TEAM | Run Guides | Beginner Marathon

Beginner Marathon

WEEK 1

FIRST WEEK OF YOUR MARATHON TRAINING! YOU HAVE A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD, FILLED WITH MANY MILES, UPS, DOWNS, SMILES, AND TEARS BEFORE YOUR RACE. LET'S START AS WE MEAN TO GO ON BY ENJOYING THE PROCESS BUT ALSO TRUSTING IN IT. THE MAIN AIM OF THIS TRAINING PLAN IS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONDITIONING AS A RUNNER SO YOU ARE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE MARATHON TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. ALONG WITH THAT, THIS TRAINING PLAN WILL DEVELOP YOUR AEROBIC ENDURANCE, WHICH WILL IMPROVE YOUR RUNNING AS A WHOLE. WE WILL WORK IN MINI TRAINING BLOCKS THAT INCLUDE DOWN WEEKS SO YOU CAN BUILD GRADUALLY.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

40 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

40 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

70 MINUTES LONG RUN

WEEK 2

STARTING TO BUILD UP NICELY NOW. A GREAT MIX OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF RUNS AND RECOVERY DAYS STRUCTURED IN SO YOU'RE FRESH FOR EACH TRAINING DAY. KEEP IT GOING!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

10 MINUTES EASY, 30 MINUTES STEADY, 10 MINUTES EASY

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

50 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

80 MINUTES LONG RUN

Week 3

YOU ARE NOW 16 WEEKS OUT FROM YOUR MARATHON. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN PREPARING YOU IN THE SAME TRAINING STRUCTURE THAT YOU'LL BE ON FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS. THIS IS WHERE YOUR MARATHON TRAINING TRULY STARTS, AND WE BEGIN TO MOULD YOU INTO THE RUNNER YOU NEED TO BE ON THE DAY TO HIT YOUR GOAL.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

PROGRESSION RUN: 30 MINUTES CONSTANT (10 MINUTES EASY, 10 MINUTES STEADY, 10 MINUTES AT THRESHOLD)

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

90 MINUTES LONG RUN

Week 4

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE INTRODUCE INTERVAL TRAINING INTO YOUR MARATHON TRAINING PROGRAM.IT MAY SEEM DAUNTING BUT IT CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HITTING YOUR GOAL AND MISSING IT. THE IMPROVEMENTS YOU'LL MAKE FROM PUSHING YOURSELF IN A DIFFERENT WAY WILL STICK WITH YOU FOR YEARS TO COME!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

12 X 400M OR 90s WITH 60s JOG RECOVERY AIM TO RUN THESE AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

1HR45 LONG RUN

Week 5

THIS WEEK WE VISIT SOME HILL RUNNING WHICH IS A GREAT WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR RUNNING EFFICIENCY AND POWER OUTPUT. BOTH REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MARATHON RUNNING. THE MORE EFFICIENT YOU ARE AS A RUNNER, THE MORE ENERGY YOU CAN UTILISE ACROSS THE 26.2 MILES.THE LONG RUN IS NOW 2 HOURS, MAKE SURE YOU ARE FUELLING YOUR BODY FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

2 SETS10 X 30s HILLS JOG DOWN RECOVERY 3 MINUTES REST BETWEEN SETS

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

2HR LONG RUN

Week 6

BUILD UP RACES CAN BE VERY HELPFUL FOR A MARATHON BUILD UP. THEY GIVE YOU A GREAT IDEA OF WHERE YOU'RE AT MID TRAINING CYCLE, THEY HELP YOU PRACTICE YOUR RACE DAY ROUTINE AND FUELLING STRATEGY, THEY GIVE YOU MINDSET TRAINING THAT'S ESSENTIAL FOR RACING AND THE PHYSIOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF A HARD EFFORT ARE ENDLESS FOR THE BODY!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

12 X 200M OR 45s60s WALK RECOVERY RUN THESE AT JUST A LITTLE HARDER THAN YOU DID FOR YOUR 400M INTERVALS TWO WEEKS AGO.

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

45 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

TIME TRIAL 10KM

Week 7

THIS IS THE START OF ANOTHER MINI TRAINING BLOCK AND THIS TIME AROUND WE ARE SHIFTING THE FOCUS ON THE INTERVAL TRAINING TOWARDS SOME SLOWER BUT LONGER WORK. WE ARE NOW LOOKING FOR YOU TO BECOME COMFORTABLE AT PACES IN AND AROUND YOUR HM EFFORT FOR THIS BLOCK LEADING INTO A BUILD UP RACE OVER THE HALF MARATHON.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

3 X 10 MINUTES3 MINUTES JOG RECOVERY RUN THESE INTERVALS AT HALF MARATHON PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

2HR15 LONG RUN

Week 8

SIMILAR WEEK TO LAST WEEK AS THE VOLUME PROGRESSES SLIGHTLY ON THE LONG RUN AND IT BECOMES THE SECOND HIGHER QUALITY SESSION OF THE WEEK.YOU'LL NOTICE THAT NOW THE LONG RUN BECOMES A FOCUS NOT ONLY IN DISTANCE BUT QUALITY TOO.ON RACE DAY WE WANT YOU READY TO BE ABLE TO CRUSH 26.2 MILES BUT ALSO BE CONFIDENT TO RUN IT AT PACE!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

4 X 1.5KM3 MINUTES JOG RECOVERY RUN THESE INTERVALS AT BETWEEN 10KM AND HM PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

2HRS30 LONG RUN

(90 MINUTES EASY / 60 MINUTES AT MARATHON GOAL PACE/EFFORT)

Week 9

WITH THE WEEKEND LONG RUN BECOMING A BIG WORKOUT, THE MIDWEEK SESSION IS CUT SHORT IN VOLUME BUT INCREASED IN INTENSITY A LITTLE BIT.THE LONG RUN LOOKS COMPLICATED BUT IT'S SPLIT INTO SECTIONS WITH VARYING PACES. REFER TO THE PACING GUIDE FOR HELP ON THIS.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

6 X 1KM90s JOG RECOVERY AIM TO RUN THESE AT 10KM PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

2HRS40 LONG RUN

(20 MINUTES EASY - 4 X 20 MINUTES AT MP / 10 MINUTES AT 20s PER MILE SLOWER THAN MP - 20 MINUTES EASY)

Week 10

RACE WEEK!! TIME TO PUT ALL THE PREVIOUS 8 WEEKS OF HARD WORK INTO PRACTICE AND CASH IN TO TRY AND SET A HM BEST. THIS WILL GIVE YOU A GREAT IDEA OF WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH 8 WEEKS TO GO BEFORE THE BIG DANCE!GET AFTER IT AND GOOD LUCK!!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

12 X 200M OR 45s60s WALK RECOVERY RUN THESE AT THE SAME PACE/EFFORT YOU DID THEM ON YOUR PREVIOUS RACE WEEK.

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

45 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

20 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

TIME TRIAL HALF MARATHON

Week 11

BACK TO IT THIS WEEK AFTER THE HALF MARATHON AND HOPEFULLY YOU'RE ON CLOUD NINE AND READY TO GET AFTER IT AGAIN.IF YOU NEED TO SWITCH THE DAYS AROUND TO RECOVER ROM THE HALF, MOVE THE WORKOUT TO WEDNESDAY AND SWITCH THOSE DAYS AROUND. THIS IS THE START OF YOUR FINAL TRAINING BLOCK BEFORE THE TAPER!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

7 X 3 MINUTES AT THRESHOLD 3 MINUTES JOG RECOVERY THRESHOLD IS JUST SLOWER THAN 10KM RACE PACE.

REFER TO THE PACING GUIDE FOR HELP ON THIS.

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

2HRS45 LONG RUN

90 MINUTES EASY /
3 X 20 MINUTES AT MP WITH 5 MINUTES EASY IN BETWEEN

Week 12

THIS IS YOUR BIGGEST WEEK TO DATE AND WILL INCLUDE YOUR LONGEST RUN TO DATE ON THE SUNDAY TOO.RUNNING FOR THREE HOURS+ IS DESIGNED SO YOU ARE DEVELOPING NOT ONLY YOUR AEROBIC ENDURANCE BUT ALSO DEVELOPING YOUR FAT ENGINE WHICH WILL INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY YOU CAN GENERATE, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CARBS YOU USE AND STRETCH OUR YOUR GLYCOGEN SUPPLY.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

MONA FARTLEK

2 X 90s
4 X 60s
4 x 30s
4 x 15s

All efforts are done with a recovery that is equivalent time of the effort just completed. Float or jog these recoveries.

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

3HR LONG RUN

Week 13

THIS WEEK THE FOCUS IS THE LONG RUN ON THE SUNDAY. IT'S ULTIMATELY A HALF MARATHON AT MP BUT ALL IN IT'S 17/18 MILES GIVE OR TAKE.FOR THESE BIGGER TRAINING RUNS MAKE SURE YOU ARE PRACTICING YOUR FUELLING STRATEGY SO COME RACE DAY YOU ARE READY!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

12 X 45s WITH A 60s WALK RECOVERY RUN THESE AT A CONTROLLED HARD EFFORT SO YOU ARE IN A GREAT PLACE WHEN FINISHING

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

70 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

20 MINUTES EASY
21KM AT MP
20 MINUTES EASY

Week 14

THIS IS THE REAL BUSINESS END OF THE TRAINING PLAN AS YOU HIT YOUR BIGGEST MILEAGE OF THE TRAINING PLAN AND BIGGEST RUN ON THE WEEKEND TOO. THE LONG RUN SHOULD BE IN AND AROUND 20/21 MILES IN TOTAL SO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE WELL FUELLED FOR IT!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

2 SETS10 X 30s HILLS JOG DOWN RECOVERY3 MINUTES REST BETWEEN SETS

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

3HR LONG RUN

30 MINUTES EASY
4 X 20 MINUTES AT MP / 10 MINUTES AT 20s PER MILE SLOWER THAN MP
30 MINUTES EASY

Week 15

THIS IS YOUR PEAK WEEK OF TRAINING IN THE PLAN TO THIS POINT AND THE BIGGEST WEEK YOU'LL DO BEFORE STARTING THE TAPER PERIOD.THE FOCUS HERE IS THE QUALITY ON THE LONG RUN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE CONFIDENT OF RUNNING 90%+ OF THE RACE DISTANCE COME RACE DAY SO YOU AREN'T IN NO MAN'S LAND AFTER 20 MILES!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

4 X 1.5KM 3 MINUTES RECOVERY JOGRUN THESE INTERVALS AT BETWEEN 10KM AND HM PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

70 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

35.5KM OR 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES
WHICHEVER COMES FIRST

Week 16

THE TAPER! A TIME TO DECREASE THE VOLUME BUT INCREASE THE INTENSITY TO WAKE THE LEGS UP AND SPIN THEM A LITTLE FASTER.THESE ARE THE FINAL WEEKS OF PREPARATION SO GET EVERYTHING IN ORDER AND PLAN AHEAD SOCOME RACE DAY YOU'RE FULLY FOCUSED ON RACING!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

6 X 1KM 90s JOG RECOVERY AIM TO RUN THESE AT 10KM PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

60 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

2HRS15 LONG RUN

FINAL 60 MINUTES AT MP

Week 17

THE FINAL WEEK OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM. YOU CAN'T GET ANY FITTER BETWEEN NOW AND RACE DAY SO IRON OUT ANY WRINKLES YOU HAVE AND BE AT PEACE WITH THE FACT YOU'RE GOING TO CRUSH IT NEXT WEEK!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

8 X 90s WITH 60s WALK RECOVERY RUN THESE AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

45 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

90 MINUTES LONG RUN

Week 18

RACE WEEK!! THIS IS IT, TIME TO CASH IN ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. YOU'VE DONE THE INTERVALS, THE LONG RUNS, THE STRENGTH WORK AND GOT OUT OF THE DOOR WHEN YOU DIDN'T WANT TO. NOW IT'S DOWN TO YOU, GO AND SMASH YOUR GOAL. GOOD LUCK!!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

PRE RACE INTERVALS

8 X 45s WITH 60s WALK RECOVERY

RUN THESE AT 5KM RACE EFFORT/PACE SO FOR THIS AMOUNT THAT SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE AND CONTROLLED.

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

30 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

20 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

RACE DAY

Marathon Pacing (Beginner)

 KM:

Beginner Plan Easy running Steady running Tempo Threshold Intervals Race pace HM race pace
3:45 5:56 - 6:35 5:40 - 5:56 5:08 5:00 4:37 5:19 5:10
4:00 6:19 - 6:59 6:00 - 6:19 5:27 5:19 4:50 5:40 5:30
4:15 6:31 - 7:08 6:11 - 6:31 5:46 5:34 5:02 6:04 5:53
4:30 6:49 - 7:30 6:27 - 6:49 6:07 5:50 5:13 6:23 6:11


MILES:

Beginner Plan Easy running Steady running Tempo Threshold Intervals Race pace HM race pace
3:45 9:35 - 10:35 9:05 - 9:35 8:13 8:02 7:24 8:34 8:17
4:00 10:10 - 11:10 9:40 - 10:10 8:46 8:31 7:49 9:09 8:51
4:15 10:30 - 11:30 10:00 - 10:30 9:18 8:57 8:08 9:43 9:26
4:30 10:55 - 12:00 10:20 - 10:55 9:51 9:22 8:26 10:17 10:00