Print this page

Marathon Training Plan — 18-Week Schedule Principles: Novice and first-time marathon athletes Initial weeks — Smaller steps to build endurance Middle weeks — Adding a rest week when runs are getting longer Minimum competency — Athlete should be able to run 10 kilometers before starting marathon training   Monday/Wednesday — Up-tempo runs or hill repeats of moderate incline about 250 meters long Tuesday — Rest or cross-training with a moderate activity such as swimming or walking (little running motion) Thursday — Easy recovery from the week Friday — High repeats/low weights; just toning, not building bulk Saturday — Long slow run (65 to 75% of marathon pace — for example, for 4:30 marathon, 7- to 8-minute/km pace) Sunday — Recovery   Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 1 44 min Rest / Cross-train 44 min 44 min Weights 12 km Rest Day 2 3 x hill training Rest / Cross-train 55 min 55 min Weights 12 km Rest Day 3 55 min Rest / Cross-train 4 x hill training 55 min Weights 16 km Rest Day 4 55 min Rest / Cross-train 55 min 66 min Weights 18 km Rest Day 5 4 x hill training Rest / Cross-train 66 min 66 min Weights 20 km Rest Day 6 66 min Rest / Cross-train 5 x hill training 55 min Weights 23 km Rest Day 7 66 min Rest / Cross-train 66 min 66 min Weights 18 km Rest Day 8 5 x hill training Rest / Cross-train 77 min 77 min Weights 25 km Rest Day 9 77 min Rest / Cross-train 6 x hill training 55 min Weights 28 km Rest Day 10 66 min Rest / Cross-train 77 min 77 min Weights 23 km Rest Day 11 6 x hill training Rest / Cross-train 77 min 77 min Weights 32 km Rest Day 12 66 min Rest / Cross-train 6 x hill training 55 min Weights 25 km Rest Day 13 55 min Rest / Cross-train 66 min 66 min Weights 34 km Rest Day 14 5 x hill training Rest / Cross-train 66 min 66 min Weights 25 km Rest Day 15 55 min Rest / Cross-train 55 min 66 min Weights 36 km Rest Day 16 55 min Rest / Cross-train 5 x hill training 55 min Weights 21 km Rest Day 17 4 x hill training Rest / Cross-train 55 min 55 min Weights 16 km Rest Day 18 44 min Rest / Cross-train 55 min Rest Weights 3 km Race Day   Marathon Training Plan — 21-Week Schedule Principles: This schedule is designed for an intermediate athlete who needs more rest days but has some harder workouts in the week.   Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4) Weekly mileage 26 to 32 miles Long runs of 10/11/12/13 miles every week 70 to 90 minutes on a hilly course every week Easy runs     Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8) Weekly mileage 30 to 38 miles Long runs of 14 to 17 miles every other week 5 to 7 times 1200meter at 8k pace 80 to 110 minutes on a hilly course every week     Phase 3 (Weeks 9-18) Weekly mileage of 40 miles with 3 easy weeks of 25 miles Long runs (18 miles to 25 miles) every 2 to 3 weeks 12 times 400m at 2-mile pace (walk 200m; 4 minutes rest after 6 x400m) 2 to 3 5-mile to 13-mile runs including 1 run at or near marathon pace every other week Races every 2 to 3 weeks that serve as fast speed work Easy runs to the mileage up to 40 miles     Phase 4 (Week 19-21) "Pre-race" phase No hills   M = miles   Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Total Mileage 1 5M Rest Day 10M 5M Rest Day 70min hill Rest Day 28 2 5M Rest Day 11M 5M Rest Day 70min hill Rest Day 29 3 5M Rest Day 12M 4M Rest Day 80min hill Rest Day 30 4 5M Rest Day 13M 4M Rest Day 80min hill Rest Day 31 5 9M Rest Day 5x1200m 8M Rest Day 100min hill Rest Day 32 6 80min hill Rest Day 6x1200m 4M Rest Day 15M Rest Day 34 7 9M Rest Day 6x1200m 8M Rest Day 100min hill Rest Day 33 8 80min hill Rest Day 7x1200m 4M Rest Day 17M Rest Day 37 9 10M Rest Day 12x400m 4M 9M Rest Day 12M 41 10 Rest Day 9M 4x1M Rest Day 7M 19M Rest Day 41 11 3M Rest Day 12x400m 4M Rest Day 6x1M 4M 26 easy 12 9M Rest Day 6M at marathon pace Rest Day 6M 21M Rest Day 42 13 4M Rest Day 8x1M Rest Day 3M 5k race Rest Day 25 easy 14 6M at marathon pace Rest Day 9x1M Rest Day 7M Rest Day 16M 40 15 Rest Day 7M at marathon pace 6M Rest Day 4M 25M Rest Day 40 16 12x400meters Rest Day 6M 6M Rest Day 5k race Rest Day 25 easy 17 7M Rest Day 10x1M 4M 7M Rest Day 11M at marathon pace 41 18 Rest Day 9M Rest Day 7M Rest Day 20M Rest Day 41 19 3M 7M 5x1M Rest Day 3M 12M at marathon pace Rest Day 30 20 6M Rest Day 5x1M Rest Day 5M 10M Rest Day 26 *21* 6M Rest Day 3M at marathon pace Rest Day 2M Rest Day Marathon 11 + Marathon

Prev Page                                                                 Next Page