What’s New In the 4th Edition of Pete Pfitzinger’s Advanced Marathoning?

For over 20 years, Pete Pfitzinger’s Advanced Marathoning has been one of the go to training resources for serious, amateur runners. It provides a good mix of the what, the how, and the why – tons of advice, specific plans to follow, and an explanation of the science behind the coaching decisions.

This summer, Pfitz released a new version of the book – the 4th Edition. He was on a podcast a few weeks back, hinting at some of the changes and discussing training in general. Now that the book is available for general purchase, I got a copy and looked to see what was new and different.

As you might expect, the bones are the same. There’s no radical restructuring of things, and much of the content is organized in the same way. Some of the edits are superficial, but there are some small (but meaningful) changes to the training plans and some nuance to the previous existing advice. He has also revamped the reference list, clearing out some older work and introducing a heap of new research.

If you’ve only ever heard of Pfitz and you don’t currently have a copy of Advanced Marathoning, you should get one now. It’s a book every serious marathon runner should read, and now’s as good a time as any to pick one up.

If you already have the 3rd edition, there’s not necessarily enough new or revised content in here that you need to chuck it and buy the new one. But if you are a big fan of Pfitz, it may be worth purchasing a new copy to support his work – and to support quality coaching and training advice.

Either way, let me run down a few of the key differences I noticed when I gave the new edition a first pass. I may come back and revise this later when I’ve had more time to sit with it, so don’t think this list is definitive or exhaustive.

Changes to the Pfitz Training Plans

The broad strokes of Pfitz marathon training plans in Advanced Marathoning remain the same. There are both 18 week and 12 week versions, with peak mileage at 55, 70, 85, and more than 85. The general progression and types of workouts remain the same, too.

But as Pfitz mentioned on the podcast earlier this month, he did review these plans and tweak them a bit. Here are the key differences I noticed.

First, each run is expressed as a range of possible distances instead of an exact number. For example, you might see “6-7 miles recovery” or “19-21 mile long run.” Typically, it’s a small range of 1-2 miles, but it suggests that there’s room for adjustments each day. This also results in a broader weekly range – so instead of 65 miles for the week, you might see 63-70 miles.

Second, the threshold workouts are all now prescribed by time instead of distance. For example, week 7 of Pfitz 18/70 used to have 12 miles with 7 miles at LT as a prescribed workout. That same workout is now 11-12 miles with 35-45 minutes at LT pace. Note that the time is also a range. There’s not a precise conversion of distance to time, but it’s ~6 minutes per mile. This is similar to the way Jack Daniels approaches threshold work – where he suggests people convert “1 mile” in his workouts to 5 minutes of running.

Third, he’s backed off doubles a little bit. The chapter on 18/70 no longer references doubles at all. That plan used to incorporate some easy doubles on a few recovery days, but they’re gone. The higher mileage plan – 18/85 – still incorporates doubles, but there are fewer of them. He doesn’t explicitly address the change in the book, but the changes are in line with his general philosophy that doubling isn’t really necessary until you’re regularly running 70 miles per week.

Fourth, he shuffled around the order of a few workouts. On the podcast, he mentioned this specifically – that there were some weeks with three or four moderate to hard days in a row. The changes appear to occur in weeks 4 and 6 of the 18 week plan. For example, week six used to be:

• Tuesday: VO2 Max
• Wednesday: MLR (14)
• Thursday: Recovery (6 / 4 doubles w/ strides)
• Friday: Recovery
• Saturday: Tune Up
• Sunday: Long Run (18)

Now, that same week is:

• Tuesday: GA (10-11)
• Wednesday: VO2 Max
• Thursday: Recovery w/ strides
• Friday: Recovery
• Saturday: Tune Up
• Sunday: Long Run (16-17 miles)

It’s still a tough week, but it’s a little more manageable.

Finally, he revised some of his VO2 max workouts. The overall volume tended to stay the same, but in some cases he shortened the reps. For example, 4x1200m became 5x1000m in a few places, and 5x800m became 6x600m. I think this is a nod to the idea that longer reps are more taxing and likely less relevant for a marathoner.

Other Changes from the 3rd to 4th Editions

Reading through the book, I noticed a few other differences besides the specific changes to the training plans.

I started with the glossary, and I noticed two new entries: maximal cardiac output and super-shoes. The fact that super shoes weren’t mentioned at all in the 3rd edition is a little mind blowing. But it makes sense, since the book came out in 2019, and these shoes were just starting to proliferate among amateur runners at that point. But it really hits home how fast some things have changed.

Another area where I noticed a subtle but specific difference was in nutrition. In the 2nd edition (released in 2008), he basically advises that you take sports drink throughout the race – and gels are mentioned as an after thought. In the 3rd edition, he suggests that you drink sports drink at 8-10 aid stations and complement this with two gels (at the 1 hour and 2 hour mark). In the 4th edition, he suggests the following:

A typical plan for a sub-3 hour marathoner would be to drink 40 ounces of a sports drink with 8 percent carbohydrates, divided between 10 aid stations, and to take gels providing 100 calories of carbohydrates each at about 40 minutes, 80 minutes, and 2 hours.

So while his advice on fueling is getting progressively more aggressive – it’s not that aggressive.

New in the 4th edition is also a discussion of heart rate variability. Running watches and other devices that track HRV have become more common in the last few years, and they were far less prevalent and/or reliable when the 3rd edition came out. This isn’t exhaustive, but he discusses it in the chapter on recovery and cites a few research articles.

Throughout the book, Pfitz also discusses super shoes in a number of different contexts. It comes up in the sections on running economy, recovery, pacing, and (obviously) shoe selection.

There are likely some other changes and/or additions – but again, I’ve only had a few days to flip through the new edition. I plan to come back to this and revise it later. And if you’ve noticed anything interesting, leave a comment and I’ll be sure to work it in to a later draft.

New Research in the 4th Edition

Finally, Pfitz includes a substantial reference list at the end of the book. Some of the older papers cited in the 3rd edition have been removed, and dozens of new ones have taken their place. Some are on brand new topics – like heart rate variability and super shoes – while others are just new research about well-worn topics.

All of these are referenced in the book at least once, so taking a look through this list gives you a good sense of what areas have been revised and/or added in the new edition. I’ve grouped these into some topics, and the remainder are at the bottom listed under “Other.”

Review the list of new research below, check out the new edition of the book on Amazon, and let me now what you think about it in the comments below.

• Caffeine
  • Barreto, G., G.P. Esteves, F. Marticorena, T.N. Oliveira, J. Grgic, and B. Saunders. 2024. “Caffeine, CYP1A2 Genotype, and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 56 (2): 328-339.
  • Guest, N.S., T.A. VanDusseldorp, M.T. Nelson, J. Grgic, B.J. Schoenfeld, N.D.M. Jenkins, S.M. Arent, J. Antonio, J.R. Stout, E.T. Trexler, A.E. Smith-Ryan, E.R. Goldstein, D.S. Kalman, and B.I. Campbell. 2021. “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 18 (1): 1-37.
• Super Shoes
  • Joubert, D.P., T.A. Dominy, and G.T. Burns. 2023. “Effects of Highly Cushioned and Resilient Racing Shoes on Running Economy at Slower Running Speeds.” International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance 18 (2): 164-170.
  • Joubert, D.P., and G.P. Jones 2022. “A Comparison of Running Economy across Seven Highly Cushioned Racing Shoes with Carbon-Fibre Plates.” Footwear Science 14 (2): 71–83.
  • Matties, J.R., and K.M. Rowley. 2023. “A pilot study: effects of an 8-week training intervention in carbon-plated running shoes.” Footwear Science 15: S182-S183.
• Diet
  • Burke, L.M. 2021. “Ketogenic Low-CHO, High-Fat Diet: The Future of Elite Endurance Sport?” The Journal of Physiology 599 (3): 819-43.
  • Cao, J., S. Lei, X. Wang, and S. Cheng. 2021. “The Effect of a Ketogenic Low-Carbohydrate, High-Fat Diet on Aerobic Capacity and Exercise Performance in Endurance Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrients 13 (8): 2896.
  • Churchward-Venne, T.A., P.J.M. Pinckaers, J.S.J. Smeets, M.W. Betz, J.M. Senden, J.P.B. Goessens, A.P. Gijsen, I. Rollo, L.B. Verdijk, and L.J.C. van Loon. 2020. “Dose-Response Effects of Dietary Protein on Muscle Protein Synthesis During Recovery From Endurance Exercise in Young Men: A Double-Blind Randomized Trial.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 112 (2): 303-317.
  • Gao, C., S. Gupta, T. Adli, W. Hou, R. Coolsaet, A. Hayes, K. Kim, A. Pandey, J. Gordon, G. Chahil, E.P. Belley-Cote, and R.P. Whitlock. 2021. “The Effects of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on Endurance Exercise Performance and Cardiorespiratory Measures in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 18 (1): 
  • Larson-Meyer, D.E., and M. Ruscigno. 2020. Plant-Based Sports Nutrition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• Nutrition
  • McCubbin, A.J., A. Zhu, S.K. Gaskell, and R.J.S. Costa. 2020. “Hydrogel Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Beverage Does Not Improve Glucose Availability, Substrate Oxidation, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, or Exercise Performance, Compared With a Concentration and
  • Rowe, J.T., R.F.G.J. King, A.J. King, D.J. Morrison, T. Preston, O.J. Wilson, and J.P. O’Hara. 2022. “Glucose and Fructose Hydrogel Enhances Running Performance, Exogenous Carbohydrate Oxidation, and Gastrointestinal Tolerance.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 54 (1): 129-140.
  • Sutehall, S., B. Muniz-Pardos, A. Bosch, and Y. Pitsiladis. 2022. “The Effect of Sodium Alginate and Pectin Added to a Carbohydrate Beverage on Endurance Performance, Substrate Oxidation and Blood Glucose Concentration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports Medicine – Open 8: 82.
  • Wirnitzer, K., D. Tanous, M. Motevalli, K. Wagner, C. Raschner, G. Wirnitzer, C. Leitzmann, T. Rosemann, and B. Knechtle. 2023. “Racing Experiences of Recreational Distance Runners Following Omnivorous, Vegetarian, and Vegan Diets (Part B)—Results From the NURMI Study (Step 2).” Nutrients 15 (10): 2243.
• Recovery
  • Chaillou, T., V. Treigyte, S. Mosely, M. Brazaitis, T. Venckunas, and A.J. Cheng. 2022. “Functional Impact of Post-Exercise Cooling and Heating on Recovery and Training Adaptations: Application to Resistance, Endurance, and Sprint Exercise.” Sports Medicine – Open 8 (1): 37.
  • Poppendieck, W., M. Wegmann, A. Hecksteden, A. Darup, J. Schimpchen, S. Skorski, A. Ferrauti, M. Kellmann, M. Pfeiffer, and T. Meyer. 2021. “Does Cold-Water Immersion After Strength Training Attenuate Training Adaptation?” International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance 16 (2): 304–10.
  • Wiewelhove, T., A. Döweling, C. Schneider, L. Hottenrott, T. Meyer, M. Kellmann, M. Pfeiffer, and A. Ferrauti. 2019. “A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Foam Rolling on Performance and Recovery.” Frontiers in Physiology 10: 376.
• Overtraining
  • Haghighat, N., and T. Stull. 2024. “Up-to-Date Understanding of Overtraining Syndrome and Overlap With Related Disorders.” Sports Psychiatry 3 (1): 31-38.
  • Mountjoy, M., K.E. Ackerman, D.M. Bailey, L.M. Burke, N. Constantini, A.C. Hackney, I.A. Heikura, A. Melin, A.M. Pensgaard, T. Stellingwerff, J.K. Sundgot-Borgen, M.K. Torstveit, A.U. Jacobsen, E. Verhagen, R. Budgett, L. Engebretsen, and U. Erdener. 2023. “2023 International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Consensus Statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs).” British Journal of Sports Medicine 57 (17): 1073-1097.
• Heart Rate Variability
  • Dobbs, W.C., M.V. Fedewa, H.V. MacDonald, C.J. Holmes, Z.S. Cicone, D.J. Plews, and M.R. Esco. 2019. “The Accuracy of Acquiring Heart Rate Variability From Portable Devices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports Medicine, 49 (3): 417-435.
  • Lundstrom, C.J., N.A. Foreman, and G. Biltz. 2023. “Practices and Applications of Heart Rate Variability Monitoring in Endurance Athletes.” International Journal of Sports Medicine 44 (1): 9-19.
• Other
  • Düking, P., C. Zinner, J.L. Reed, H.C. Holmberg, and B. Sperlich. 2020. “Predefined vs. Data-Guided Training Prescription Based on Autonomic Nervous System Variation: A Systematic Review.” Scandinavian Journal Medicine and Science in Sports 30: 2291-2304.
  • Jensen M., H. Hsu-Han, J.P. Porcari, B.E. Arney, S. Doberstein, K. Radtke, and C. Foster. 2019. “A Comparison of Energy Expenditure when Exercising on 10 Indoor Exercise Machines.” International Journal of Research Exercise Physiology 14 (2): 84-94.
  • Klein, M., and C. Patterson. 2023. “Changes in Running Biomechanics in Master Runners over Age 50: A Systematic Review.” Sports Biomechanics, June: 1-29.
  • Lee, E.J., E.M. Snyder, and C.J. Lundstrom. 2020. “Predictors of Long-Distance Race Performance in Master Runners.” Journal of Human Sport & Exercise 15 (2): 355-366.
  • Llanos-Lagos, C., R. Ramirez-Campillo, J. Moran, and E. Sáez de Villarreal. 2024. “The Effect of Strength Training Methods on Middle-Distance and Long-Distance Runners’ Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.” Sports Medicine 54 (7): 1801-1833.
  • Lopes, T.R., H.M. Pereira, L.R.A. Bittencourt, and B.M. Silva. 2023. “How Much Does Sleep Deprivation Impair Endurance Performance? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” European Journal of Sport Science 23 (7): 1279-1292.
  • Plotkin, D.L., M.D. Roberts, C.T. Haun, and B.J. Schoenfeld. 2021. “Muscle Fiber Type Transitions With Exercise Training: Shifting Perspectives.” Sports 9: 127.
  • Santisteban, K.J., A.T. Lovering, J.R. Halliwill, and C.T. Minson. 2022. “Sex Differences in V̇O2max and the Impact on Endurance Exercise Performance.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19: 4946.
  • Shookster, D., B. Lindsey, N. Cortes, and J.R. Martin. 2020. “Accuracy of Commonly Used Age-Predicted Maximal Heart Rate Equations.” International Journal of Exercise Science 13 (7): 1242-1250.
  • Wondem, D.A., and Z.M. Tegegne. 2023. “Effect of Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training on Distance Running Performances in Well-Trained Athletes.” Sport Mont 21 (3): 101-107.
  • Brooks G.A. 2020. “Lactate as a Fulcrum of Metabolism.” Redox Biology 35: 101454.