Periodizacija za maraton

Strukturiranje ciklov treninga za maraton

What is Periodization for Marathon Training?

Periodization is the systematic planning of athletic training that divides your marathon preparation into distinct phases, each with specific goals and training stimuli. Rather than training the same way year-round, periodization strategically varies training volume, intensity, and focus to optimize adaptation and performance on race day.

A well-designed periodization plan for marathon training typically spans 16-24 weeks and includes phases that build aerobic capacity, develop lactate threshold, sharpen race pace, and allow proper recovery before your goal race.

Why Periodization Matters:

  • Prevents overtraining: Structured phases include built-in recovery
  • Optimizes adaptations: Different training stimuli target specific physiological systems
  • Peaks performance: Timing allows you to be at your best on race day
  • Reduces injury risk: Gradual progression prevents doing too much too soon
  • Builds confidence: Structured progression demonstrates measurable improvement

The Four Phases of Marathon Periodization

A complete marathon training cycle includes four distinct phases. Understanding each phase's purpose helps you train smarter and avoid common pitfalls.

Phase 1: Base Building (4-8 weeks)

Goal: Develop aerobic foundation and build training volume

Base building establishes the aerobic foundation that supports all future marathon-specific work. This phase focuses on easy running in Zone 2 (60-70% max HR) to increase capillary density, mitochondrial capacity, and fat oxidation.

Training focus:

  • 80-90% of runs at easy, conversational pace
  • Weekly mileage increases by 10-15% per week
  • Long run builds from 90 minutes to 2+ hours
  • One tempo run per week at comfortable pace
  • Minimal speed work or high-intensity intervals

Key metrics to track:

  • Chronic Training Load (CTL) steadily increasing
  • Heart rate at fixed paces gradually decreasing (improving aerobic efficiency)
  • Recovery quality and sleep patterns

Phase 2: Strength/Build Phase (6-10 weeks)

Goal: Develop lactate threshold and introduce marathon-specific elements

The build phase introduces more structured workouts while maintaining aerobic volume. This phase improves your ability to clear lactate and run at faster paces for extended periods—critical for marathon success.

Training focus:

  • Weekly tempo runs at Zone 4 (threshold) for 20-40 minutes
  • Long runs with marathon pace segments (last 6-8 miles at goal pace)
  • Hill repeats for strength and power
  • Weekly mileage peaks at 70-85% of peak volume
  • Recovery runs remain easy (Zone 1-2)

Example week:

  • Monday: Recovery run 6 miles easy
  • Tuesday: Tempo run 8 miles (10 min warmup, 30 min threshold, 10 min cooldown)
  • Wednesday: Easy 5 miles
  • Thursday: Hill repeats or fartlek 7 miles
  • Friday: Rest or easy 4 miles
  • Saturday: Easy 6 miles
  • Sunday: Long run 16 miles (last 6 at marathon pace)

Phase 3: Peak/Specific Phase (4-6 weeks)

Goal: Sharpen race pace and build marathon-specific endurance

The peak phase is where magic happens. Training becomes highly specific to marathon demands: long runs at or near race pace, higher mileage weeks, and workouts that simulate race conditions.

Training focus:

  • Peak mileage weeks (highest volume of training cycle)
  • Long runs 18-22 miles with substantial marathon pace portions
  • Marathon pace workouts (10-15 miles at goal pace)
  • Continued threshold work to maintain speed
  • Training Stress Score (TSS) at highest levels

Key marathon-specific workouts:

  • 2 × 6 miles at marathon pace: 5 min recovery between sets
  • 16 miles progression: Start easy, finish last 10 miles at marathon pace
  • 20-miler with MP: 12 miles easy, 8 miles at marathon pace
  • Fast finish long run: 18 miles, last 30-40 min at half marathon pace

This phase typically includes one "peak week" with maximum mileage, followed by a recovery week before the taper begins.

Phase 4: Taper (2-3 weeks)

Goal: Recover from training stress while maintaining fitness

The taper is often the hardest phase mentally but the most important physiologically. Reducing training volume by 40-60% allows your body to fully adapt to the training stress accumulated over months while maintaining the fitness you've built.

Training focus:

  • Volume reduced by 20-30% first week, 40-50% second week, 60-70% race week
  • Maintain intensity but reduce duration (keep some marathon pace work)
  • Long run drops to 90-120 minutes two weeks before race, 60-75 minutes one week before
  • Increase sleep and recovery emphasis
  • Training Stress Balance (TSB) returns to positive (fresh state)

Taper timeline:

  • 3 weeks out: 12-mile long run with 4-6 miles at marathon pace
  • 2 weeks out: 8-10 mile "dress rehearsal" with 3-4 miles at marathon pace
  • 1 week out: Short easy runs, maybe one 3-mile tempo at marathon pace
  • Race week: 3-4 short easy runs, 1-2 mile shakeout run day before race

Weekly Training Structure

Within each phase, your weekly structure matters as much as the overall periodization. Here's an optimal weekly template for marathon training:

The Hard-Easy Principle

Never schedule two hard workouts on consecutive days. Your body needs 48-72 hours to recover from high-intensity sessions. A typical week includes:

  • 2-3 hard days: Long run, tempo run, and/or intervals
  • 3-4 easy days: Recovery runs at conversational pace
  • 1-2 rest days: Complete rest or cross-training

The 80/20 Rule

Research shows elite marathoners do 80% of training at easy intensity (Zone 1-2) and 20% at moderate to hard intensity (Zone 3-5). The 80/20 training principle prevents burnout while maximizing aerobic development.

Use Run Analytics to track your intensity distribution across training weeks and ensure you're not running too many miles at moderate (gray zone) pace.

Managing Training Load During Periodization

Training load management is critical for successful marathon preparation. Key metrics to monitor:

Chronic Training Load (CTL) - Your Fitness

CTL represents your long-term fitness built over 6-8 weeks. During marathon training:

  • Base phase: CTL increases steadily by 5-8 points per week
  • Build phase: CTL continues rising but more gradually
  • Peak phase: CTL reaches maximum (typically 80-120 for marathoners)
  • Taper: CTL decreases slightly (5-10 points) but fitness remains

Acute Training Load (ATL) - Your Fatigue

ATL tracks recent fatigue from the last 7-14 days. Managing ATL prevents overtraining:

  • Include recovery weeks every 3-4 weeks (reduce ATL by 30-40%)
  • Don't let ATL exceed CTL by more than 20-30 points for extended periods
  • Monitor ATL spikes after hard workouts or race simulations

Training Stress Balance (TSB) - Your Form

TSB = CTL - ATL, representing your readiness to perform:

  • Negative TSB (-10 to -30): Building fitness, normal during training
  • Neutral TSB (-5 to +5): Balanced, good for tempo efforts
  • Positive TSB (+5 to +25): Fresh, ideal for race day

The taper aims to achieve +10 to +20 TSB on marathon day—fresh enough to perform but fit enough to sustain 26.2 miles.

Common Marathon Periodization Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls that derail marathon training:

1. Skipping Base Building

Jumping straight into high-intensity work without an aerobic base leads to injury and burnout. Spend at least 4-6 weeks building volume before adding significant intensity.

2. Too Much "Gray Zone" Training

Running most miles at moderate intensity (Zone 3) provides insufficient stimulus for adaptation while accumulating excessive fatigue. Embrace truly easy running and save intensity for structured workouts.

3. Inadequate Recovery Weeks

Many runners fear losing fitness during recovery weeks, but adaptation happens during rest. Schedule a recovery week (reduce volume by 30-40%) every 3-4 weeks throughout your training cycle.

4. Racing the Long Runs

Long runs should be mostly easy effort with controlled marathon pace segments. Running entire long runs at marathon pace or faster accumulates excessive fatigue and increases injury risk.

5. Improper Taper

Reducing volume too much (or too little) compromises race day performance. Follow proven taper protocols: maintain intensity, reduce volume by 40-60%, and trust the process.

6. Ignoring Individual Recovery Needs

Generic training plans don't account for your recovery capacity. Use CTL/ATL/TSB metrics to personalize your training load and recovery timing.

Advanced Periodization Strategies

Block Periodization

Some coaches use "block periodization" where each 3-4 week block emphasizes one training quality:

  • Block 1: Aerobic volume (long runs, easy mileage)
  • Block 2: Lactate threshold (tempo runs, threshold intervals)
  • Block 3: Marathon-specific pace (race pace workouts)
  • Block 4: Taper and race

This approach allows deeper adaptation to specific stimuli but requires careful recovery management between blocks.

Polarized Periodization

Polarized training emphasizes two extremes: very easy (Zone 1-2) and very hard (Zone 5). This model suits runners prone to overtraining or those seeking maximum aerobic development with minimal injury risk.

Reverse Periodization

Some ultra-distance coaches advocate "reverse periodization"—starting with intensity and building volume later. This non-traditional approach may benefit runners with strong aerobic bases who need to maintain speed during high-mileage phases.

Tracking Your Periodization Progress

Successful periodization requires monitoring your adaptations. Track these indicators:

Objective Metrics

  • Resting heart rate: Should decrease during base building
  • Heart rate at fixed paces: Lower HR at same pace = improved fitness
  • VO2max estimates: Should increase during training cycle
  • CTL/ATL/TSB: Visualizes fitness accumulation and fatigue management
  • Workout completion: Consistently hitting prescribed paces

Subjective Indicators

  • Sleep quality and duration
  • Motivation and enthusiasm for training
  • Muscle soreness and recovery time
  • Mental freshness during workouts

Run Analytics automatically tracks training load metrics and Critical Running Speed changes, helping you understand whether your periodization plan is working. All calculations happen on your device, ensuring complete privacy.

Sample 16-Week Marathon Periodization Plan

Week Phase Weekly Miles Long Run Key Workout Focus
1 Base 30 10 mi easy Easy runs only Build aerobic base
2 Base 35 12 mi easy Easy tempo 4 mi Aerobic development
3 Base 40 14 mi easy Tempo 6 mi Volume increase
4 Recovery 28 10 mi easy Easy runs only Adaptation week
5 Build 42 15 mi (last 4 MP) Tempo 7 mi Threshold work
6 Build 45 16 mi (last 5 MP) 2 × 4mi MP, 3min rest Marathon pace intro
7 Build 48 18 mi (last 6 MP) Tempo 8 mi Building endurance
8 Recovery 35 12 mi easy Easy tempo 5 mi Recovery week
9 Peak 50 18 mi (last 8 MP) 12 mi MP Marathon specific
10 Peak 52 20 mi (last 10 MP) Tempo 9 mi Peak volume
11 Peak 48 18 mi (last 10 MP) 2 × 6mi MP, 5min rest Race simulation
12 Recovery 38 14 mi easy Tempo 6 mi Pre-taper recovery
13 Taper 42 16 mi (last 6 MP) 8 mi MP Begin taper
14 Taper 32 12 mi (last 4 MP) 5 mi MP Reduce volume
15 Taper 24 8 mi easy 3 mi MP Final sharpening
16 Race Week 32 MARATHON 2 mi shakeout RACE DAY!

Notes:

  • Adjust weekly mileage based on your experience (±20-30%)
  • Recovery weeks every 4th week prevent overtraining
  • Marathon pace (MP) segments gradually increase in duration
  • Peak weeks occur 4-6 weeks before race day
  • Taper reduces volume while maintaining some intensity

Frequently Asked Questions About Marathon Periodization

How long should marathon training last?

Most marathon training plans range from 16-24 weeks. Beginners benefit from 20-24 weeks to build aerobic base safely, while experienced marathoners can prepare in 16-18 weeks if they maintain year-round fitness. Ultra-experienced runners with strong aerobic foundations may use 12-14 week cycles.

What's the ideal weekly mileage for marathon training?

This depends on experience and goals. Recreational marathoners typically peak at 35-50 miles per week, competitive runners at 50-70 miles, and advanced/elite runners at 70-100+ miles. The key is progressive buildup—increase mileage gradually over months, not weeks.

How often should I include recovery weeks?

Schedule a recovery week (reduce volume by 30-40%) every 3-4 weeks throughout your training cycle. This allows physiological adaptation and prevents cumulative fatigue. Most 16-week plans include 3-4 recovery weeks plus the final taper.

Should I run a tune-up race during marathon training?

Yes, most plans include a half marathon or 10-mile race 4-6 weeks before the marathon. This provides race practice, tests your pacing, and confirms fitness. Schedule it during your build phase, not during peak weeks, and treat it as a hard workout with reduced training that week.

What if I miss a week of training?

Don't panic. Resume training where you left off but reduce volume by 20-30% for the first week back. Don't try to "make up" missed mileage—this leads to injury. If you miss 2+ weeks due to illness or injury, consult a coach about modifying your goal or extending your training timeline.

How much should I taper before a marathon?

Reduce training volume by 40-60% over the final 2-3 weeks while maintaining intensity. This allows recovery from training stress while preserving fitness. The taper should leave you feeling fresh, energetic, and slightly restless by race day—these are positive signs.

Can I follow a periodization plan if I have limited time?

Yes. Quality beats quantity. If limited to 4-5 runs per week, prioritize one long run, one tempo run, and fill remaining days with easy recovery runs. Use training load metrics to ensure your limited training creates sufficient stimulus for adaptation.

What's the biggest periodization mistake?

Doing too much volume at moderate intensity (Zone 3). This "gray zone" training provides insufficient stimulus for adaptation while accumulating excessive fatigue. Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% easy, 20% hard. Polarize your training for optimal results.