Berlin Marathon training - Threshold and hills in St Moritz - Stephen Scullion - Olympic marathoner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Berlin Marathon training – Threshold and hills in St Moritz from Stephen Scullion – Olympic marathoner. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

Train sensibly and consistently – good daily decisions compound into big results.
At altitude, control effort by monitoring lactate (≈2.8 mmol/L) and heart rate rather than chasing a specific pace.
Mix threshold work with light hill repeats to boost muscular strength, neuromuscular power, and turnover (faster leg speed).
Flexibility matters: if conditions force you to stop or walk, keep the effort up and roll with it.

Workout Example:

Warm‑up – 10‑15 min easy jog + 4‑5 × 100 m strides.
Threshold segment – 20 min continuous run keeping lactate around 2.8 mmol/L (use heart‑rate zones to stay just below threshold).
Hill repeats – Find a ~80‑meter hill (5‑8 % grade). Do 8‑10 repeats: sprint up the hill as fast as you can (focus on getting to the top, not perfect form), then jog or walk back down for recovery. Keep the effort hard but short; total hill time ≈ 4‑5 min.
Cool‑down – 10 min easy jog, finish with a few relaxed strides.

Practical Tips:

Use heart‑rate zones to gauge effort when pace data is unreliable (especially at altitude).
Incorporate a turnover run (short, faster‑pace miles) every 2 weeks to keep legs “quick”.
When unexpected obstacles appear (e.g., walkers, wind), stay calm, adjust the interval length, and keep the intensity up.

Closing Note: Give this threshold‑plus‑hill session a try this week, and feel free to tailor the paces or repeat counts in the Pacing app to match your own fitness. Enjoy the training and keep pushing toward Berlin – you’ve got this!