Programme details

Find out further details about:

• The planned timetable
• Fitness assessments
• Seminar series
• Training programme
• Body composition measures
• Run Brighton membership
• Musculoskeletal screening

Timetable

Fitness Assessments:

The MSU helps identify three key fitness parameters for endurance athletes and will explain how they impact on performance (achieved through a detailed write up and seminar – see “Seminar Series”):

• VO_{2 max}
• Lactate threshold
• Running economy

The MSU programme comprises two detailed, highly-accurate fitness assessments (three if on the “Gold” pathway, the third is undertaken three weeks before the marathon) that are conducted at the start of the programme and after your first 10-week training block. The fitness assessments serve the following functions:

• To identify your current fitness levels.
• To identify “weak links” and provide guidance as to how to address and improve these.
• To track changes in fitness due to training. This shows how effective your training has been.
• To estimate marathon running speed and therefore predict finish time.
• To accurately set training zones based on heart rate and speed (minute-mile/kilometre pace).
• To set goals for further assessments.

Seminar Series:

The MSU runs three seminars on popular topics for endurance runners:

• Physiology – what your test results mean and how we use them with athletes to aid, understand, and improve performance
• Nutrition and hydration – a particularly popular seminar. Pre, during, and post-race fuelling strategies. Advice on what types of food to eat and what to avoid. An interactive seminar delivered by principal lecturer and experienced endurance runner
• Injury prevention – a practical based workshop where MSU participants can learn injury prevention techniques and strengthening exercises from the sport science support staff, strength and conditioning team, and new for this year, the physiotherapy staff at Leaf Hospital.

The seminar series is free to all MSU participants. Non-MSU participants are also welcome. A nominal fee is requested if MSU participants would like to bring guests.

Find out more about who is delivering these sessions

Training Programmes:

Using the data obtained from your fitness assessment, the MSU team will put together 2x10 week training programmes to take you right up to the marathon.

The programmes are based on your results, meaning they are individualised and specifically tailored to help you meet your training goals.

The first is emailed to you after your initial fitness assessment in November and the second in January/February (gold members will receive a “final-preparations” programme for the final weeks leading to the marathon.

Alternatively, if you have a training programme already, we can offer a training programme consultation service. This will help tweak and adjust any issues where we feel we could help improve your current schedule. This could be more beneficial for the intermediate-experienced endurance runner.

Body Composition and additional measures (MSU Gold):

An important body characteristic for endurance athletes is having a low body fat percentage. Using skinfold calipers, a non-invasive and pain free measurement tool, we can accurately assess your body fat percentage and track changes due to training.

Carrying excess weight in the form of body fat means your muscles will have to produce more force, and therefore require more energy to move. This impacts upon running economy and the rate of energy utilisation, both of which are key determinants of endurance performance.

Additional measures for MSU Gold pathway members include assessment of:

• Haemoglobin (iron status - Hb) – Hb is a protein that is found in the blood. During endurance exercise, the ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscle is critical for performance. During respiration, oxygen in the lungs attaches to Hb in the blood. The higher your Hb levels, the more oxygen you can carry.
• The Haematocrit (Hct) – The ratio of red blood cells to whole blood (plasma, white blood cells etc.). Again, red blood cell count (of which Hb is a part of the blood cell) is important for oxygen carrying capacity.
• Hydration status

Run Brighton membership:

Run Brighton is a social running group who operate out of Brighton and Hove. Working in partnership with Run Brighton, we are proud to announce that all MSU members will get free membership to Run Brighton and access to the Run Brighton marathon training runs.

Having an opportunity to run socially with MSU members and meet other local runners in the area was something that was requested on last year’s MSU programme.

Find out more about Run Brighton

Musculoskeletal Screening at the Leaf Hospital:

Physiotherapy at the Leaf Hospital is a musculoskeletal physiotherapy service that provides access to advanced physiotherapists for expert assessment and treatment.

Leaf Hospital practitioners will deliver physiotherapy services for Silver and Gold level MSU members. All members MSU members will receive 10% discount on Leaf Hospital services throughout the MSU programme.

Find out more about Leaf Hospital

Book your place

Ready to book a place on the Marathon Support course?  You can pay in full, or put down a deposit to reserve your place.  Visit our online booking system to reserve your place. Book a place on the Marathon Support course.