#338 16 Weeks to Dublin Marathon with Brian Swaby

This week on the Any Given Runday podcast, we welcome Brian Swaby (@swabysessionscoaching on Instagram), a Level 2 Athletics Ireland coach with over 22 years of experience in coaching, as well as the Health Matters 20 Weeks to a Better Marathon Coach. For anyone starting their running journey towards the Dublin Marathon this year, this is a must listen. As well as his own background, Brian talks about how to structure your training weeks, the biggest mistakes he sees in people's training, managing intensity, why VO2 max testing is great but not for the VO2 number specifically, how people's zone 2 can look drastically different on a heart rate monitor, balancing life with marathon training and much more 16:00 We welcome Brian Swaby 18:42 The Transition from Steeplechase to Road Racing 21:54 The Evolution of Marathon Running 24:41 The Importance of 5K and 10K Races 27:40 Coaching Philosophy and Adaptation 30:29 Training for the Marathon: Key Strategies 33:27 Navigating Marathon Training and Coaching 36:23 Understanding VO2 Max and Thresholds 39:18 The Role of Anaerobic Threshold in Training 47:22 Understanding Heart Rate and Training Zones 48:50 Maximising Marathon Performance through Testing 52:35 Balancing Life and Marathon Training 54:52 Building a Sustainable Training Plan 58:05 Navigating Club Training and Coaching 62:23 Establishing Training Habits for Beginners 67:41 Navigating Technical Challenges in Remote Recording 68:11 Coaching Strategies for Mixed Abilities 71:46 Building Confidence Through Small Victories 73:44 Common Misconceptions in Marathon Training 74:52 Connecting with a Coach for Marathon Success You can follow us on Instagram: @anygivenrundaypodcast And be sure to check out previous "16 weeks to Dublin Marathon" epsiodes as well the return of our Road To Dublin season 2 which will premier next Monday and apply professional running coach advice to your own routine joins the Any Given Runday podcast to break down the marathon training plan. Ultrapure Sports Recovery Kit is the perfect answer for post marathon training recovery. Check out Ultrapure.ie or shop here Get the AGR Ultrapure Sprint Bundle HERE with the exclusive AGR Bobble Hat!! If you've never had your VO₂ max or metabolism measured, there's a good chance you're training at the wrong intensity, missing valuable adaptations, or getting your race nutrition wrong. Health Matters replaces guesswork with data. With over 15 years of experience, they're one of Europe's most experienced performance testing providers. Find out more or book your test at myhealthmatters.ie . ALTAR Speed Dust is engineered to keep fuel in your tank so you can go faster, farther and longer than ever before. Use the code AGR15 to get 15% off at checkout (excludes bundles). altarfuel.com