| Marathon Schedule

The Marathon Program

Unlike many other marathon programs, your long runs here build up to include the actual marathon distance. This is based on the common-sense idea, made popular by running guru Jeff Galloway, that to be prepared to race any distance, you must have trained at that distance. The key, though, is to train gently. All of your long runs should be run at a pace about 90 seconds or 2 minutes per mile slower than your current 10K pace. Take a walking break for 1 or 2 minutes every three miles or so. Don't let your ego carry you away and push you into trying to run the entire distance; there's no need for it. The purpose of your long training run is get used to covering the distance, not to rush through it. It's worth repeating: take it slow, and include frequent walking breaks.

As you'll see, this program also includes speed workouts. A few quick notes on how we describe those workouts here:

The distance in parentheses below fartlek runs includes a mile each of warmup and warmdown, in addition to your fartlek sessions.
Whenever you see a pace denoted as 5K pace or 10K pace, this refers to the speed at which you estimate you could run a 5K or 10K on that given day.
When you read "4-5 hills," that means you should incorporate 4-5 hills (about 100-200 yards long) into your run. As noted, you should take them at a pace somewhere between your current 5K and 10K speeds. Long hills should be 400-600 yards long.
When you read the notation "4 x 880s," that means you should run four repeats of 880 yards each (two laps on the track). The pace below that notation tells you how fast you should run them. For 880s, give yourself 2-3 minutes of rest between intervals; for miles, give yourself 3 minutes.

All other workouts should be run at the same easy training pace as your long run; hold yourself back to a pace about 90 seconds or 2 minutes per mile slower than your current 10K pace.

Lastly, the pre-training schedule. You should be able to run this schedule for four to five weeks without much discomfort before starting the marathon program. If not, give yourself some time to build up to that level gradually, or you risk injuring yourself.

Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.

Pre-
Train 3M 6M 4M 5M OFF 8M 6M

Okay, on with the training program. The schedule peaks at about 45 miles per week.

Week Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.

1 3M 4M 6M 4M OFF 10M 6M

2 3M Fartlek
(5M) 3M 5M OFF 11M 6M

3 3M 5-6 Hills
5K-10K pace 3M 6M OFF 12M 6M

4 3M Fartlek
(5M) 3M 6M OFF 10M 6M

5 3M 6 x 440s
5K pace 4M 6M OFF 13M 6M

6 3M 4-5 Long Hills
5K-10K pace 4M 7M OFF 14M 7M

7 3M 3 x Mile
10K pace 4M 7M OFF 15M 7M

8 3M 6 x 880s
5K pace 5M 7M OFF 12M 7M

9 4M 6-7 Hills
5K-10K pace 4M 7M OFF 16M 7M

10 4M 6 x 880s
5K pace 5M 8M OFF 17M 8M

11 4M 5-6 Long Hills
5K-10K pace 5M 8M OFF 18M 8M

12 4M 4 x Mile
10K pace 4M 8M OFF 14M 8M

13 4M 4 x Fast 880s
5K minus 10 sec 4M 6M OFF 19M 7M

14 5M 6 x 880s
5K pace 3M 8M OFF 20M 7M

15 5M 4 x Mile
10K pace 3M 5M OFF 15M 7M

16 5M 6 x 880s
5K pace 4M 8M OFF 20M 7M

17 5M 7 x 880s
5K pace 3M 5M Off 21M 7M

18 5M 4 x Mile
10K pace 3M 6M OFF 15M 8M

19 5M 8 x 880s
5K pace 3M 6M OFF 22M 7M

20 5M 4 x Mile
10K pace 3M 6M OFF 18M 7M

21 5M Fartlek4M 3M 5M OFF 12M 7M

22 4M 5M 4M 3M 3M OFF RACE DAY!

	Mon.	Tue.	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
Pre- Train	3M	6M	4M	5M	OFF	8M	6M

Week	Mon.	Tue.	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
1	3M	4M	6M	4M	OFF	10M	6M
2	3M	Fartlek (5M)	3M	5M	OFF	11M	6M
3	3M	5-6 Hills 5K-10K pace	3M	6M	OFF	12M	6M
4	3M	Fartlek (5M)	3M	6M	OFF	10M	6M
5	3M	6 x 440s 5K pace	4M	6M	OFF	13M	6M
6	3M	4-5 Long Hills 5K-10K pace	4M	7M	OFF	14M	7M
7	3M	3 x Mile 10K pace	4M	7M	OFF	15M	7M
8	3M	6 x 880s 5K pace	5M	7M	OFF	12M	7M
9	4M	6-7 Hills 5K-10K pace	4M	7M	OFF	16M	7M
10	4M	6 x 880s 5K pace	5M	8M	OFF	17M	8M
11	4M	5-6 Long Hills 5K-10K pace	5M	8M	OFF	18M	8M
12	4M	4 x Mile 10K pace	4M	8M	OFF	14M	8M
13	4M	4 x Fast 880s 5K minus 10 sec	4M	6M	OFF	19M	7M
14	5M	6 x 880s 5K pace	3M	8M	OFF	20M	7M
15	5M	4 x Mile 10K pace	3M	5M	OFF	15M	7M
16	5M	6 x 880s 5K pace	4M	8M	OFF	20M	7M
17	5M	7 x 880s 5K pace	3M	5M	Off	21M	7M
18	5M	4 x Mile 10K pace	3M	6M	OFF	15M	8M
19	5M	8 x 880s 5K pace	3M	6M	OFF	22M	7M
20	5M	4 x Mile 10K pace	3M	6M	OFF	18M	7M
21	5M	Fartlek4M	3M	5M	OFF	12M	7M
22	4M	5M	4M	3M	3M	OFF	RACE DAY!