The MAGIC MILE (MM) Predicts Long Run Pace & Marathon Pace
Training for a race such as the BCM Half or Full Marathon can be an extremely rewarding experience. Some runners, however, get a bit too motivated and run faster on training runs, and in the first part of their race, than they are able. This often results in burnout or injury. While we never know exactly how fast we will run on a given day, there’s a simple time trial that can accurately predict your current potential finish time. This allows you to set a long run pace that can almost eliminate the chance of injury due to too fast a pace. This MM can also tell you an appropriate time goal, currently.
The "Magic Mile" is the result of 15 years of data collection. It has been an extremely accurate predictor of current performance. Analysis has shown that most runners slow down 30% when they go from a fast one mile, to a fast per mile pace in a marathon, and by 20% when they run a fast half marathon. Here’s how it works.
- Every 2-3 weeks, as part of your training run, run an accurately measured one mile segment for time.
- Warm up by jogging slowly for at least a mile. Then do 4-8 acceleration-gliders (not sprints). These are explained in my books GALLOWAY TRAINING PROGRAMS, YEAR ROUND PLAN, HALF MARATHON. Walk for 1-2 minutes and run a mile for time.
- After the MM, run the rest of the mileage assigned for the day at any pace you wish—taking walk breaks as you wish to take them.
- On the first MM, don’t try to run as fast as you can. Run the first half as you usually run on an easy training run. During the second half, pick up the pace and record your time.
- The goal on each successive MM is to beat the best time you have run so far. After about 3 or 4 of these, you should be running very close to your best pace, currently. You want to finish thinking that you couldn’t have run more than a few seconds faster—to get an accurate estimate of potential.
- Duing the 2nd, (and continuing) MMs, it’s OK to be huffing and puffing—especially during the second half. But don’t push yourself so that you are nauseous. We have a "no puking rule" in our Galloway training programs.
- To find a safe training pace for your long runs, take the MM time, multiply by 1.3 and add 2 minutes. Then, make the temperature adjustment in # 12, below.
- So a runner who records 10:00 in the magic mile, is predicting a 13 min/mi pace in a very hard marathon when doing all of the long runs (including a 29 miler), and all of the speedwork elements (including 14 x 1 mile), on a perfect weather day with no runners to impede progress.
- The long run pace should be at least 2 min/mile slower than current predicted pace in the marathon. In the example above, the MM of 10:00 says that a long run should be no faster than 15 min/mi. It’s OK to go slower than this.
- During the last 4 weeks, after the last MM in the program, take your best time in the MM and multiply by 1.3 to find your current potential in the marathon, and multiply by 1.2 to see current potential in the Half Marathon.
- The resulting time is the best you could expect, under ideal conditions (60F, no hills, no crowds, etc.) when you have done all of the speedwork, etc. to prepare for the time goal. You should then add to this predicted time based upon temperature, extra distance in crowded races (about a mile farther) how hard you want to push yourself, etc.
- Temperature adjustment: Add 30 sec a mile for every 5 degrees above 60F—on long runs or during the race itself.
- There is a magic mile predictor function at our website: www.JeffGalloway.com, if you don’t want to do the math yourself.
You can do it!
Jeff Galloway
US Olympian
www.JeffGalloway.com
Director of Training, BCM
