Marathon running plan improver Training plans are provided by runningwithus.com /events Registered charity in England and Wales (326730), Scotland (038415) and the Isle of Man (1177)
A few tips for using this plan Do a warm up and cool down before and after every session. is crucial. If you find yourself getting tired increase the number of rest days. If you re injured, very sore or if it is not safe to run consider cross training or a session instead of running. Try to stretch every day for 10 minutes. For ideas on and stretching exercise please see the Guide to Better Running. Always eat within 20-30 minutes of finishing a run. Running glossary Cross training involves working your heart and lungs but not through running. This could be time spent cycling, swimming or on a rower. Check the Guide to Better Running for more ideas. Fartlek sessions are running at different speeds for different lengths of time. Threshold running involves blocks of running at a controlled discomfort. You ll be short of breath but if pushed you could still slightly speed up. Include short recovery jogs between each threshold block. Continuous hills is an exercise running on a steady gradient at threshold pace. Recovery runs are your easiest runs of the week. They should be at a comfortable pace. Relax and aim to feel better at the end than you did at the start.
Week 1 and Progression run, 30 mins. 10 mins easy, 10 mins steady, 10 mins at threshold 30 mins recovery run Easy/steady run, 30 mins 4 x (5 mins effort and 2 mins jog) Long run, 60 mins conversational pace Week 2 and Progression run, 30mins. 10 mins easy, 10 mins steady, 10 mins at threshold 30 mins recovery run Easy/steady run, 30 mins Include 3 x (7 mins effort and 2 mins jog) Long run, 70 mins conversational pace Week 3 and Progression run, 45 mins. 15 mins easy, 15 mins steady, 15 mins threshold 30 mins recovery run, Easy/steady run, 40 mins Include 2 x (10 mins effort and 2 mins jog) Long run, 80 mins easy pace on undulating route Week 4 and Include 4 x (5 mins at threshold and 2 min jog) 30 mins recovery run, 40 min out and back run run out steady pace for 20 mins, turn back 2-3 mins faster 4 x ( 6 mins effort and 2 mins jog) Long run, 90 mins easy pace on undulating route
Week 5 Easy run, 30 mins 30 mins recovery run, 30 mins easy run Parkrun or 5km TT Long run, 60 mins easy Week 6 Include 5 x (5 mins threshold and 90s jog recovery) 40 mins easy run, 40 min out and back run run out steady pace for 20 mins, turn back faster 50 mins run total. Include 5 x (5 mins effort and 90s jog) Long run, 1 hr 45 mins easy over an undulating route Week 7 Threshold session, 5 x (5 mins and threshold and 75s jog recovery) 40 mins easy run 60 min progression run as: 20 mins easy, 20 mins steady, 20 mins threshold 45-60 mins total. Include 3 x (10 mins effort and 90s jog) Long run, 2 hrs easy Week 8 Threshold session 60 mins run total. Include 5 x (6 mins threshold and 90s jog) Easy run, 40 mins 75 mins including 2 x (10 mins and threshold within final 30 mins) 45-60 mins total. 3 x (12 mins effort and 90s jog) Long run 2 hrs 15 mins easy
Week 9 Threshold session 60mins run total. Include 3 x (10 mins threshold and 90-120s jog) 40 mins easy run, Threshold session, 75 min run with middle 60 mins as 10x (3 mins and threshold then 3mins and steady continuous effort) 45 mins recovery run Long run, 90 mins total. 30 mins easy, 30 mins steady, 30 mins at half marathon target PB pace Week 10 Recovery run, 40 mins total + work 30 mins recovery run Progression run of 10 mins easy, 10 mins steady, 10 mins and threshold Easy run, 20 mins total Half marathon at pb pace + 15-20 mins easy jog (warm down) or 2 hr long run with the last 60 mins at marathon pace Week 11 or run 45 mins recovery run 45 mins easy run, or 45 mins aerobic Threshold session, 60-70 mins including 6 x (5 mins threshold and 1 min jog) 45 mins recovery run Long run, 2 hrs 30 mins total. Last 45 mins at marathon pace Week 12 or run 6 x 3mins run. Alternate odd numbers at threshold effort, even at 5km effort with 90s jog recovery Easy run, 45 mins or 45 mins aerobic 80mins total run including 3x (15 mins MP and 2-3 min jog) 45 mins recovery run Long run 3 hrs 3 hrs 15 mins with final 60 mins and MP
Week 13 or run 8 x 3 mins alternating odd numbers at threshold effort, even at 5km effort with 90s jog recovery Easy run, 45 mins or 45 mins aerobic 90 mins run. Include 3x (15 mins MP and 2-3 min jog) 15 mins easy, 15 mins steady, 15 mins threshold Long run, 2 hrs 45 mins 3 hrs total. Last 45 mins at marathon pace Week 14 30 mins aerobic or run 5 mins at threshold, then 2 sets of (5 x 90 seconds at 5km effort) (60s between efforts, 120s between sets) 40 mins easy run, 90mins with final 30-40 mins at MP Include 6x (3 mins threshold and 3 mins steady) Long run, 1 hr 45 mins 2 hrs with with the final 30 mins at MP Week 15 30 mins recovery run 30 mins recovery run Progression run of 15/15/15 with middle 15 at MP Week 16 30-40 mins run including 3x (5 mins and marathon pace/ 2mins jog recovery) Recovery run, 30 minutes 5km parkrun or TT Long run, 75 mins easy pace Recovery run, 20 mins Easy run, 15 mins easy jog + stretch Race day good luck! RunningWithUs www.runningwithus.com Good luck and don t forget to keep us posted with your progress: events@