Marathon Training Programs To Meet Your Marathon Goal

Marathon Training Program for a Beginner

To read essential training information and an explanation of all the following workouts please click here
To view an alternative beginner marathon training program that only involves 3 runs a week click here
 
 

Wk 1 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 125 124 123 122 121 120 119
Session Details DAY OFF AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – aerobic finishing with 4x80m strides with a walk back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 18 KM Build
Week 1 Duration 0 30 50 0 45 0 105 3.83 hrs

 

Wk 2 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 118 117 116 115 114 113 112
Session Details DAY OFF AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – aerobic finishing with 5x80m strides with a walk back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 20 KM Build
Week 2 Duration 0 30 60 0 45 0 120 4.25 hrs

 

Wk 3 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 111 110 109 108 107 106 105
Session Details Cross Train 45-60min AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – aerobic finishing with 3x 100m strides with a walk back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 23 KM Moderate
Week 3 Duration 0 30 70 0 40 0 135 4.58 hrs
Week 4 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 104 103 102 101 100 99 98
Session Details DAY OFF AM: Run – recovery + 4x 100m strides with a walk back for recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – strength endurance 3x 90sec hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 17 KM Recovery / Adaptation
Week 4 Duration 0 35 50 0 45 0 100 3.83 hrs

 

Week 5 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 97 96 95 94 93 92 91
Session Details Cross Train 45-60min AM: Run – recovery + 5x 60m strides with a walk back for recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – strength endurance 4x 90sec hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 25 KM Moderate
Week 5 Duration 0 30 75 0 60 0 150 5.25 hrs
Week 6 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 90 89 88 87 86 85 84
Session Details DAY OFF AM: Run – cruise intervals – 3x4min firm with a 2 min jog for recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – strength endurance 3x 2min hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 20 KM Easy
Week 6 Duration 0 40 80 0 50 0 120 4.83 hrs

 

Week 7 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 83 82 81 80 79 78 77
Session Details Cross Train 45-60min AM: Run – cruise intervals – 5x3min firm with a 1 min jog for recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – strength endurance 5x 90sec hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 28 KM Hard
Week 7 Duration 0 45 70 0 60 0 165 5.67 hrs

 

Week 8 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 76 75 74 73 72 71 70
Session Details Easy Walk for 20-30mins to loosen up AM: Run – recovery with 4X80min strides with a walk back for recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – strength endurance 4x 2min hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 18 KM Recovery / Adaptation
Week 8 Duration 0 35 60 0 50 0 105 4.17 hrs
Week 9 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 69 68 67 66 65 64 63
Session Details Cross Train 45-60min AM: Run – cruise intervals – 5X2min firm with a firm jog for recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – tempo/strength – 6min tempo then immediately into 3x90sec hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 30 KM High Volume
Week 9 Duration 0 40 75 0 60 0 180 5.92 hrs
Week 10 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 62 61 60 59 58 57 56
Session Details Easy Walk for 20-30min to loosen up AM: Run recov AM: Run med long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run tempo/strength 10min tempo then immed into 3x2min hard hill efforts & jog back for recov DAY OFF AM: Run long aerobic 25k Moderate
Week 10 Duration 0 30 90 0 70 0 150 5.67 hrs
Week 11 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 55 54 53 52 51 50 49
Session Details DAY OFF Cross Train 45-60min AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – tempo/strength – 10min tempo then immediately into 3x90sec hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 23 KM Recovery / Adaptation
Week 11 Duration 0 0 75 0 50 0 135 4.33 hrs

 

Week 12 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 48 47 46 45 44 43 42
Session Details Cross Train 45-60min AM: Run – cruise intervals – 4x3min with a firm jog for recovery AM: Run – medium long aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – tempo/strength – 10min tempo then immediately into 5x2min hard hill efforts with a jog back for recovery DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 35 KM High Volume
Week 12 Duration 0 35 80 0 60 0 210 6.42 hrs
Week 13 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 41 40 39 38 37 36 35
Session Details Easy Walk for 20-30mins to loosen up AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – tempo – 2x8min firm with a 3min recovery jog, then aerobic Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – vO2 – 4x800m hard with a 2min recovery break DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 30 KM Intensity Focus
Week 13 Duration 0 40 75 0 70 0 180 6.08 hrs

 

Week 14 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 34 33 32 31 30 29 28
Session Details DAY OFF AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – tempo – 2x15min firm with a 5min recovery jog Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – VO2 – 6x600m hard with a 90sec recovery break DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 18 KM Recovery / Adaptation
Week 14 Duration 0 30 70 0 50 0 105 4.25 hrs

 

Week 15 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 27 26 25 24 23 22 21
Session Details Cross Train 45-60min AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – 3x12min firm with a 4min recovery jog Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – VO2 – 4x 1000min hard with a 2min recovery break DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 35 KM Volume Overload
Week 15 Duration 0 40 80 0 60 0 210 6.50 hrs
Week 16 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 20 19 18 17 16 15 14
Session Details Easy Walk for 20-30mins to loosen up AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – tempo – 2x 20min firm with a 6min recovery jog Cross Train 45-60min AM or PM: Run – vO2 – 6x 800m hard with a 2min recovery break DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – 28 KM Intensity Focus
Week 16 Duration 0 30 75 0 60 0 165 5.50 hrs

 

Week 17 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 13 12 11 10 9 8 7
Session Details DAY OFF AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – tempo – 3x 10min firm with a 4min recovery jog DAY OFF AM or PM: Run – VO2 – 10x 400m hard with a 60sec recovery break DAY OFF AM: Run – long aerobic – nice & easy even if you feel cood – 16 KM Moderate Taper
Week 17 Duration 0 30 80 0 60 0 90 4.33 hrs

 

Week 18 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
Days to Race 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Session Details DAY OFF AM: Run – recovery AM: Run – tempo – 1x 10min firm effort DAY OFF AM: Run – preparation – easy, flat, low intensity run. Include 4x 30sec firm efforts. 2min recovery jog DAY OFF Race Day Taper
Week 18 Duration 0 30 50 0 35 0 ???? 1.92 hrs