October. ( https://perthrunningfestival.com.au/ ) Can I go sub 3 one more time at 57 years old ? Maybe but one thing for sure, if I do I won’t be mucking about with my watch for the finishing photo !
Run Further. Add distance, not speed.As you can see from the table my weekly average has steadily increased year on year with this year being the first I will break the 100k a week average for the year. In 2012 I was injured with a nasty calf knot, that I didn’t treat, which explains the delta compared to the previous year. 2014 my training had plateaued which is why I turned to Raf ( http://www.therunningcentre.com.au ) to train me in 2105 where my distance increased by 10%. I have taken this training forward and will probably increase another 10% this year. Distance first, everything else comes once the ‘foundation of distance’ has been achieved.
Run Faster. This is about adding pace after you have got your foundation after rule 1. 2011 was a break out year for me after 3-4 years of building a good running base. I had ran 3 Comrades campaigns in 2008-2010 ( http://www.comrades.com ) so my distance foundation was well and truly complete. In 2011 every time I put on a bib I was confident of a pb. It was a wonderful year. Unfortunately in 2012 I had a nasty injury which set me back but towards the end of the year I was able to train consistently again and in 2013 I was again rewarded with a magical year of running.
Don’t get injured. This is the hardest rule to obey as you always want to do more of rule 1 and 2 which can result in an injury. (I even hate typing the word!) In 2012 I succumbed to a calf knot which took me out for over a month. I struggled to recover from this and as you can see from the table I only ran 3 pb’s for the year compared to 13 the previous year and 10 the following year when I recovered. If this doesn’t back up this rule nothing does.! Don’t get injured, so easy to type but in reality one of the hardest thing for a runner to do, period.
Nutrition, nutrition and nutrition… Did I mention nutrition. It’s all about the proper fuel. So underestimated by so many runners. The number of times I hear the old ‘I run xxx kilometres a week so I can eat what I want’ . Not true, imagine putting low grade fuel in a Porsche, eventually the head gasket blows and you are faced with a serious bill, not to mention a misfiring engine. The human body is a finely tuned machine and should be treated as such, we all know what is good food and what is bad (normally the nice tasting stuff!), avoid the bad and put in the good, easy really. (bar the odd Yelo muffin of course, we are after all only human.) I’ll be exploring nutrition more next year when I have one more go at a sub 2hr 40minutes marathon.
Weight. So important, use to believe because I ran 100k+ a week I could eat what I wanted. Not true. This is another golden rule so often ignored. Runners can run so much faster is they hit their racing weightrather than a running weight. My go to man , Matt Fitzgerald, when it comes to everything running even has a website dedicated to this. ( http://www.racingweight.com/ ) If Matt has a website dedicated to this subject it must be important.
Baseline, document and evaluate everything. If it isn’t on www.strava.com it didn’t happen. Once you set a goal you have to be able to know how far you have come to achieving this, small steps but constant feedback. So buy a Garmin and start recording , everything !!! Contentious subject here. I’m a Strava addict and I know it but the purest will be horrified. You need a baseline to see improvement, set new goals and realize your goals. Buy a Garmin and to quote a small clothing company ‘just do it’.
Sleep. So underestimated but the bodies way of refuelling and preparing for the next day of running. Common sense but so often ignored. Sometimes the most obvious, common sense tips are the ones ignored. Sleep is when your body repairs itself, the more sleep the more repairs can be completed. It really is that easy, go to bed and dream about running.
Consistency. No point running 100k one week and then nothing. Marathon fitness is built up over time and this works hand in hand with rule number 1. I feel the figures from my running log back this up. I’ve steadily increased the duration consistently year in, year out (bar injury) and have reaped the rewards with 2016 being my fastest year yet as I move towards my
fifthsixth decade. (Thanks Dave Kennedy) Running is all about getting out there on a regular basis again and again and again. Time on feet initially and then add pace before targeting certain distance with different run types, most important thinkg to note though is always consistently putting on the trainers and just running. ‘If you build it they will come’ type approach, keep running, build the foundation and the personal records will come. (This also works for baseball pitches apparently.)It’s all in the mind. After 32k a marathon is down to mental strength and the ability to persuade your body you can still perform at your desired pace without falling to fatigue, which is the minds way of protecting itself. Never underestimate the power of the mind in long distance racing. Finally another massive part of running, the Noakes ‘central governor’. I’ve talked about this at length in various posts on this site. With experience I believe I can mentally finish a marathon stronger now then when I first started. I know what to expect and to this end can persuade my old friend fatigue to stay away for longer allowing me to achieve better finishing times. The mind is such an important part of running and needs to be trained as much as the body. When you race a marathon you will spend time in the ‘pain box’, the runner who can spend the most time in this little box of joy, before opening the door and embracing the old enemy fatigue, will run the fastest. I spoke to Steve Moneghetti after the Perth Marathon this year after he ran the 3hr30min bus and asked him how the professional athletes are so much faster than us recreational runners. His answer surprised me as he replied that a professional runner can stand more pain and this gives them the advantage need to push through and achieve the faster times. Again turning off the ‘central governor’ and spending more time in the ‘pain box’ avoiding fatigue and thus not slowing down. Common sense really, thanks Steve.
The article below was written by Reid Coolsaet a top ranked marathoner in Canada. At the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon last September his time was 2:11:23 – the fastest by a Canadian in 24 years. Reid spent time in Kenya at Iten, the breeding ground for running superstars. The article is good in that it emphasises all the things I talk about on this blog. As I have said many, many times running is not rocket science, just common sense really and lots of hard work. To run faster you need to look at the people who are running the fastest and learn from them, try to be more like them. The main points (for the lazy readers amongst you who won’t finish this post!) are consistency, train hard, rest hard, soft surfaces, group training, proper warm up, nutrition and Hakuna matata
Kenyan distance runners have been dominating the world scene for more than 30 years. Just last month, a Kenyan, Mary Keitany, was the first woman to break one hour and six minutes in the half-marathon when she set the world record at 1:05:50. Last year, Kenyan men won four of the five world major marathons and lay claim to 60 of the top 100 ranked marathoners.
An astonishing 239 Kenyans broke two hours and fifteen minutes last year in the marathon. (By contrast, Canada had three under the same time – and that was a good year for us.) Factor in the population of the two countries (Kenya, 39 million, Canada, 34 million), and it’s evident just how excellent the East African country is at producing world-class distance runners.
As a marathoner, I wanted to observe first-hand how these great athletes were training and living. For one month this winter, I went to Iten, Kenya, and immersed myself in the culture of Kenyan running. Iten is a small town of 4,000, about 300 kilometres northwest of the capital, Nairobi, and is home to many of the world’s best distance runners and hundreds more who make a living winning road race purses.
It’s not a coincidence that the rural town sits about 2,400 metres (about 8,000 feet) above sea level where athletes benefit from training in thin air. I soon learned, however, that there are many other reasons why Kenyan runners dominate. Here are some tips that all runners can incorporate into their training in order to run like a Kenyan.
Consistency. Running – a lot – is the key to distance running, and the Kenyans are no exception when it comes to logging many kilometres day in, day out. Most of the runners I met run at least twice a day but some run up to three times. If you can squeeze a few more kilometres into your week, without compromising quality, you will reap the benefits.
Train hard. The motto “train hard, win easy” is exemplified by Kenyan runners. If you want to run hard come race day, it’s best to prepare with some sort of speed session (intervals, fartlek, tempo) one to three times a week to get used to the specific effort of your race pace.
Rest hard. After bouts of hard training it is vital that the body has time to repair and recover for the next training session. Kenyan runners incorporate naps into their days and get to bed early. Plus, they don’t run hard all the time; most people would be surprised on how slow they run their recovery runs. Make sure you’re not running hard every day and take it easy the day or two after a hard run.
Soft surfaces. Running on dirt trails rather than pavement is much easier on the body. When I was in Iten, all of my running was on trails and dirt roads (of course, this is easy to do when there is only one paved road in the area). Seek out soft surfaces for most of your running, and your body will thank you.
Group training. Seeing a Kenyan run alone is the exception to the norm. Kenyans run in groups during speed sessions as well as their easy runs. Running with a group can provide that extra push during hard runs and it can help keep the easy runs leisurely with chit-chat. Many running stores offer group runs if your friends are too lazy to join you.
Proper warm-up. Many times while I was running with Kenyans I was surprised how slowly they would start off. It’s best to ease into your runs, and it is especially important to do some easy jogging before any type of speed session or race.
Nutrition. In Iten, a 100-mile diet would seem absurdly long. Kenyans eat fresh food that usually comes from small-scale farms in their region. Ugali (a cornmeal dish) is their staple carbohydrate of choice and is served with beef or chicken stew and veggies. It’s important to replenish carbohydrates and protein soon after a run and get the proper fuel into your body.
Hakuna matata. The Lion King popularized the Swahili phrase “hakuna matata” which, loosely, translates to “no worries.” Kenyans keep stress to a minimum by embracing hakuna matata in their everyday lives. It’s important to leave stress behind to allow your body to perform at its best, and sometimes the best way to relieve stress is to head out the door for a run.
Throughout my month in Kenya, I gained fitness, but more importantly, I came away motivated and inspired. To test out my fitness I went to Belgium to compete in a 10-kilometre cross-country race where I surprised myself with a fifth-place finish; the rest of the top eight were African. Training with the best runners and taking advantage of altitude training allowed me to perform much better.
Marathon Training & Performance: Sub 3h Dataset
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/
or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ
Before you dive into the 2024 recap , if you’re new to this blog, it’s a good idea to read the previous three years tales of woe. Gives you an idea of what’s coming.
2021 Recap :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/05/08/lighthorse-24-ultra-lest-we-forget/
2022 Recap :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/04/30/lighthorse-ultra-24-hours-2022/
2023 Recap :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2023/05/06/once-more-into-the-breech-lighthorse-24-hour-ultra-race-2023-recap/
The Lighthorse Ultra is a timed event giving runners a 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 hour option. There’s even an hour dog race which is pretty unique. I first ran this event in 2019 when the 12 hour was the longest option., this didn’t end well as I was in marathon mode and after just over three hours had enough and scuttled home. I had no concept of a timed event or even the 3am kick off time. Lesson learned. I came back in 2020 for the first 24 hour option and grabbed third place, I was hooked.
The 24 hour option came onboard in 2020 and I’ve ran every one. This would be my fifth time and the goal was just over 200km to reach the 1,000km mark for the five years. ( Previous years I had ran 192 (3rd) , 187 (3rd) , 207 (1st) , 206 (2nd) ; albeit I lost 3 laps (around 7.5km in 2021 when I ran without my timing chip, rookie error!)
The only fly in my ointment was I had started the moving house process the previous Monday and Tuesday and continued for most of the week before the event, not ideal. To make matters worse I had a removal truck hired for the day after the event. ( Post event I worked a 15 hour day moving house, in hindsight not one of my best ideas ! )
I had nabbed a spot in the Mind Focused Running tent again. ( https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ ) If you need help with your mental approach to running reach out to Rob Donkersloot, he will toughen you up, or make you enjoy the process rather than stressing out on unachievable goals. I worked with Rob a few years ago and have never looked back, he teaches what most coaches ignore, the mental approach to enjoying your running. This tent is full of like minded runners enjoying plying their trade, albeit high as kites on No Doz.
Looking at my splits on Strava (You are on Strava right ? https://www.strava.com/dashboard ) I was going great guns for the first forty seven kilometres but then started to fade with a twenty minute break , funnily enough. Personably I feel the weeks activities moving house had come back to haunt me and this was not unexpected. (To be fair I didn’t set the house move date but it was a rookie error not to move it a week either way.) There’s no sugar coating this, the event hurt and I had to dig deeper than previous years with my end goal reducing on the hour. First a win and over 207km. then a podium. then anything over a miler ( 162km) and finally top five.
This is the mind games you play , giving yourself easy outs, the trick is to not accept these options and keep heading towards your original goals or better, one loop at a time. Think Goggins 40/60 rule, when he reckons you have 60% more available to you when you are completely done. The mind keeps this to protect you. If you can tap into this extra energy you can achieve so much more. ( https://youtu.be/ocIWBpT-AGc ) Alternatively the Tim Noakes ‘Governor‘ theory which is very similar. ( https://thenoakesfoundation.org/prof-tim-noakes/ ) albeit Tim seems to have upset a few people lately. Tim’s book ‘ the Lore of running’ is the bible of all things running albeit it you need to keep in mind it was written over fifty years ago now and some of his comments would be inflammatory now, in the nicest possible way.
This event breaks you, there is no getting away from this but that is the point of ultra running. A good ultra allows you to find out things about yourself you can’t in normal life. At two or three in the morning when you’re about 100km in and totally fatigued the easy thing is to stop and sit down in your chair, put on a warm jacket and just stop. This event differs from a backyard ultra where you can sit down but are restricted by the need to be up and about at the start line on the hour. At Lighthorse , as it’s a timed event, you can just sit down and stop while still moving towards the finish line, the clock is always ticking. There is a ‘way out’ where you can ‘go easy‘ on yourself, you need to avoid the chair , this is how Lighthouse differs from most ultras. The event village is a hive of activity in the day and a shining light in the evening, day or night the urge to sit down and relax is so tempting, must be strong, avoid the chair. This is where Rob Donkersloot comes in handy, he doesn’t even have to say anything, just a disapproving glance is enough to get you moving and scurrying off onto another loop.
The village comes alive at night. Each year the gazebos are decorated more brightly than the previous year as crews learn from experience and update their facilities. It can make it hard running past barbeques and gas heaters as you scuttle off into the dark while everybody is having a great time in the ‘party village’! In the day they have shade and cool drinks as you scurry from shadow to shadow out on the course in the heat of the day doing your best to avoid the sauna that is the sun, turned up to ten.
The course itself is a 2.6km loop and is has a bit of everything , concrete, crushed limestones, a wooden footbridge and some nice pot holes to keep you on your feet, or off them, at various times through the loop. Every three hours we change direction which is actually a good thing albeit I have a favourite direction, anti-clockwise. Clockwise is harder as you have to run up the concrete path which seems to drag on where as the opposite direction you get to stumble down it but have to run up the crushed concrete path outside the event village. There’s not a lot in it truth be told.
Running the 24 hour event you get to experience a sunset and a sunrise, and everything in-between. The sunset comes on quickly as it’s a three o’clock start where as the sunrise is a long wait after eleven hours of darkness. When it comes it also brings along the coldest part of the day but you embrace this as you know the heat is coming close behind.
So back to the race, previously I had enjoyed a twenty minute snooze at 47 km while I was leading the event. I was beginning to feel the fatigue of a house move earlier in race week so decided to drop down a few gears and I managed to maintain a relative consistent pace until 109km when I have another thirty minute rest. I always split the race into twelve hours and aim for a 100km split, twice. This year I ran 105km for the first twelve which left me 95km for the second twelve. I promised myself a rest post halfway and at 109km I delivered on that promise, would have been around 3am. It wasn’t enough and fifteen kilometres later I was exhausted and rather than stumble on I treated myself to a good hour in the chair. I’m not sure if I slept, I think I did but it was at an ideal time, probably between 5am and 6am, part of the witching hours as I call them (anytime between midnight and 5am you are at your lowest, your body is not use to exercise in this period, it craves what it knows, sleep) The best thing about starting again post-snooze was the sunrise was imminent and with the sunrise comes a mental boost that is always enough to see me to the 3pm finish.
This year we were treated to another beaut’ sunrise and also the six and three hour runners at 6am. (The twelve hour runners joined us at 3am they’d finish at the same time as the 24 hour runners) So it became suddenly very busy on the loop with four formats running together. This also spurred you on albeit you were being lapped by the shorter distance runners who were running much quicker.
After my long ‘power nap‘ I was surprised to still be in third place with my good friend Chris Martin one lap down and young Jack Brown three or four behind him. I wasn’t confident I could hold off Chris but continued to move around the course avoiding the chair. At this point I was aiming for the miler distance as a minimum and then I’d try and hold third place. When I eventually reached the miler distance I checked the real time lap counter and was surprised I had moved to second place after Conor Quinn had left the course, peeing blood apparently. (Please note he hadn’t left the course peeing blood, he was peeing blood in the toilet and then decided to go home, in case you had an image of a runner leaving the course peeing red liquid on everybody as he did so. ) This gave me the impetus I needed, I could smell as second place finish and the pressure of a podium finish suddenly became a lot less , given I had a place buffer, or so I thought. A few laps later I again checked my position and noticed Chris and Jack were in hot pursuit. I had four hours to go and plenty of running ahead it would seem, game on.
The last four hours was hard work but I found a second wind and managed to grind out the laps at a reasonabel pace, with an hour to go I was four laps ahead of Chris and Jack and four laps behind Callum Mason, in first place, my job was done. All I needed to do now was keep lapping and try to get to 190km. I managed to get to 190.1km in the end, good enough for second place and my fifth 24 hour podium, I was stoked.
So that was it for 2024, second place and a 190km final total. Not my best, not my worst, a very reasonable effort given my fatigued legs from the start. This one really hurt though and even now, a few weeks after, I’m still not 100% sure I’ll enter again next year. This event just takes too much out of me and I’m not sue I can put myself in the pain cave again for so long and so bloody deep ! It’s a race compared to a 200 miler or even a point to point 100 miler, which are more adventures. I enjoy adventures , not sure about these timed events, albeit I put pressure on myself to achieve lofty goals but that’s just me I suppose. To be noted I’ve said the same thing on the previous four occasions I’ve ran this beast of an event and by Christmas forgotten how painful the event was and entered. You know what they say about old dogs and tricks, I’m not sure I can learn new ones…
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/
or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ