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Advanced Marathon
Training Schedule

Use this Advanced Marathon training schedule to run faster times. Set a new challenge and lift your performance with these workouts.

You'll get there by upping your long runs and working on your speed.

Coach Dr. Cathy Utzschneider sets out a
16-week marathon training schedule to help you chase down a quicker time.

Notes on the Program

Covert Mileage
The workouts are in miles. Click here for distances in kilometers.

Listen to Your Body
Some days we feel tired, other days we feel good. With the ranges in this advanced marathon training schedule, choose what's best for you. Swap the running and rest days so they fit into your life. If you need extra days off take them, don't feel pressure to hit the mileage totals every day or week.

Be flexible. If you're weary or pressed for time. divide your medium mid-week run into two shorter runs e.g. 4 miles in the morning and 5 miles in the afternoon.

Hydration
As you up your distance running it's important to increase your fluids. As a marathon runner keeping hydrated is essential for a good race. You'll need to practice taking in fluids while you run. Use your long runs for this. Read these tips on staying hydrated before, during and after your runs.

Running Together
Training with others can help you get out the door or finish a workout. Adjust this program so you can run together and all get to your marathon goals. Some days you might start first in the interval workout so your faster friend can try and catch you.

Hard/Easy Rule
You'll see that each hard day e.g. speed or long run is followed by easy running or a rest day. Sticking to this habit will help you recover from these workouts and stay injury free.

Rest Days
Giving your muscles a day off from running helps them get stronger. These days are important to prevent injuries. If you want to do something on rest days try a low-impact cross training workout.

Stretching
As you increase your miles it's worth spending extra time to stretch, especially after your long runs. Try to get into the habit of stretching after every workout. You'll reduce muscle soreness and prevent injuries. Have a look at these tips on stretching.

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Cross Training
If your legs are really tired or you feel a muscle twinge think about cross training. Substitute a run day with a low impact cross training exercise e.g. water running, elliptical trainer, cycling, etc. The best day for this is Wednesday.

Spend as much time cross training as you would running. You'll still get a good workout and you'll give your body a rest from the pounding of running.

Warm Up and Cool Down
The daily distances include your 5-10 minutes of easy running to warm up and cool down. Get started with some warm up exercises.

Run Easy
You'll run most of your runs at a relaxed and conversational pace. If you can't talk to your running partners you're probably moving too fast.

Long Run (LR)
These runs help increase your strength and endurance for marathon running. Run them at an easy pace as you're working on building distance not speed. Changing the pace can help break up your long run. Every 10 minutes of your long run pick up the pace slightly for one minute.

Marathon running doesn't need to be lonely. It's fun to run your long run with friends of similar ability so you can chat and support each other to help the miles tick by.

Soft Surfaces
To help avoid injuries, choose soft surfaces for your runs. Where you can, pick dirt roads over asphalt and asphalt over concrete (the hardest surface).

Eat Well Run Well
As a marathon runner you need to eat well to have the energy to train, recover and stay healthy. Click here to get advice on what to include in your runners diet.

Fartlek Training
This advanced marathon training schedule uses fartlek runs for some of your faster workouts. Read these tips on fartlek training.

Hill Running
To build strength you'll include some hill workouts in your advanced marathon program. Here's some advice on how to run hills.

Intervals
Follow this advice on interval training. e.g. pace, recovery, etc. You'll run most of your intervals at 10K pace.

Strides
These are short bursts of 30-40 seconds of quicker running to boost fast leg turn over. Do the strides towards the end of your easy run, before your cool down. Make sure you run them on a flat and even surface. Run them relaxed, with good running form and without straining. Jog easy between each one catching your breath and then start again.

Warm up Races
Get ready for your marathon race with some 10K, 10M and Half Marathon races. You want to run these comfortably hard but not all out. It'll give you a chance to get a feel for racing. You can also practice getting ready, pre-race eating, warming up, taking in fluids on the run, etc.

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16-Week Advanced Marathon Training Schedule

Week	Mon	Tues	Wed*	Thurs	Frid	Sat	Sun**	Total Miles
1	Rest	Fartlek 5x5Mins DT=8M	Easy 7M	Easy 7-10M	Easy 8M	Easy 7M	LR=14M	51-54
2	Rest	Fartlek 6x5Mins DT=8M	Easy 7M	Easy 7-10M	Easy 8M	Easy 7M	10K Race DT=16M	53-56
3	Rest	Easy 8M	Easy 8M	8x Long Hills 2 min each DT=7-10M	Easy 8M	Easy 7M	LR=18M	56-59
4	Rest	Intervals 5x1 Miles @10K pace DT=9M	Easy 8M	Easy 7-10M	Easy 8M	Easy 7M	LR=20M	59-62
5	Rest	4-6x Long Hills 2 min each DT=9M	Easy 8M	Easy 9-11M	Easy 8M	Easy 8M	10M Race DT=14M	56-58
6	Rest	Easy 9M	Easy 8M	Intervals 6x1 Miles @10K pace DT=9-11M	Easy 6M	Easy 4M	LR=18M	54-56
7	Rest	6x Long Hills 3 mins each DT=9M	Easy 9M	Easy 9-11M	Easy 9M	Easy 8M	LR=14M	58-60
8	Rest	Fartlek 8x5Mins DT=9M	Easy 8M	Easy 9-12M	Easy 9M	Easy 6M	LR=20M	61-64
9	Rest	7x Long Hills 3 mins each DT=10M	Easy 9M	Easy 9-12M	Easy 10M	Easy 8M	LR=16M	62-65
10	Rest	Intervals 7x1 Miles @10K pace DT=10M	Easy 10M	Easy 9-12M	Easy 10M	Easy 10M	Half Marathon Race DT=18M	67-70
11	Rest	Easy 11M	Easy 9M	8x1min strides DT=9-12M	Easy 10M	Easy 12M	LR=16M	67-70
12	Rest	Intervals 8x1 Miles @10K pace DT=10M	Easy 8M	Easy 7-9M	Easy 7M	Easy 4M	LR=22M	58-60
13	Rest	4-6x Long Hills 2 mins each DT=11M	Easy 9M	Easy 9-12M	Easy 10M	Easy 12M	10K Race DT=16M	67-70
14	Rest	Easy 8M	Easy 7M	Easy 7-10M	Fartlek 9x5Mins DT=8M	Easy 7M	LR=16M	53-56
15	Rest	Easy 8M	Easy 5M	Intervals 8-10x800m @5K pace DT=6-8M	Easy 6M	Easy 5M	LR=14M	44-46
16	Rest	8x30 sec strides DT=8M	Easy 7M	Easy 5M	Easy 3M	Rest	Marathon Race	23 plus race

DT=Daily total of miles
LR=Long run
*Best Day for Cross Training
**For every 10 minutes of your LR pick up the pace slightly for one minute.

Try the Intermediate Marathon program if this Advanced Marathon training schedule seems too easy.

Subscribe to our Running Shorts ezine for more free advice.

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