Hanson’s Marathon method

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Selkan Apr 2020 7:34pm, 10 Apr 2020 9 posts	0 Selkan Hi- has anyone ever tried Hanson training method for marathon running. More runs per week but less LSR mileage at weekends.
Velociraptor Apr 2020 8:45am, 13 Apr 2020 46,050 posts	0 Velociraptor I read the book last year and thought the principles were appealing, though the total amount of running was unrealistic for me at the time.
K5 Gus Apr 2020 9:03am, 13 Apr 2020 3,488 posts	0 K5 Gus Not read the book nor tried the plan myself, but a quick search shows a couple of other threads on the subject which you may find useful fetcheveryone.com/viewtopic.php?id=52455 fetcheveryone.com/forum/hanson-running-programme-sadly-nothing-to-do-with-mmm-bop-48013/1
Selkan Apr 2020 8:09pm, 13 Apr 2020 10 posts	0 Selkan Thanks for your comments- k5 Gus thanks for links. I’m going to give this plan a go this year for Edinburgh Marathon in September. I’ve used several plans in past so wanted to try something a bit different.
Kieren Nov 2020 12:52pm, 18 Nov 2020 4,044 posts	0 Kieren Did you use it Selkan? I bought the book and liked the similarity to the parts of Jack Daniel's that my previous 2 training blocks were. I'm on day 3 of the advanced plan - a rest day. The rest of the days are all 10K at easy pace. Speed work & tempo days are introduced next week.
MovingAlong Nov 2020 6:39pm, 27 Nov 2020 98 posts	0 MovingAlong I've followed it for my last few marathons. Was just outside a pb (4.04 rather than 3.56) in 2019, and that was without religiously doing the 'race pace' run (due to family life disrupting plans) , and some stomach issues that cost me some time. I also didn't set out for a marathon pb, but legs just felt good and I went with it. It was also 3 weeks after Snowdonia marathon. Fairly confident I would have pb'd this year, was following it much more closely, but with various race cancellations I peaked ahead of time, and then couldn't quite re-find my form for a re-scheduled date. Works generally quite well for me - I can train every day, but can't easily find 3 hours for a long run, so peaking with 5 runs at 15-16 miles fits my personal life. Have previously done p&d and if time wasn't a factor, I'd follow that. Planning to do ultras next year, but if/when I return to marathons, be hard for me to look past hmm.
Kieren Nov 2020 9:46pm, 27 Nov 2020 4,062 posts	0 Kieren That's interesting MovingAlong - thanks for the feedback. Would you adapt HMM for your ultra? From what I can see, some parts seem similar t o some ultra plans, like double long run days to build the fatigue without too much overload. I'm just finished week 2, slightly adapted. 1st week, I was coming off a week break so ran 5 days easy / 10K and one 5K at 90% I ran my 12 x 400 at 5K pace in a short, slightly faster session of 8x400 about 10s faster a lap because I had to squeeze it in on a lunch break. I'm also running a weekly 5K handicap with friends so using the tempo day for that & alternating the 10K tempo with a 5k race week to week. I don't really want to do a marathon but I might change my mind in 18 weeks. I just enjoy the training for now and would like to try a half-marathon
MovingAlong Nov 2020 3:30pm, 28 Nov 2020 99 posts	0 MovingAlong I think it'd probably work quite well for ultras, but I did an ultra on the back of it, and think I suffered for not doing enough 'longer' runs (plus, and ultimately, think I was a little lazy in following the plan!). Its a good plan in my mind. Personally I struggle mentally with gearing myself up for the 'race pace' run, especially when 8 miles +, but feel great if/when I do it. I'm not an ultra expert - have 'survived' one, made every mistake you could imagine! Have re-entered it to make amends but might be scuppered by a combination of injury /covid.
Kieren Dec 2020 12:00pm, 9 Dec 2020 4,066 posts	0 Kieren Im 3 - 4 weeks in so far (mistakenly followed week 2's schedule twice) which has repeats at 12 x 400m at slightly slower than 5K pace. This week the repeats increased to 8 x 600 at slightly slower than 5K pace. I'm not sure I have the pacing correct for this and on Jack Daniel's these types of efforts would be a little faster than 5K pace. As I am still trying to reduce my 5K time, I have done the sessions faster and so far been OK. Pace should be 4:03/KM for me but I was able to complete the last session at about 3:45/KM. (ideally I would have liked to be 3:50-3:55 but can't quite get the pacing right). I think it is possible I have the sums wrong for pacing on Hanson's guide?
Kieren Feb 2021 12:08am, 1 Feb 2021 4,115 posts	0 Kieren End of January and just finished week 11. Thats 215 miles and the training load was feeling OK - although today I picked up an ache on my ITB neat the knee. I'll see how it is tomorrow after a hot bath and some sleep. 5K time has come down to 19:34 putting me at 70% WAVA. I think when the 81 weeks finish I will go back to Jack Daniels to try a 5K plan at 60 mpw or his Gold Plan also at about 60 mpw. The hanson book recommends not getting stuck on marathon training and to mix up with speed.