Dear Coach: I have been running for twelve months and am now training for a marathon by running six days a week. I started out running at a 9:30 per mile pace. I am still running that time now. I recently ran a half marathon in 1:57. How can I get faster? Karen

Dear Karen: It takes two to three years to build up the necessary aerobic base to run a marathon. You may be trying to do too much too soon for someone who just took up running a year ago. I think all your mileage is taking a toll on your legs and probably preventing you from developing speed. It also appears that all of your runs are at the same level of effort. I recommend several things. First, start training with a heart monitor. Second, make sure that you keep most your runs under seventy percent effort, including your long run. Third, once or twice a week start doing anaerobic threshold training at eighty to eighty-five percent effort to help you gain speed. Fourth, cut back to five days per week because as a beginning runner you probably need more recovery time. Finally, give some consideration to waiting for another year before running a marathon.

Dear Coach: I have a couple of questions about using my heart monitor. First, when I start out my heart rate jumps up and down by more than 25 beats. Second, the age charts say my maximum heart rate should be 180 but at the end of a recent half marathon it went up to 186 when I kicked in the last quarter mile. What number should I use? Dan

Dear Dan: I also sometimes have that problem when I first start out until I build up a sufficient amount of sweat to make sure I have a connection between the monitor transmitter and my chest. I am beginning to use a commercial solution that appears to help. As far as maximum heart rate goes, the charts only predict your maximum heart rate. Some runners have maximum heart rates as much as 24 beats above or below what is predicted. You essentially duplicated a stress test when you kicked at the end of the race, so I would think that your maximum heart rate is somewhere between 186 and 190.

Dear Coach: Five weeks before my marathon, I just ran the hilly National Capital 20 mile race at under a 7:30 pace. Three weeks before the marathon, I had planned to sixteen miles at my projected marathon pace (PMP) of 7:15. Would I be better off doing another long run of 20 (I have already run nine 20 milers) instead of the PMP run? Hal

Dear Hal: You probably need to recover a lot from the 20 miler, and an easy 20 miler would be less taxing than 16 PMP miles. Given all your mileage, you most likely do not need another long run and could use more recovery time. You should wait until two weeks before the marathon and run 12 PMP miles.

Dear Coach: Cold weather is now approaching and I find it very difficult to race in that kind of weather because I am cold when I start the race. All my running friends tell me they have their best times in cold weather. Do you have any tips for me? Sally

Dear Sally: Your friends are absolutely correct. Runners who train with a heart monitor see how much lower their heart rate stays in cold weather. All of my personal bests have occurred at races such as the Veteran's Day 10K when temperatures are in the 30s and 40s. The key is getting in a proper and timely warm up. I suggest waiting until fifteen minutes before the start of the race, take off your warm ups and then jogging easily for ten minutes, ending with a series of strides. Get to the starting line two to three minutes before the start. In a large race, the heat of the crowd will keep you from getting too cold. If you stand around too long, you will tighten up and it will take a mile or so to get warmed up. Of course, if you start out in your warm up clothes, you will quickly warm up and become quite uncomfortable.

Coach West's Post-Marathon Tip

To recover as fast as possible, avoid speed work and racing the first few weeks after the marathon. Keep all runs below seventy percent effort. The muscles in your legs will have taken quite a beating as you have just run 26.2 miles. It takes three to four weeks for your muscles to heal completely. You may find that it takes much longer to recover if you try to race too soon. Instead of racing, take the opportunity to volunteer at one of the local races to give something back to the running community.

Coach West is a private coach for motivated adult runners. Questions can be sent to him at Kirt West