Marathon Training Plan Review: Smart Marathon Training

So, you’ve decided to run a marathon! Good for you! And the fact that you’ve landed here tells me you’re doing your research about which training plan is best for you. If you haven’t already read my post about picking a marathon training plan, start there! 

Jeff Horowitz’s book Smart Marathon Training espouses a simple premise that is also the book’s subtitle: run your best without running yourself ragged. If you’ve ever worried about how you’re going to fit marathoning into your busy schedule, it seems that Horowitz is singing your song.

Let’s see what he really means…

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Smart Marathon Training Plan Review

The Basics

Smart Marathon Training is based on three runs per week, each of which has a specific focus and intention.  The types of runs are broken down into the basics of any distance running training plan:

• Hill Workouts
• Speed Workouts
• Tempo Runs
• Long Runs

These four types of runs will be familiar to anyone who has done distance training. Horowitz does a nice job explaining the purpose of each type of run clearly for the novice.  

Essentially, the goal of Smart Marathon Training is to eliminate junk miles (miles a runner runs without any real purpose other than to go out and run). The idea is that making each training day really count will combat overtraining and burnout.

The book includes six training plans for the half-marathon and marathon distances. This means that runners of all different fitness levels, experience, and goals can find a plan that should meet their needs.

The Differentiator

In addition to the three runs per week outlined above, Smart Marathon Training adds a prescriptive cross-training regimen and strength training program.  Horowitz makes a sound case for the merits of cycling as cross-training, and the program assumes you will follow his advice and get on the bike to supplement your overall fitness.

The book also includes two chapters devoted a very specific strength training program. If you are new to strength training, the 75+ detailed exercises will help you get the form right so you build your body up and avoid injury.

The Pros

The training schedule is neatly laid out on two facing pages of the book.  It is clear, easy to read, and logically progressive.  This may not sound like a big deal. However, with ELEVEN training components in this plan, graphic clarity is a real accomplishment.

The photos and descriptions of the strength training exercises are, for me, the best part of the book.  They are presented in such a way that even someone who has never done any kind of resistance work can understand how to do the moves.  Furthermore, the inclusion of such a thorough strength training program will likely help prevent injuries during training, as there is an emphasis on building a balanced body.

I like that many of the runs are done at a pace based on Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).  This is especially appealing to new distance runners, as they learn to tune in to how their body feels during a run.  Also, RPE allows runners a freedom to flow with the reality of life that pure pace-oriented training programs do not. The reality is, during any training cycle you will have good days and bad days. RPE allows that to happen without consequence.

And a purely financial benefit of using RPE is that you don’t need a heartrate monitor or fancy GPS watch to tell you how you feel. You learn to run by the cues your body is giving you instead.

The Cons

The 20-week training plan includes three 20-mile long runs, with the first coming as early as week 11.  In my experience, that’s at least one 20-miler too many for most people. If you can run a good (meaning not-get-injured) 20-mile run that early in the training cycle, it might be hard to keep interested in a goal that is still more than two months away.

Also, I have no interest in cycling.  I don’t want to buy a bike and all the gear necessary to follow the cross-training parts of Horowitz’s plan. Even as a personal trainer who owns quite a lot of fitness equipment, the strength training plan can’t be done as indicated without a gym membership that gives you access to weight machines.  I am a runner because I enjoy the freedom of fitness without all the stuff required of other endeavors.

Furthermore, as someone who travels a lot, the inclusion of four long distance cycling efforts instead of long runs during the 20-week training could be a real logistical challenge.  If you need to be near your bike to follow the training plan, you’ll want to plan out your calendar well ahead of time. One of the great benefits of running is that I can do it wherever I go with very little advance research and planning.

 

The Bottom Line

Smart Marathon Training is an excellent plan for a triathlete or avid cyclist who wants to try the marathon distance.  Likewise, if you’re coming to running from a weightlifting background, the strict and integral strength training program will appeal to you.

Also, if you’re on the fence about training for a half-marathon or stepping up to a full, Smart Marathon Training has you covered either way.

The components of the plan are scientifically sound and the focus on creating a well-balanced body would be helpful to those who are plagued by injuries.

Make sure you read my other marathon training plan reviews so you can pick the right one for you!

Hansons Marathon Method

Run Less, Run Faster

Doug Kurtis Training Plan