24-week Advanced Marathon Build up
12-week General Endurance Build up followed by 12-week Marathon programme
The interesting Google searches that direct people to our website (‘Sub 3 hour marathon without getting off the sofa to train' is a favourite) suggest that in an ideal world we'd all be able to download our personalised ideal training schedule. So here it is. Sort of.
So who is this for? Well, if you are an elite long distance runner you probably won't be Googling around for generic schedules from total strangers so we'll rule you out. If you are not at all used to running 50 to 60 miles per week, this schedule would probably lead to injury fairly soon. If you are used to consistently running about 40 to 45 miles per week and regularly have some faster structured running in your programme then something like this might be an outline of how you can make further progress. If you make progress by adopting this schedule, or something close to it that fits in with your life, well done, you can buy us a beer if we ever cross paths. If you adopt this schedule and get injured before you can reap any benefits in improved performance, well now you know why runners are coached by people rather than a page on a website.
12-week General Endurance Build Up
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Week 1 - 47 miles | Week 2 - 49 miles | Week 3 - 57 miles | Week 4 - 46 miles |
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Mon |
40 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
40 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
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Tues |
55 mins steady |
15 mins w/u - 3 x 8min efforts at 10k race pace (90 sec jog) - 10 mins w/d |
15 mins w/u - 5 x 6 mins at 10 mile race pace (60 sec jog) - 10 mins w/d |
15 mins w/u - controlled fartlek at approx 10k/10 mile race pace - 2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3 min reps (60 sec recovery) - 10 mins w/d |
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Weds |
50 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
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Thurs |
10/15 mins easy - 30 mins at approx Marathon pace (MP) - 10 mins easy |
55 mins steady |
60 steady |
10/15 mins easy - 40 mins at approx MP - 10 mins easy |
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Fri |
Rest |
Rest |
45 easy |
45 easy |
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Sat |
55 mins steady |
60 mins steady |
15 mins w/u - ‘controlled fartlek' of 3 x (1-2-3 min reps ) (60 seg jog recovery) - 10 mins w/d |
Rest |
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Sun |
11 miles steady |
12 miles steady |
13 miles |
Race 5k/10k |
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Week 5 - 57 miles |
Week 6 - 58 miles |
Week 7 - 44 miles |
Week 8 - 60 miles |
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Mon |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
60 mins easy |
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Tues |
15 mins easy - 12 x 2 mins at c 5k race pace (60 sec recovery) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 8 x 3 mins at c 3k/5k pace (70 secs recovery) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 5 x 5 mins at 5k/10k race pace(90 sec rec) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 6 x 4 mins at 5k race pace (90 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
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Weds |
55 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
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Thurs |
60 mins steady, hilly course, work hard up the hills |
60 mins steady |
15 mins easy - HILLS - 13 x 1 min climb, easy run back, 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 40 mins at MP - 10 mins easy |
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Fri |
45 mins easy |
45 mins easy |
45 mins easy |
40 mins easy |
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Sat |
15 mins easy - 30 mins at approx 10 mile race pace - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - HILLS - 18 x 30 second hill, slow jog back, then 1 min stride at 10k pace on flat - 10 mins easy |
Rest |
15 mins easy HILLS - 20 x 30 second hill, slow jog back, then 1 min stride at 10k pace on flat - 10 mins easy |
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Sun |
14 miles |
14 miles |
Race 5 miles/10k |
15 miles |
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Week 9 - 57 miles |
Week 10 - 47 miles |
Week 11 - 60 miles |
Week 12 - 58 miles |
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Mon |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
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45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides at 800/1500 pace, full recovery |
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Tues |
15 mins easy - 10 x 2.5 mins at 3k/5k pace (70 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 7 x 3.5 mins (90 secs rec) - 10 mins easy |
60 steady |
15 mins easy - 12 x 2 mins at c 5k race pace (60 sec recovery) - 10 mins easy |
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Weds |
55 mins easy |
55 mins easy |
15 mins easy - HILLS - 14 x 1 min climb, easy run back, 10 mins easy |
60 easy |
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Thur |
15 mins easy - 2 x 15 mins at 10 mile race pace (2 mins easy run recovery) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy HILLS - 22 x 30 second hill, slow jog back, then 1 min stride at 10k pace on flat - 10 mins easy |
55 mins easy |
10 mins easy - 40 mins at MP - 10 mins easy |
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Fri |
40 mins easy |
40 mins easy incl 8 x 20 sec strides |
15 mins easy - 3 x 12 mins at 10mile/1/2 Marathon race pace (2 mins jog rec) - 10 mins easy |
Rest |
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Sat |
15 mins easy - HILLS - 14 x 1 min climb, easy run back, 10 mins easy |
Rest |
45 mins easy |
15 mins easy - HILLS - 15 x 1 min climb, easy run back, 10 mins easy |
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Sun |
15 miles |
Race 10k/10 miles |
15 miles |
16 miles |
12-week Marathon Build Up
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Week 13 - 70 miles |
Week 14 - 58 miles |
Week 15 - 65 miles |
Week 16 - 76 miles |
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Mon |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
35 mins very easy |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
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Tues |
15 mins easy - 6 x 4.5 mins at c 5k race pace (90 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 7 x 3.5 mins at 3k/5k race pace (90 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 10 x 2.5 mins at 5k pace (70 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
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Weds |
60 mins easy |
60 mins easy |
60 mins easy/steady |
Am 35 mins easy Pm 50 mins easy |
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Thur |
Am 35 mins easy Pm 60 mins steady |
Am 35 mins easy Pm 10 mins easy - 40 mins at MP - 10 mins easy |
70 mins steady |
65 mins steady |
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Fri |
15 mins easy - 3 x 15 mins at ½ marathon pace (2 min jog) - 10 mins easy |
50 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 7 x 5 mins at 10k race pace (80 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 3 x 16 mins at ½ Marathon pace (2 mins jog) - 10 mins easy |
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Sat |
55 mins easy |
Rest |
50 mins easy |
55 mins easy |
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Sun |
18 miles |
½ Marathon or 10 mile race |
19 miles |
20-21 miles |
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Week 17 - 58 miles |
Week 18 - 80 miles |
Week 19 - 79 miles |
Week 20 - 52 miles |
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Mon |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
60 mins easy |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
40 mins very easy |
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Tues |
15 mins easy - 6 x 4.5 mins at 5k pace (90 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
10 mins easy - 70 mins at MP - 10 mins easy |
15 mins w/u - 10 mins at 10k pace (90 sec jog) + 14 x 80 secs at 3k pace (40 sec recovery) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 10 x 2.5 mins at 3k/5k pace (75 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
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Weds |
Am 35 mins easy Pm 45 mins easy |
Am 35 mins easy Pm 50 mins easy |
Am 40 mins easy Pm 45 mins easy |
60 mins easy |
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Thur |
10 mins easy - 60 mins at MP - 10 mins easy |
75 mins steady |
Am 35 mins easy Pm 55 mins steady |
15 mins easy - 20 mins at ½ marathon pace - 10 mins easy |
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Fri |
55 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 9 x 3 mins at 5k pace (75 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 4 x 13 mins at ½ marathon pace (2 mins jog) - 10 mins easy |
35 mins easy including 6 x 20 sec strides |
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Sat |
Rest or 30 mins very easy |
45 mins easy |
45 mins easy |
Rest |
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Sun |
10k Race |
21-22 miles |
23-24 miles |
½ Marathon Race |
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Week 21 - 66 miles |
Week 22 - 73 miles |
Week 23 - 48 miles |
Week 24 - 25 miles |
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Mon |
35 mins very easy |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
45 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
35 mins easy incl 6 x 20 sec strides |
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Tue |
50 mins very easy |
15 mins easy - 9 x 3 mins at 5k pace (90 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 9 x 5 mins at 10k race pace (70 secs jog) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 4 x 3.5 mins at 10k pace (90 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
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Wed |
65 mins easy |
Am 35 mins easy Pm 50 mins easy |
40 mins easy |
35 mins easy |
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Thu |
80 mins steady |
70 mins steady |
50 mins steady |
10/15 mins easy - 7 mins at MP - 10 mins easy |
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Fri |
15 mins easy - 13 x 2 mins at 3k/5k pace (60 sec jog) - 10 mins easy |
10-15 mins easy - 4 x 14 mins at ½ marathon pace (2 mins jog) - 10 mins easy |
15 mins easy - 25 mins at 10mile race pace - 10 mins easy |
Rest or 20 min jog |
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Sat |
45 easy |
45 mins easy |
Rest |
Rest |
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Sun |
20 miles with middle 15 miles at about MP + 15 seconds per mile |
16 miles, with middle 12 miles at about MP + 15 seconds per mile |
75 mins /11 miles, middle 50 mins at slightly slower than MP |
MARATHON RACE |