Level I Level I Plan You've run 15 to 20 miles a week for at least six months, completed a 5-K or 10-K--perhaps even something longer. You can run five or six miles without collapsing afterward and want to gradually become a stronger runner able to finish your first marathon or improve on a previous marathon time. Your Plan Surprise, you're going to train just four days a week and gradually increase your weekly mileage from around 15 to 33-plus miles a week. The biggest key of all will be to gradually increase your mileage, especially that of your weekend long run. Level I Schedule Oct. 25 3-3 miles 16-17 miles Nov. 1 3-3 miles 7 miles 17- Nov. 8 3-4miles 3 miles 8 miles 18-19 miles Nov. 15 3-3 miles 9 miles 19-20 miles Nov. 22 4-3 miles 10 miles 21-22 miles Nov. 29 4-3 miles 11 miles 22-23 miles Dec. 6 4-3 miles 12 miles 24-2 Dec. 13 4-3 miles 13 miles 25-2 Dec. 20 4-3 miles 1 26-27 miles Dec. 27 5-6miles 3 miles 1 28-29 miles Jan. 3 5-3 miles 1 29-30 miles Jan. 10 5-3 miles 31-32 miles Jan. 17 5-3 miles 20 miles 33-3 Jan. 24 4-3 miles 10 miles 21-22 miles Jan. 31 3 miles 3-3 miles 14-1 Feb. 6 2 miles 2-3 miles 2 miles Marathon!
Level II Level II Plan You regularly run 20 to 30 miles a week, and have done so for a year or more. You do a weekly long run of eight to 10 miles and have some experience with tempo runs or intervals. You've run 10-K races, probably finished a halfmarathon, maybe even a full marathon. But now you have a specific marathon goal time in mind, and you want to do the training to make it a reality. Your Plan Long runs are the basis of marathon training, but at this level it's important to add some intensity to the program. You'll gradually increase the length of the weekly long run, but running 18 to 20 miles at a time isn't all you need, so you'll supplement these runs with some higher-effort tempo runs at 30 seconds slower than your 10K race pace. Level II Schedule Oct. 25 4-3 miles (T) 4-8 miles 23-2 Nov. 1 4-3 miles (T) 4-10 miles 25-27 miles Nov. 8 6-8 miles 3 miles (T) 6-8 miles 12 miles 32-3 Nov. 15 6-8 miles (T) 6-8 miles 1 35-39 miles Nov. 22 6-8 miles (T) 6-8 miles 1 36-40 miles Nov. 29 6-8miles (T) 6-8 miles 1 38-42 miles Dec. 6 6-8 miles (T) 6-8 miles 1 39-43 miles Dec. 13 6-8miles (T) 6-8 miles 41-4 Dec. 20 (T) 43-47 miles Dec. 27 (T) 20 miles 46-50 miles Jan. 3 (T) 20 miles 46-50 miles Jan. 10 (4 MP) (T) 22 miles 48-52 miles Jan. 17 (T) 2 50-5 Jan. 24 6-8 miles 3 miles (T) 6-8 miles 1 33-37 miles Jan. 31 4- (2 MP) 3 miles (T) 4-3 miles 10 miles 24 2 Feb. 6 3-3- 2-3 miles Marathon! (T) = tempo pace [30 sec. slower than your 10K race pace] (MP) = marathon pace
Level III Level III Plan You're a running veteran, someone who's been at it for at least three or four years and logs 35 to 40 miles a week. You've regularly, if cyclically, included serious interval training in your regimen. You've raced them all from 5-K to the full marathon and now want to score that most prized runner's achievement: the PR, the absolute fastest 26.2 miles you're capable of. Your Plan You'll have to be willing to hit 50 miles a week. At this level, your goal is to learn how to maintain a strong, solid pace for several hours. So, along with the standard long runs, you're going to spend two to three days a week developing stamina with hills, tempo runs, and speed work. Long runs and mileage get you to the finish line. Intensity in your training will get you to the finish line faster. Level III Schedule Oct. 25 4- (H) 3 miles 4-10 miles (2 T) 26-28 miles Nov. 1 4- (H) 3 miles 4-12 miles (2 T) 28-30 miles Nov. 8 6-8 miles (H) 3 miles 4-1 (3 T) 30-33 miles Nov. 15 6-8 miles (H) 4-1 (3 T) 33-3 Nov. 22 6-8 miles (H) 6-8 miles 1 36-40 miles Nov. 29 6-8 miles (H) 6-8 miles 1 38-42 miles Dec. 6 6-8 miles (H) 6-8 miles 41-4 Dec. 13 6-8 miles (H) 6-8 miles (5 T) 41-4 Dec. 20 (H) (5 T) 43-47 miles Dec. 27 (H) 20 miles 45-49 miles Jan. 3 (H) 7 miles 20 miles 47-51 miles Jan. 10 (4 MP) 7 miles 22 miles 48-52 miles Jan. 17 7 miles 2 51-5 Jan. 24 6-8 miles 3 miles (T) 6-8 miles 1 33-37 miles Jan. 31 4- (2 MP) 3 miles (T) 4-3 miles 10 miles 24 2 Feb. 6 3-3- 2-3 miles Marathon! (T) = tempo pace [30 sec. slower than your 10K race pace] (MP) = marathon pace (H) = hills
Glossary of Terms Long Run Tempo Pace The most important component of any marathon training program. Long runs should be done at a relaxed, easy pace. Generally 30 minutes slower than your 10K race pace. For example if you can run a 42 minute 10K, your 10K pace is approximately 7:00 min/mile, so your tempo pace would be 7:30 min/mile. Tempo pace should be fast yet not all out. A good rule of thumb: you should be able to carry on a limited conversation while running. Marathon Pace Your target pace for the marathon. For example, if your goal is a 4 hour marathon, your target pace is 9:10 min/mile. If your goal is a 3:30 marathon, your target pace is about 8:00 min/mile. Hills Speed Work Taper Workouts where you run up a hill fast and jogs down then runs up again; helps develop leg power and aerobic capacity. Short, fast intervals with recovery jogs between; increases your leg turnover and maximizes your stamina and race confidence. Reducing your mileage several days to three weeks before an important race to ensure peak performance on race day.
Long Run Schedule and Maps Pasadena Meeting Place: 300 ft. south of the main entrance to the Rose Bowl; next to the rose garden. Griffith Park: Meeting Place: The flag pole diagonally across from the Rangers Station on Crystal Springs Dr. Santa Monica: Meeting Place: The trailhead for the Westridge Trail. From the valley, take the 405 south, or if you're coming from the south, take the 405 north towards the Getty Center. Take the Sunset Blvd. exit going west. Continue on Sunset for about 3- and turn right on Mandeville Canyon Rd. At the first stop sign, turn left onto Westridge Rd. Continue on Westridge Rd. for a while as it goes up, up, and up. Turn right on Cordelia Rd. and park there, which is where we'll meet.