How do Olympic Marathoners Train?
You may be surprised...
As the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, it's an opportune moment to explore the details of the athletes' training camps. Long-distance runners follow rigorous training regimes tailored to their respective disciplines. Marathon specialists typically engage in 6 ± 2 annual competitions, where as there are 9 ± 3 sessions for track runners, reflecting differing competitive demands. Training distances vary markedly: marathoners cover 160–220 km weekly during mid-preparation, while track runners log 130–190 km. This discrepancy arises from marathoners' focus on longer individual sessions, essential for conditioning on hard surfaces akin to race conditions.
Runners typically undertake 11–14 weekly sessions, with over 80% of training at low intensity year-round. However, intensity distribution varies across training phases and between marathoners and track athletes. As competitions near, both increase race-pace running while tapering starts 7–10 days prior to main events. Some runners benefit from high-altitude training, residing at 2000–2500 m elevation, whereas lowland athletes opt for extended altitude camps to simulate high-altitude conditions.
The choice of running surface also plays a pivotal role in their training periodization. Marathoners favor dirt roads and forest paths to minimize mechanical strain, optimizing training volume without excessive physical stress. As race day approaches, focus shifts to hard surfaces like asphalt to acclimate to the rigors of marathon routes. Interestingly, lactate production sessions are rare in long-distance running (LDR), with runners exhibiting lower blood lactate values across intensity zones and maintaining velocity better over longer durations.
In conclusion, the training methodologies of marathon and track runners underscore distinct yet complementary approaches to achieving peak performance.
References:
Haugen, T., Sandbakk, Ø., Seiler, S., & Tønnessen, E. (2022). The training characteristics of world-class distance runners: an integration of scientific literature and results-proven practice. Sports medicine-open, 8(1), 46.