There are few things in the world that are both the truest test of your mental and physical strength and also out of this world, rewarding. Yes, we are talking about the full marathon, all 26.2 miles of it. From its origins in Ancient Greece in 500 BC to being formally recognized as an olympic sport in the 1986 summer games, the full marathon has become a popular bucket list event tackled by numerous runners every year. From beginner runners to professional runners the marathon is an event celebrated worldwide and we created a sure-proof guide on how to be prepared if you are training for a marathon.
While every runner and every full marathon race is unique there is one thing that will never change about running a marathon, and that is that it requires time, dedication, and a whole lot of support to get to race day feeling prepared and ready to tackle the miles ahead. That’s where our Fit2Run Fit Experts come in! Here to cheer you on, support, and encourage your full marathon journey all the way through. Read along for our easy to follow 12-week full Marathon Training Plan and some marathoner Fit Expert advice on tackling your first or next marathon.
*This guide was created as a 12-week training plan for runners with some running experience or doing regular cardio activities like walking and jogging.
**This plan was created for informational purposes and should not be constructed as individual training advice. Before starting any new exercise program, please consult a doctor or health care professional.
HELPFUL TIPS
- The most common advice you will hear when you tell people you are doing a full marathon “don’t try anything new on race day!” We agree and encourage you to use training as practice for all the things you will have on you and with you on race day.
- Nutrition: try different flavors and types on your training runs so you can decide which one you like and makes you feel the best. Also how you will carry it on race day. Many running pants have pockets designed just for this, or runner belts are a great option for multiple items
- Apparel: try different items of clothes short, long pants and accessories to make sure you are comfortable with it before race day. (PS this includes socks!)
- Recovery is a very important part of the training process, take your rest days just as seriously as your long run days.
- Injury prevention is a key component to keep you running. Start every run with a warm up and finish with a cool down to make sure your body can tackle the next training run.
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Rotate your running shoes to keep them fresh throughout training.
- Running shoes have a life expectancy of about 400 miles before they are no longer in optimal shape to give you the ultimate support they were designed for.
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Prepare for all weather. Consider the place and time of your marathon when you decide on the places/times you train.
- Chances are, you are training for your marathon in a season that is different from what it will be on race day. For instance, Fall marathon training usually happens in summer months so try running during cooler hours of the day to get used to the cooler temperatures that you might experience on race day.
- Colder or warmer weather than what you experience everyday may mean some extra layers, or accessories like hats or gloves depending on the time of year. Be sure to practice with these items.
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Fuel your runs! Eat a well balanced snack or meal before your runs especially when you get to higher mileage.
- A very popular pre-run snack amongst runners is peanut butter with crackers or toast.
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Always run safe. Marathon training means you will start adding some serious mileage to your training and will have several double digit long runs, make sure you consider safety precautions when you do.
- Wear bright and reflective colors when running in the early morning or late night hours to make sure you are visible to other runners and passing cars
- Follow traffic rules when running in busy roads, stop at red lights and use crosswalks when crossing the road.
- Let someone know when and where you are going. Especially when running alone so someone can be on the lookout to make sure you are ok and arrive safe.
For this plan we will be using 5 types of training days:
You will want your training to be run heavy (running lots of miles) for most of the training cycle to get used to the longer miles. Getting used to running on “tired legs” is the key to any Half Marathon and Marathon training cycle.
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Easy Run(EZ)
- Should feel relatively easy and should be able to hold a conversation during the entirety of the run. In the beginning of your training some days designated “EZ” will be rest days.
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Medium Long Run(MLR)
- Longer distance than a normal EZ run.
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Workout(WO)
- Usually a faster paced run or intervals with little rest in between.
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Long Run(LR)
- Longest run of the week. Increases every week.
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Rest Day(Rest)
- Sleep, eat, recover.
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The weekly layout of the training will look like this:
- Monday: EZ
- Tuesday: WO
- Wednesday: MLR
- Thursday: REST
- Friday: EZ
- Saturday: LR
- Sunday: REST
FIT EXPERT MARATHON TRAINING GUIDE
Week 1: Consistent running schedule – 15 miles
Monday: 3 miles EZ
Tuesday: REST
Wednesday: 4 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 3 miles EZ
Saturday: 5 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 2: Let’s get started – 21 miles
Monday: 3 miles EZ
Tuesday: 1 mile warmup, (3×1 mile EZ) with 3 minutes of rest in between each mile. Get acclimated to the feeling of running intervals.
Wednesday: 4 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 3 miles EZ
Saturday: 6 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 3: Ready or not, here we go!- 26 miles
Monday: 4 miles EZ
Tuesday: 1 mile warmup, 8×400 meters (1 lap on a track) with 2 minutes of rest in between. *If no track*: 6x90seconds with 2 minutes of rest in between. 1 mile cooldown
Wednesday: 6 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 4 miles EZ
Saturday: 8 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 4: Getting in the groove – 33 miles
Monday: 5 miles EZ
Tuesday: 1 mile warmup, 2×2 miles with 3 minutes of rest (The pace for each 2 mile rep should be faster than EZ pace but manageable.) 1 mile cooldown.
Wednesday: 8 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 4 miles EZ
Saturday: 10 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 5: You’ve got this – 39 miles
Monday: 5 miles EZ
Tuesday: 2 mile warmup, 4 miles tempo (about 30-40 seconds slower than your 5K PR pace). This should feel pretty difficult. 2 mile cooldown
Wednesday: 8 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 5 miles EZ
Saturday: 13 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 6: Rest-ish week – 35 miles
Monday: 6 miles EZ
Tuesday: 1 mile warmup, 4×1 mile with 3 minutes of rest in between each mile, 1 mile cooldown. (Each 1 mile rep should be around your tempo pace. Should feel difficult but manageable)
Wednesday: 8 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 3 miles EZ
Saturday: 12 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 7: Increasing mileage – 44 miles
Monday: 6 miles EZ
Tuesday: 2 mile, 3×2 mile with 3 minute rest (pace should be difficult but manageable), 2 mile cooldown
Wednesday: 9 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 4 miles EZ
Saturday: 15 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 8: Show them what you’re made of – 44 miles
Monday: 6 miles EZ
Tuesday: 2 mile warmup, 8×400 meters (pace should be difficult) with 2 minutes of rest, 2 mile cooldown
Wednesday: 10 miles
Thursday: REST
Friday: 4 miles EZ
Saturday: 18 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 9: Peak week – 47 miles
Monday: 5 miles EZ
Tuesday: 1 mile warmup, 5×1 mile (Pace should be difficult) with 2 minutes of rest, 1 mile cooldown
Wednesday: 12 miles EZ
Thursday REST
Friday: 3 miles EZ
Saturday: 20 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 10: Start of “Taper week” – 38 miles
Monday: 4 miles EZ
Tuesday: 1 mile warmup, 3×2 mile (About 40 seconds slower than your 5k PR pace) with 3 minutes of rest, 1 mile cooldown
Wednesday: 10 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST
Saturday: 16 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 11: Taper week – 30 miles
Monday: 4 miles EZ
Tuesday: 1 mile warmup, 6X400 meters (Should feel difficult) with 2 minutes of rest, 1 mile cooldown
Wednesday: 6 miles EZ
Thursday: REST
Friday: 4 miles EZ
Saturday: 13 miles EZ
Sunday: REST
Week 12: Race Week! – 41.2 miles
Monday: 4 miles EZ
Tuesday: REST
Wednesday: 5 miles EZ
Thursday: 3 miles EZ
Friday: REST
Saturday: 3 miles EZ
Sunday: 26.2 miles! RACE DAY
Have FUN!! Enjoy your race and every step of the journey you’ve taken to get to this point!
**This plan was created for informational purposes and should not be constructed as individual training advice. Before starting any new exercise program, please consult a doctor or health care professional.
