An Insight into Effective Marathon Training by Josai University Coach

Preparing for Marathon Success with High-Intensity Training

As marathon season approaches, runners are often fixated on increasing their mileage as a strategy to improve performance. However, it's this very mindset that can lead to a significant pitfall, especially for those who already have long-distance running experience. Coach Shizuji Kushibe of Josai University, a leading institution in marathon readiness, identifies the lack of high-intensity training as a major risk factor for performance decline right before race day.

When civilians prepare for upcoming marathons, they commonly believe that they must log more miles to build endurance. This often results in a training plan disproportionately focused on lower to moderate intensity long runs. While these workouts are essential for improving aerobic capacity, they can lead to a gap where runners miss out on the necessary stimuli that sharpen their capacity to handle race day pressures, including pace changes and fatigue towards the end of the race.

The Importance of Balancing Training Intensities

Coach Kushibe emphasizes that a successful training regimen should not only enhance aerobic ability but also incorporate high-intensity, short-duration workouts that engage fast-twitch muscle fibers. Such training is crucial for achieving optimal performance levels. He advocates for utilizing low-oxygen environments to enhance high-intensity training, as it allows athletes to boost their performance through more effective stimulus to their energy systems.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) stimulates energy mechanisms like creatine phosphate and glycolytic systems, which are pivotal in sports that require brief bursts of speed and power. Therefore, implementing HIIT can significantly benefit marathon runners, even as they prepare for longer distances.

The Role of High Altitude Management in Training

High Altitude Management Co., located in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, offers innovative training methods aimed at improving athletes’ performance through advanced lactate measurement techniques. Their flagship program,