Training for the Boston Marathon

Going full send for 18 weeks

Posted by     "Sara" on Monday, April 15, 2024

Training going into the Boston Marathon.

I took about 2 weeks of easy running after California International Marathon (December 5), before jumping into an 18 week build for Boston. Having run a 3:20 at New York, I thought I would be close to 3:10 shape already, especially since I had crossed half way in under 95 min in both races. As Boston has been a race that I have wanted to run for a long time, given my disappointment at CIM and NYC, I decided that I want to have the best build possible. I looked at a few different training programs, but ultimately landed Jack Daniel’s 2Q program, mostly for:

  1. The challenge it offered
  2. Flexibility in scheduling the workout

The full details of the training program can be found in Jack Daniels Running Formula book. I decided to go for a mix of the two schedules 90-113km and 114-137km per week, as I wasn’t sure what level of mileage I wanted. Looking at the two schedules, the workouts looked very similar, with the higher mileage program offering an extra repetition, for example: during week 9, Q2 the workouts for both the schedules looked like:

  • (90-113km) Q2: 6x1km I w/ 3 min jog
  • (114-137km) Q2: 8x1km I w/ 2min jog

For the training paces, Jack Daniel recommends changing (or increasing) training VDOT every 6 weeks (which worked out perfectly in the 18 week program - I had attempted to increase the VDOT 2 time through the training cycle). As I mentioned, I already felt like I was in 3:10 shape, so I started the first 6 weeks at a VDOT of 50. The corresponding times are: VDOT 50 (Race Paces)

  • Marathon 3:10:40
  • Half 1:31:35
  • 5km 19:57

VDOT 50 (Training Paces)

  • Easy/ Long (E/ L) 4:56 - 5:34
  • M (marathon pace) 4:31
  • T (Threshold) 1:41 (400), 4:14 (1 km)
  • I (Interval) 3:55 (1km), 4:40 (1200)
  • R (Repetition) 43 (200), 87 (400)

I had a plan to increase the VDOT to 51 in the second 6 weeks of the program (weeks 6-12), then in the last 6 weeks (weeks 12-18) increase it to 52.

Here is the actual training

17 weeks to go

Workout 1:

5x1km I w/ 3min jog recovery + 4x400R + 400jog recovery

1km splits (3:49/ 3:47/ 3:50/ 3:50/ 3:54). Goal was to be under 3:55 (1km I pace for VDOT 50) for the 4min recovery, I ended up slow jogging 1 lap (400m) of the track in 3min.

400m splits (89/ 89/ 90/ 88) Goal was to be under 87s (400m R pace for VDOT 50)

Workout 2:

2E + 2x(2T w/2min rest) + 60min E + 2T + 2E (from JD in miles)

3.2km E + 2x(3.2km T w/2min rest) + 60min E + 3.2km T + 3.2km E (equivalent in km)

Did a slightly modified version of this, 2x3T (so that the total distance would be the same). This was so that I could the 3T (5km) at parkrun.

Goal for T was 4:14 min/ km, I ended up doing:

1st set: 4:21, 4:28, 4:24, 4:25, 4:22

2nd set: 4:14, 4:18, 4:16, 4:18, 4:36 (at parkrun, time 21:40)

16 weeks to go

Workout 1:

3T + 3min E + 2T + 2min E + 1T (from JD in miles)

5km T + 3min E + 3.2kmT + 2min4 E + 2km E (equivalent in km)

(ended up doing 2km T on the last rep)

Goal pace for all reps was 4:15min/km 5km T (avg 4:14min/km) 3.2km T (avg 4:17min/km) 2km T (avg 4:15min/km)

Workout 2:

2E + 8M + 1E + 3M + 2E (from JD in miles)

3.2km E + 12.8km M + 1.6km E + 4.8km M + 2E (equivalent in km)

Ended up doing 5km tempo at parkrun, time was 20:59

15 weeks to go

Workout 1:

3x(2T w/2min rest) + 2x(1T w/1min rest) (from JD in miles)

3x(3.2km w/2min rest) + 2x(1.6km T w/1min rest) (equivalent in km)

Goal pace for all reps was 4:15min/km Rep 1: 4:09 min/km Rep 2: 4:08 min/km Rep 3: 4:11 min/km Rep 4: 4:12 min/km Rep 5: 4:09 min/km

Workout 2:

4E + 8M +1T + 4M + 2E (from JD in miles)

6.4km E + 12.8km M + 1.6km T + 6.4km M + 3.2km E (equivalent in km)

actual:

4km E + 10km MP + 2km T + 9km MP + 10km E

10km MP: 4:26min/km (target 4:30min/km)

2km T: 4:17min/km (target: 4:15min/km)

9km MP: 4:29min/km (target: 4:30min/km)

14 weeks to go

Workout 1:

5-8x 1km I w/2-4min jog Completed: 7x1km I w/3min jog

Goal 3:55min/km Splits 3:50, 3:55, 3:53, 3:56, 3:53, 3:57, 3:59

Workout 2: 31km Long run

Completed in ~2h40min

13 weeks to go

Workout 1:

3T + 2min rest + 2x(2T w/ 1min rest) (from JD in miles)

5km T + 2min rest + 2x(3.2km T w/1 min rest) (equivalent in km)

T target 4:15/min 3T 4:11 min/km 2T 4:06 min/km (skipped the second 2T)

Workout 2:

4E + 8M + 1T+ 4M + 2E (from JD in miles)

6.4km E + 12.8km M + 1.6km T + 6.4km M + 2E (equivalent in km)

Completed: 3km E + 11km MP + 2km T + 8km MP + 11km E

11km MP at 4:23 min/km

2km T at 4:11 min/km

8km MP at 4:27 min/km

12 weeks to go

6 weeks in, increased VDOT by 1 this week.

Workout 1:

3T + 4min E + 3T + 3min E + 2T + 2min E + 1T (from JD in miles)

5km T + 4min E + + 5km T + 3min E + 3.2km T + 2min E + 3.2km T + 2minE + 1.6km T (equivalent in km)

New target T pace 4:11min/km

5km (1st) 4:07 min/km

5km (2nd) 4:10 min/km

3.2km 4:08 min/km

1.6km 4:0 5min/km

Workout 2:

Long run with 3T (did 5km Tempo at parkrun)

21:13 (avg 4:10 min/km, target 4:11min/km)

Total distance 30km (10km + 5km + 15km)

11 weeks to go

Workout 1:

6x1km I w/2min jog

1km splits 3:48, 3:50, 3:51, 3:50, 3:52 (target 3:51min /km)

Workout 2:

Steady easy 30km run, completed on treadmill due to torrential rain outside.

10 weeks to go

Workout 1:

2E + 12M + 2E (from JD in miles)

3.2km E + 19.2km M + 3.2km (equivalent in km)

Completed 10km at MP 4:28min/km (target 4:27min/km)

Workout 2:

4E + 6M + 1T + 5M + 2E (from JD in miles)

6.4km E + 10km M + 1.6km T + 8km M + 3.2km E (equivalent in km)

Completed: 4km E + 11km M + 2km T + 8km M + 10km E

M target 4:27min/km, T target 4:11min/km

11km M at 4:23 min/km

2km T at 4:06 min/km

8km M at 4:14 min/km

9 weeks to go

Took a week off training due to be sick.

8 weeks to go

I was feeling good and Boston marathon was approaching, so I decided to jump straight back into training. I knew that jumping straight back into training would be a risk, and I also wasn’t sure where my fitness would be at, so I tried not to pay too much attention to my target paces anymore.

Workout 1:

8x1km I w/2min rec

I decided to do a 200m jog recovery (to allow me to start the interval at the start of the track), and that took between 2-2:30.

Completed: 3:58/ 3:52/ 3:57/ 4:01/ 3:59/ 4:01/ 4:01/ 4:07

Workout 2:

4E + 13M + 1E (from JD in miles)

6.4km + 21km M + 1.6km E (equivalent in km)

Ended up doing 17km, then decided to take the remainder of the run easy. 17km M at 4:31min/km

7 weeks to go

Workout 1:

2E + 8M + 3T + 2E (from JD in miles)

3.2km E + 12.8km M + 5km T + 3.2km E (equivalent in km)

I felt like I wasn’t able to pick it up to T pace after the M, so I decided to just keep going and complete the entire workout at M pace. Total ~18km at M (4:32min/km)

Workout 2: Napa Valley Marathon! Paced and completed in 3:41! Considered this as a steady long run (the schedule had ~32km for this day)

6 weeks to go

In the last 6 weeks, I was supposed to increase the VDOT to 52, but based on how the recent weeks of training were going, I decided to keep it around 50 (which would be the same target paces as the first 6 weeks of training).

Workout 1:

4x(2T w/2min rest) + 2x(1T w/1min rest) (from JD in miles)

4x(3.2km w/2min rest) + 2x(1.6km Tw/1min rest) (equivalent in km)

I was feeling a bit tired going into this workout, so I decided to just complete the 4x3.2km, splits were:

  • 1st 4:14 min/km
  • 2nd 4:11 min/km
  • 3rd 4:14 min/km
  • 4th 4:20 min/km

Workout 2:

Did a slight variation of the workout I missed a few weeks ago, due to being sick.

Which was 2E + 8M + 1T + 4M + 1T +1M +1E

3.2km E + 12.8km M + 1.6km T + 6.4km M + 1.6km T + 1.6km M + 1.6km E

I wanted to complete a hard 5km at parkrun (around T pace), so I shifted the M and Ts around to try and make the total volume the same.

Actual completed workout 3km E warm up 9km M at 4:28 min/km 5kmT at 4:11min/km 9km M at 4:36 min/km 4km E cool down

5 weeks to go

Workout 1:

5 x (1km I w/ 2min jog+ + 4x(400Rw/400jog))

1km interval splits 3:49/ 3:51/ 3:53/ 3:56/ 3:58

400m splits 87 /89/ 87/ 86

Workout 2:

Paced LA marathon till halfway (halfway in ~1hr 40min), and added on a bit extra to make it 30km.

4 weeks to go

Workout 1:

3E + 3x (1T w/ 1min jog) + 3x(1km I w 2min jog) + 3x(400R w/400jog) + 2E (from JD in miles)

5km E + 3x (1.6km T w/1 min jog) + 3x(1km I/ w 2min jog) + 3x(400R w/400 jog) + 3.2km E (equivalent in km)

Workout splits:

1.6km T paces 4:11min/km, 4:09min/km, 4:08 min/km

1km splits 3:57/ 4:01/ 3:56

400m splits 88/ 92/ 92

Workout 2:

2E + 6M +1E + 6M + 2E (from JD in miles)

3.2km E + 10km M + 1.6km E + 10km M + 3.2km E (equivalent in km)

I ended up doing a hilly marathon workout ~334m gain (total distance 35km). The workout ended up being 10km at MP (~4:37min/km), with 1km easy recovery 10km (which I cut short to 8km) avg pace 4:44min/km.

3 weeks to go

Workout 1:

4x(2T w/ 2min E) (from JD in miles)

4x(3.2km T w/ 2min E) (equivalent in km)

Was feeling really tired on this day, and wasn’t sure about doing the workout, but I decided to go ahead anyway and see how I felt. I deviated from the workout slightly (cut the reps shorter, but tried to maintain speed). The adjusted workout was

3.2km (4:08min/km) + 1.6km (4:13min/km) + 1.6km (4:12min/km) + 5x800m, recovery in between was 3 min across all

800m splits 3:12/ 3:12/ 3:11/ 3:11/ 3:12

Workout 2:

2E + 3x(2T w/2min rec) + 7E (from JD in miles)

3.2km E + 3x(3.2km T w/ 2min rec) + 11.2km E (equivalent in km)

Modified the workout, so that I could run the entire workout at parkrun, and tried to fit in an extra rep for the workout I cut short earlier in the week. The workout ended up being: 2x3km + 5km + 2km

Splits were:

2x3km (4:10 min/km, 4:16 min/km)

5km 4:14 (21:08) at parkrun

2km 4:30 (cut short, as I wasn’t hitting T pace)

2 weeks to go

Workout 1:

4E + 1T + 2M + 1T + 2M + 2E (from JD in miles)

6.4km E + 1.6km T + 3.2km M + 1.6km T + 3.2km M + 3.2km E (equivalent in km)

Even before the workout, I could feel my legs were heavier than I would have liked. I tried to run the first part at T pace (4:10-4:15min/km), but knew almost immediately that I couldn’t hit my paces. I decided to run the entire workout at Goal MP pace 4:33min/km avg over 9.6km.

Workout 2:

Went to go participate in a 10 mile (~16km) race, but as Boston was ~8 days away, I was not going to race this. My plan was to run the first 10km easy, and then get in some MP in the last 6km (I ended up averaging 4:22min/km). Sacramento10 was my first ever 10 mile race, and my time was 1:15:09.

1 week to go

Workout 1:

Final tune up workout: 3E + 3x(1T w 2min rec) + 2E (from JD in miles)

5km E + 3x(1.6km T w/ 2min E) + 3.2km (equivalent in km)

1.6km T times 06:45 (4:13 min/km), 06:32 (4:06 min/km), 06:49 (4:16 min/km)

Workout 2: Boston marathon race day! Read about it here