Chapter 15-18 Marathon Training, Ultratrail, and Triathlon Training Vocabulary (Video Notes)

A vocabulary-focused set of flashcards covering core terms, concepts, and organizational structures used in the marathon, ultradistance, and triathlon training notes from the video transcript.

VDOT

A value used to determine training paces (M, T, I, R) from race results; used to tailor speeds in Daniels’ programs.

E day (Easy run)

Low-stress running days used to accumulate weekly mileage and aid recovery.

L run (Long run)

Extended-duration training run to build endurance; volume contributes to weekly mileage.

M pace (Marathon pace)

Pace you expect to hold for a marathon; used to drive M-paced workouts and pace calculations.

T pace (Threshold pace)

A comfortably hard pace used in T sessions; faster than M pace and near lactate threshold.

I pace (Interval pace)

Hard pace used for interval training; typically around the pace you could sustain in a meaningful repeat effort.

R pace (Repetition pace)

Pace for repetition workouts near mile race pace; used in R sessions.

R session

Workout conducted at R pace with high-intensity repetitions and recovery.

I session

Interval-training workout performed at I pace with structured recoveries.

T session

Threshold-pace workout, often involving cruise intervals at T pace with rest periods.

Q session

Quality workout; a specific high-stress training bout used in Daniels’ plans.

Q1

First quality workout of the week in a Q-based plan.

Q2

Second quality workout of the week in a Q-based plan.

Q3

Optional third quality workout in some weekly schedules.

2Q program

Marathon plan featuring two quality workouts per week, structured in 2Q cycles with easy days between Q workouts.

Strides (ST)

Short, fast bursts (15–20 seconds) with brief recovery (45–60 seconds); used for warm-up or micro-speed work.

Alien training plan

A flexible, 2-week repeating set of workouts (E, L, M, T, I, H, R) designed for 15K–30K distances with VDOT-based adjustments.

Prerace week

The race week where training is adjusted/tapered before the race; final tune-ups and reduced volume.

Prerace strategy

Switching to prerace week patterns before a race, then cycling back to the program after race recovery.

Peak weekly mileage (P)

The maximum weekly mileage chosen for a program; weeks are expressed as fractions of P (e.g., .8P, .9P).

Mile-based marathon plans (Miles)

18-week marathon training programs written with distances in miles (Table 16.6).

Kilometer-based marathon plans (Kilometers)

18-week marathon training programs written with distances in kilometers (Table 16.7).

Time-based marathon plans (Time)

18-week marathon training programs written in total minutes for workouts (Table 16.8).

4-week cycle marathon plan (Miles)

4-week cycles within an 18-week framework, with two Q sessions per week and a non-Q week containing E days plus strides.

Final 18-week programs (Miles, Kilometers, Time)

Three equivalent 18-week marathon plans tailored to Miles, Kilometers, or Time totalizations.

Novice training

A base category for beginners or returning runners (Reruns) starting a marathon plan with careful progression.

Reruns

Experienced runners who return to training after a layoff; caution against trying to reproduce past high workloads.

Ultrarunning/Ultradistance

Races longer than a marathon; long runs and fueling strategy become central, with back-to-back long runs sometimes used.

Back-to-back long runs

Weekend sessions where consecutive long runs train the body to endure multi-hour efforts.

Cruise intervals

Cruise-pace portions within T-paced work, used to build sustainable threshold speed.

Altitude exposure

Training at altitude (or alternating sea level/altitude) affecting paces and endurance adaptations.

Transitional training (triathlon)

Practice of transitions between swim, bike, and run to simulate triathlon race demands.

Triathlon training schedule

Structured weekly plans covering swim, bike, and run with attention to fatigue and transitions.

H pace (Hard runs)

Hard-paced workouts used to improve speed and endurance at high intensities.

FR (Fast Repetitions)

Short fast repetition workouts (e.g., 800m repeats) designed to improve speed and lactate response.

Pacing relationships (M, T, I, R)

Relative speeds: M pace slower than T by 12–20 seconds per mile for faster runners and wider for slower runners; I slower than R, T slower than I, etc.

RPE

Rating of Perceived Exertion; subjective measure of how hard a workout feels.

Q sessions between races

Quality workouts placed around race timing to optimize performance and recovery.

L (Long) runs rules (percent of weekly mileage)

Long runs typically contribute a large portion of weekly mileage and are scheduled to build endurance.

Nutrition & fueling (ultra)

Strategic nutrition planning for ultraraces, including timing, carbohydrate intake, and gut training.

Transitions (triathlon)

Switching between swim-to-bike and bike-to-run, practiced to simulate race-day fatigue.

Threshold training for endurance

Longer, steady efforts at threshold pace to improve sustained performance.

VDOT tables

Reference charts (from Chapter 5) used to derive exact paces for M, T, I, R based on race results.

Back-structure of the 18-week plan

Programs designed to gradually increase volume and intensity while including recovery weeks and prerace weeks.

STS (Strides) in weekly routine

Integrating strides into two days per week to sharpen speed without excessive fatigue.

Runners’ personal limits

Recognizing individual differences in response to training and adjusting plans accordingly.