Will These 5 Changes Help Me Run A FASTER Marathon? - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Will These 5 Changes Help Me Run A FASTER Marathon? from The FOD Runner. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the new approach today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

Strength & conditioning: 3 × week sessions focusing on shoulders/upper back, hips/glutes, and core to improve posture and cadence (aiming for ~174 spm).
Mid‑week steady run: Replace the usual “steady long run” with a mid‑range run (75 min week 1, building to 90 + min) at about 6:45 min/mi (≈4:10 min/km) – roughly 45 s slower than gold‑marathon pace.
Quality long‑run work: Add purposeful marathon‑pace chunks within the weekend long run (start week 1 with a 2‑hour steady run, then add marathon‑pace segments in later weeks).
Short, sharp intervals: Keep a dedicated top‑end interval session each week (short, sharp reps, high turnover).
Fueling & drinking practice: Train the gut to handle 4+ gels and electrolytes on long runs; practice fluid intake and calorie drinks to avoid “gel‑wall” in races.

Workout Example (Week 1):

Strength: 3 × week, 45‑min sessions – focus on shoulders/upper back, hips/glutes, core.
Mid‑week run: 75‑minute steady run at ~6:45 min/mi (≈4:10 min/km).
Weekend long: 2‑hour steady run at the same pace, then add 2 × 10‑minute marathon‑pace segments (≈6:30 min/mi) in the last 30 min.
Interval session (once per week): e.g., 6 × 800 m at 5K‑pace with 2‑min jog recovery; keep cadence high, focus on quick turnover.
Fuel practice: During the 2‑hour run, take 3 × gels + electrolyte drink early; aim to finish with a fourth gel and sip water/ electrolyte drink throughout.

Closing Note: Give these five changes a try this week—tweak the paces to match your own in the Pacing app, and see how the added strength, steady mid‑range runs, quality long‑run work, sharp intervals, and fueling practice boost your marathon speed. Good luck, and happy training! 🚀