Marathon Training: Hidden Hills 21-Miler (Boston Simulation)
Benji Durden was a 1980 Olympian (Marathon), a 3rd place getter at the Boston Marathon in 1983 and boasts a personal best time of 2:09:58. He is now a successful distance running coach and enjoys passing on his knowledge and experience to up and coming athletes.
Durden favoured a specific workout before Marathon’s, especially the Boston Marathon.
Durden would complete his preparations for the Boston Marathon with a long run that started with a five mile (~8km) warm up to the track at Stone Mountain High School in Georgia. Then the real workout would begin. Durden would run 1km hard – in around 2:50, followed by a 200m jog, followed by a 2km in around 5:50-5:55 (2:55-2:57/km). He would repeat this 3 times through, finishing with a 2km interval which would mean completing the 10km in around 29:00-29:30.
But that’s not all.
Durden would then run an easy 15 minutes over to a hilly 5 mIle (~8km) mile measured course where the Hidden Hills 5-Mile road race is held. There, he would run the 5 mile loop at 5:00-5:05/mile or 3:05-3:10/km (right around goal race pace) “wearing not just 1 sweatsuit, but two.”
The workout was then completed with a 3 mile (~5km) cool down.
Total distance for the run was 21 Miles (~33.8km) in around 2 hour and 10 minutes, including changing gear.
Eleven days after this workout, Durden clocked 2:09:58 at the Boston Marathon 1983.
Durden chose this workout because it simulated the Boston Marathon course which is hilly in the middle of the course, which you must face with some fatigue in the legs already. This workout was a real confidence builder because it showed Durden he was fit heading into the Marathon. “It was the final icing on the cake” before backing off and starting his taper, Durden explained.
Workout: – 5 miles (8km) easy to moderate (warm up)
– 10km on the track: alternating 1km at around Half Marathon pace, 200m jog, 2km at between Half Marathon pace and Marathon pace, 3 times through.
– 15 minutes jog.
– 5 miles (8km) at goal Marathon Pace on a hilly circuit.
– 3 miles (5km) easy
When to do it: In the final 3 weeks before a Marathon.
Total Distance: 21 miles (33.8km)
References: Running Tough (Michael Sandrock)
