Matt Fox - High Volume Marathon Training - Chicago Marathon Build-Up

The Faster Marathon Series documents Sweat Elite Founder - Matt Fox's journey to improve from 2:20 over the Marathon in 2024. This is Episode 8 - with 7 weeks to go until the Chicago Marathon 2024.
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[@sweatelite]

Full Training Log: www.strava.com/athletes/6248359/

[@terciosantana4697]

man, that puppy is CUTE!!! 😍

[@sweatelite]

He’s tiny! His name is Turbo

[@terciosantana4697]

@@sweatelite love the name! suits him :)

[@jp05598]

Hell fucking yes. I look forward to nothing more on KZbin than a Matt fox drop these days. LFG

[@sweatelite]

Thanks for the support 🙏

[@owkelly]

looking fierce Matt. Good share on the breakdown mid cycle, i think anyone who is 100% on marathon training feels the same way at least sometime during a build up. Nearly there , keep going!

[@runningwithmarc]

Great down to earth video right here. The reason why we both love running and have the struggle of running. Cheers Matt.

[@koks39.]

You know why I love your video’s. Your honesty about the fact that marathon training just sucks sometimes and you want to quit a 1000 times but you don’t…. Your video gave me a push to go hard the last block leading up to my marathon. (Trying to run maybe a bit faster than your easy morning pace) 😅 #summermilesbringfallsmiles

[@TumoRuns]

100% on board with the “not doing a marathon build in the summer”. Even here in the UK, we’ve had weeks where it’s been 28 Celsius, either dry AF or humid AF, and the focus here is all around track and 5k races. Trying to do a marathon build has almost ended my running career, and due to a cricket-related injury (another big summer issue I have) I’ve had to almost half my mileage, which is far from ideal 10-6 weeks out from such a big race. I will only be considering December marathons from here on out 😂

[@dominicrichard5658]

Matt, I sympathise with you. I'm currently living in Hong Kong and have started a 3 month build for a marathon in December after 18 months of inactivity due to injury, and the humidity is oppresive. In a way I'm glad to0 hear others are struggling to. Good luck for Chicago!

[@DrProfX]

Thanks so much for sharing, Matt! It’s super hot here in Southern Cali, but plan on a long run tomorrow… will probably start around 4:30-5AM🤞🤷‍♂️

[@jazzyjay4595]

I chose Houston as my first marathon and the main reason being for a 16 week build, I don’t have to train through the summer or the worst of winter. Likely will do CIM next year for the same reasons

[@sweatelite]

This is very smart

[@JackD87]

Luke is the first person I’ve ever heard hating on Asics 😂😂

[@sweatelite]

Luke paints his toe nails too

[@shannonsides6017]

Matt, thanks for sharing your struggles….this is your first summer training in the Midwest, yea? I’m no elite, but I am going to go out on a limb and say Midwest summers are possibly MORE beneficial than altitude training if you are particularly heat/humidity sensitive. But we get those dumb breaks in weather for a day or two and I ALWAYS overdress or stay inside bc it’s 10x harder once the humidity and DP return. Can’t wait to see how both you and Parker do with a summer of heat and humidity at sea level. Thanks for sharing your training with us!

[@sambowie11]

Come to Atlanta where humidity is just as high, but the heat gets to +100 easy

[@MichaelWhiting-k1o]

Can totally empathise with the heat struggles. I hit rock bottom about 4-5 times training through last summer in Brisbane trying to prepare for Canberra Marathon in April. EVERY run felt like junk in the humidity. Was getting 30mins into 2hr-plus runs and feeling totally depleted. The marathon (somehow) actually went ok, but I'm never prepping for another one through our summer. I hated running during that period, and I don't want to feel that way about a sport I love again.

[@AJB_runs]

Love the idea for treadmill, mine at home maxes out at 16kph but could be a game changer with 12% incline to play with. You looking in top shape.

[@DavidMolinaro]

At the moment, I find myself in that dark place with training ... anyways, kill'n video! Have a great race/run in Homewood this weekend!

[@sweatelite]

Not many more days to go David .. you’ve done the hard part

[@jameschaves5723]

This build seems like the most complete so far. Taking everything into consideration. I can’t do a summer block due to the humidity. CIM it is!!

[@sweatelite]

See you at CIM

[@katterjim1]

I live in Illinois too. It sucks regardless if you are doing an autumn or spring marathon…autumn marathon you struggle through the heat and humidity and the spring marathons you struggle with wind, ice, cold temperatures. I don’t like either, but I prefer the winter struggle over the summer struggle. Best wishes in Chicago.

[@KilroyWasThere]

You could try using adjustment tables for setting your training pace on runs based on temperature/dew point at time of the workout. There are a few out there, similar to correction for training at altitude. I've recently tried using them to set better expectations and avoid blowing up on my workouts. Hot and humid is the future of the world.

[@gengar678]

You look fitter now than ever before I think. The incline sprints are great since due to the increased power vs flat sprints you activate more of your fast twitch fibers and you need good knee lift etc.

[@EvilSecondTwin]

Definitely looking leaner and stronger this time around! I think this Chicago Marathon will be it!!!! Can’t wait!

[@sweatelite]

Thanks for the support 👍

[@JoelBiggins]

Hey Matt, fellow Aussie loving watching your Chicago build. I’m giving Kaizen a go per your recommendation but I’m not sold on their algorithm either. I did a long slow run yesterday jet lagged out of my mind, HR blew up and it still had me coming in a minute faster than previous. I’m not sure I’m trusting it. You seeing anything further on your latest runs?

[@derekpugh5457]

Can you not find a treadmill in a gym locally that goes faster ? Total respect for being honest about your tough days and the reality of training….im 48 and ran sub 3 at London this year after years of trying, so us amateurs who watch you guys really relate to that side of things as well as the successes …well done

[@sweatelite]

There's a big gym facility down the road but treadmill's have the same max speed, many do in the US.. 12mph. I haven't found one but at the same time, i rarely use the treadmill for hard workouts...

[@derekpugh5457]

@@sweatelite fair enough, looking forward to your Chicago experience …I would love to run one of the American majors, Chicago seems to be the one most likely

[@victorschnoor]

Awesome video! Will the Soar x Sweat Elite singlets make a return? Desperately need one for treadmill season!

[@BenBowman97]

It's been similar in SoCal this summer. 65 as the low with 95% RH. Brutal. Gotta be worth at least 10s per mile...

[@sweatelite]

Brutal. At least that..

[@BrianGoldstein927]

As a lifelong midwesterner, I love how only a few months turns even hardy Aussies into just like us 😂

[@weimingchen932]

Would be nice to see a video of you going through all the other race predictors at your peak week and compare it against Kaizen, then coming back to see which one was the most accurate.

[@sweatelite]

Good idea

[@christoph_wattever]

Same here.. Summer in Europe was brutal. For me it's triathlon and I can't see myself doing it in coming years with heat and humidity like that. It's just not any fun

[@zephaudi]

Nice runs

[@1iguerra]

black cherry sparkling water is goated.

[@sweatelite]

also a very good choice

[@HughesElites]

I bet 4 min pace is possible on that treadmill. I own a Matrix T5x and I had to put it in a maintenance mode to enable sub-5 paces. Figure the version and check the manual. The code is probably still the default.

[@sweatelite]

Will ask the staff at this complex! thanks

[@itzarb7514]

are u running even Berlin this year or just Chicago?

[@mrwhiffle]

I know the heat can stifle your actual training plan if it’s too intense, but do you not think the heat and humidity is somewhat equivalent to altitude training, in that when you do the race, it’ll be cooler and will feel much easier thanks to the resistance you’ve built up? I’m in Spain training for Chicago, and I just keep telling myself whatever effort I can do in 28-30c today is going to return a much better pace in Chicago.

[@sweatelite]

Great comments. it's much harder than training at altitude personally due to the feeling it leaves you with post workouts/runs.. completely drained.

[@EnvyTraxus]

5x2k/1k with only 60 rest and 90 bt sets is a tough workout

[@gusmontano]

Hey Matt! What’s the solution for next summer? Sounds like Chicago is a tough place to train.

[@sweatelite]

I live here now!

[@OsasumwenEweka-w3t]

Let's go Matt excellent work for berlin hugs Sasu & Matt

[@sweatelite]

Thanks for the support

[@MiguelJaramillo-v1w]

Saludos desde mexico 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

[@sweatelite]

🇲🇽

[@chrisblaze2438]

Come to the Caribbean islands you would know what real heat is. Trinidad we have to train in 32 everyday.. 😢😢😢

[@sweatelite]

Brutal. Aware it’s not that bad in Chicago compared to some places in the northern hemisphere

[@sdbowen18]

Sounds like you need a new treadmill. Hi from Melbourne

[@plantbaseddietandfitness2677]

its the caffeine causing the cramps, swear I haven't had cramps in years while on a regular run.. then the other day I had a coffee for the first time in years before my run (don't drink anymore cause it makes me feel nervous) and... well anyway I got a cramp, seems like too much of a coincidence.

[@sweatelite]

@@plantbaseddietandfitness2677 it’s not for me; I’ve tried a lot of different simulations and I cannot correlate anything with caffeine

[@plantbaseddietandfitness2677]

@@sweatelite oh man, that sucks, I hope you figure out the cramp issue matt, it's interesting following your trials and tribulations, hope you're able to PR in this next one! gl

[@TheEllendaneluzzi]

A breeder noooo. Pup is very cute but plz save a life and adopt next time. ❤

[@sweatelite]

We actually looked at an adoption shelter first; their rules and processes were very long and complex and they weren’t very close to us either - as in, required 3 meet and greets and then the shelter would decide if it’s a good fit, it was all quite strange. Perhaps should have checked others

[@TheEllendaneluzzi]

@@sweateliteyeah some shelters can be a bit much but try government run animal controls. You can leave same day w a pup after filling out an application. They euthanize so many every day, especially bigger cities like Chicago. I live here and chicago ac is the worst. 😩😩

[@JoelBiggins]

Hey Matt, fellow Aussie loving watching your Chicago build. I’m giving Kaizen a go per your recommendation but I’m not sold on their algorithm either. I did a long slow run yesterday jet lagged out of my mind, HR blew up and it still had me coming in a minute faster than previous. I’m not sure I’m trusting it. You seeing anything further on your latest runs?