Luke Humphrey - Hansons Marathon Method: Run Your Fastest Marathon the Hansons Way

Copyright 2016 by Luke Humphrey

All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by VeloPress, a division of Competitor Group, Inc.

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ISBN 978-1-937715-48-9

eISBN: 978-1-937716-76-9

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v. 3.1

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Contents

As one of the privileged few who have run for the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, I can tell you that my years as a member of the team were some of the best of my life. I was able to learn from two of the best marathon coaches the United States has ever known, Kevin and Keith Hanson, and I was able to train every day with some of the toughest athletes Ive ever encountered.

One of those athletes was none other than Hansons Marathon Method author Luke Humphrey. Even as rookies, Luke and I shared several common bonds. First, we were both human sponges, soaking in everything Kevin and Keith had to say about marathon training. We also both fell head over heels in love with the event from the start. And we both believed in the Hansons training methods because we saw success, not only in our own careers but everywhere we turned as our teammates continued to shock the running world.

Fast-forward 10 years, and I now coach a professional training group of my own in Flagstaff, Arizona. I am proud to say that many of our accomplishmentsincluding multiple national championships, representing the United States at the international level, and a slew of world-class times in events ranging from the 5K to the marathoncan be directly attributed to the training methods I learned from Kevin and Keith. And now you can learn them too. Luke, a 2:14 marathoner who has used this system himself for more than a decade, explains the training in a way that only an insider could. Luke has suffered (in a good way) through workouts like 3 3 miles, 2 6 miles, and the 26.2-km Simulator so often that he can break these sessions down like a Harvard professor. But perhaps the best part of the book is that he breaks the program down not only for elites but for anyone and everyone who is willing to work toward their running goals.

The Hansons Marathon Method is an invaluable resource for runners of all ages and abilities. Ive witnessed its success firsthand as an athlete in the Hansons program, as an observer of the training groups based out of the Hansons running stores, and as a coach of my own athletes. Is the method easy? Heck, no. It requires a lot of focus and commitment. But the results will make it all worthwhile. And from a lifetime in our sport, I can tell you this: Runners are tough, no matter what their speed. The Hansons method is not afraid to challenge runners by giving them exactly what they want: rigorous, effective training plans that will make them faster!

BEN ROSARIO, HEAD COACH,
NORTHERN ARIZONA ELITE PROFESSIONAL RUNNING TEAM

Kevin and Keith Hanson were fixtures in the Detroit running scene for many years. In fact, if you were ever at a group run, a clinic, or at one of their running shop events, you would find it tough to question their success at the local level. However, at the national level the Hansons method was significantly less well known. So in 2011, when VeloPress approached us about writing a book about the program, we realized it was the perfect opportunity to share our program with a wider audience. And it has been an honor to provide a different way of training to a larger group of runners who, judging by the overwhelming success of the first edition, have proven that they are hungry for a fresh approach to the marathon.

The response to the book has been tremendously positive. We get e-mail after e-mail from people thanking us for the programs and telling us their PR stories. We never get tired of hearing inspiring stories of hard work, dedication, and then ultimately reward for those efforts. It is a humbling experience.

The best part of this process has been the opportunity to grow as coaches and educators. With thousands more people now using the program, weve gotten a lot of questions and in answering them, weve been able to refine the program even more. Writing a second edition has given us a chance to consider those questions and comments, and address as many as possible in this new edition. I am pleased to announce the inclusion of a Just Finish Program, designed to help new runners who are attempting their first marathon but arent quite ready (yet) for the more difficult workouts in the Beginner and Advanced Programs. Finally, weve also introduced more structured supplemental training, including flexibility and strength, and shown you how these can enhance your run training. One thing, however, has not changed and never will, and that is our goal: to meet you, the runner, where you are, and give you solid information that you can put into use now, as well as for years to come as you grow in your running.

With this second edition, the Hansons Marathon Method will continue to help more and more runners reach their goals. Kevin, Keith, and I cannot thank you enough for your support and your belief in the method!

LUKE HUMPHREY

When it comes to the exciting path my life has taken into the sport of running, I have to credit Kevin and Keith Hanson. They are talent scouts, coaches, and mentors, all rolled into one. Time and again they have identified potential in runners who no one else would think twice about. For the runners in the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, it is through Kevin and Keith that countless opportunities have been offered and goals realized. Without them, dozens of just not quite good enough runners wouldnt have gotten shoe contracts, elite-level coaching, and support from some of the greatest experts in the running business. The world would know nothing of Brian Sell, Desiree Linden, or many others on a long list of athletes who represented the United States at the World Championships over the years. To be sure, a big thanks is also owed to all the runners who have come through the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project. We all shared similar running backgrounds, and hopefully the chapter dedicated to how you train will show the world just what it takes.

While the Hansons success with elite marathon runners has gained them national attention, their roots are with the hardworking people of Detroit. Through the Hansons unconventional training methods, runners of all abilities have experienced marathon success since the 1990s. Kevin and Keith have given me a wonderful opportunity to share this program with the world, and I humbly thank them for that.

Much appreciation also goes to my wife, Nicole, who was eternally patient with me while I worked on this project. And I have to give a big shout-out to my right-hand man, Corey Kubatzky. While I was writing, he took over many of the day-to-day activities of Hansons Coaching Services and made sure we never missed a beat. He has been a guiding force in making this endeavor as successful as it has been.