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Use this Beginner Marathon training program to get ready for your first race.
You'll build strength and endurance as you increase your weekly miles.
Join some friends and train together. Enter a big city race or support a local event. With some discipline and determination you'll get there.
Start off with Coach Dr. Cathy Utzschneider's Beginner Marathon 16-week program. You're ready to take on this distance after you've built up a good base of running.
Ideally you've already got some 10K and Half Marathon training under
your belt.
Notes on the Program
Calculating Your Mileage
To follow the mileage suggestions in this beginner marathon training program measure your run course with your car odometer. Websites like "MapMyRun.com" and "www.gmap-pedometer.com" allow you to open a free account to track your running routes. There are GPS watches that give readings of your mile pace and total distance covered.
Otherwise, go to a track and time yourself running an easy mile (four laps) or 1K (2 and half laps). Calculate your run on time e.g. a 12 minute mile pace runner would take around 24 minutes to run an easy 2 miles.
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 beginner marathon training program, 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 3 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 run a few miles with a running partner who's having a shorter run, and then keep going.
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.
Top of Page 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.
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 sports diet.
Fartlek Training
This beginner marathon program 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 beginner marathon program. Follow this advice on how to run hills.Top of Page Intervals
Click here for the run down on interval training. For your 400m (one lap of the track) intervals run one at a good hard effort (for you). Then jog an easy lap to recover and start again.
For your 800 and mile intervals recover with an easy jog for at least the same amount of time as it took for you to run the interval.
Finding a balance between running fast but not so fast that you can't finish your workout takes time. You'll get the hang of it as you do more of this training.
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 Beginner Marathon Training Program| Week | Mon | Tues | Wed* | Thurs | Frid | Sat | Sun** | Total Miles | | 1 | Rest | Fartlek 5x3Mins
DT=6M | Easy 5M | Easy 5-7M | Easy 6M | Easy 4M | LR=8M | 34-36 | | 2 | Rest | Fartlek 6x3Mins
DT=6M | Easy 5M | Easy 5-7M | Easy 6M | Easy 4M | LR=10M | 36-38 | | 3 | Rest | 6x Long Hills
1min each
DT=6M | Easy 5M | Easy 5-7M | Easy 6M | Easy 4M | 10K Race
DT=12M | 38-40 | | 4 | Rest | Easy 6M | Easy 5M | Easy 4-6M | Easy 5M | Easy 4M | LR=10M | 34-36 | | 5 | Rest | 6x Long Hills
1.30 min each
DT=6M | Easy 5M | Fartlek 5x4Mins
DT=5-7M | Easy 6M | Easy 4M | LR=12M | 38-40 | | 6 | Rest | Intervals
8x400m
@10K pace
DT=6M | Easy 6M | Easy 5-7M | Easy 7M | Easy 4M | 10M Race
DT=12M | 40-42 | | 7 | Rest | Easy 7M | Easy 6M | 6x Long Hills
2 mins each
DT=6-8M | Easy 7M | Easy 6M | LR=12M | 44-46 | | 8 | Rest | Intervals
5x800m
@10K pace
DT=6M | Easy 5M | Easy 6M | Easy 4M | Easy 5M | LR=16M | 42 | | 9 | Rest | 6x Long Hills
2 mins each
DT=7M | Easy 6M | Easy 6-8M | Easy 8M | Easy 5M | LR=12M | 44-46 | | 10 | Rest | Intervals
2x1 Miles
2x800ms
@10K pace
DT=6M | Easy 6M | Easy 5-7M | Easy 6M | Easy 5M | Half Marathon Race
DT=18M | 46-48 | | 11 | Rest | Easy 7M | Easy 6M | 8x Long Hills
2 mins each
DT=7-9M | Easy 8M | Easy 6M | LR=14M | 48-50 | | 12 | Rest | Intervals
3x1 Miles
@10K pace
DT=7M | Easy 6M | Easy 7-9M | Easy 5M | Easy 3M | LR=20M | 48-50 | | 13 | Rest | 8x Long Hills
2 mins each
DT=7M | Easy 6M | Easy 7-9M | Easy 8M | Easy 6M | 10K Race
DT=12M | 46-48 | | 14 | Rest | Easy 5M | Easy 6M | Easy 4M | Intervals
6x800m
@10K pace
DT=6M | Easy 5M | LR=14M | 40 | | 15 | Rest | Easy 4M | Easy 5M | Intervals
10x400m
@5K pace
DT=6M | Easy 5M | Easy 4M | LR=10M | 34 | | 16 | Rest | Easy 6M | Easy 4M | Easy 3M | Easy 2M | Rest | Marathon
Race | 15 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 Beginner Marathon Training Program seems
too easy.
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