A Marathon Training Program
​A Marathon is 26.2 miles (42.2 km). It is the gold standard for distance runners who haven’t yet explored ultra marathons and lauded as a prestigious race with a long history. Preparation for the endeavor involved monitoring your body for signs of fatigue, tracking nutrition intake, and maintaining hydration on long training days.
The training plans within this program are stratified into beginner, intermediate, and advanced training. Those who are new to running are encouraged to choose the beginner path, including the optional ramp-up program. Use the following guide to select a training plan.
The following links can be used to navigate to specific training plans:
Aspect | Beginner Plan | Intermediate Plan | Advanced Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Suited For | New to marathon running or long-distance running, looking to complete a marathon. | Runners with some marathon experience, aiming to improve time and endurance. | Experienced marathoners or competitive runners aiming for a personal best. |
Primary Goal | Complete the marathon with steady pacing and build endurance. | Improve race time with faster pacing, better endurance, and stronger overall fitness. | Achieve a personal best time with high-intensity training, speed, and strength. |
Key Workouts | Easy runs, long runs, cross-training, gradual progression. | Tempo runs, speed intervals, hill sprints, long runs with pace work. | Speed intervals, hill sprints, fartlek runs, tempo runs, long runs with pacing. |
Training Intensity | Low to moderate intensity, focusing on consistency and gradual buildup. | Moderate to high intensity, incorporating variety for speed and strength improvements. | High intensity, with frequent intervals, tempo runs, and race-specific simulations. |
Key Terms
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Easy Run: A relaxed, comfortable pace that builds aerobic endurance and helps with recovery.
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Long Run: The longest run of the week, gradually increasing in distance to build endurance and stamina for race day.
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Cross-Training: Non-running exercises (like cycling or swimming) that improve overall fitness, strengthen muscles, and reduce injury risk.
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Tempo Run: A "comfortably hard" pace that improves your lactate threshold, allowing you to sustain faster speeds longer.
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Speed Intervals: Short bursts of high-intensity running followed by recovery, aimed at improving speed, VO2 max, and running efficiency.
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Fartlek Run: A run with random bursts of speed mixed with easy running, enhancing speed and endurance through varied pacing.
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Hill Sprints: Short sprints uphill followed by recovery, designed to build leg strength, power, and running efficiency.
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Tapering: Reducing the intensity and volume of training in the final weeks to allow the body to recover and perform at its peak on race day.
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Rest Day: A day without intense exercise, allowing the body time to recover and repair, preventing overtraining and injury.
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VO2 Max: The maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise, improving with interval training to boost endurance.
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Lactate Threshold: The point at which lactic acid builds up in the blood, and increasing it allows you to run harder for longer without fatigue.
Beginner Training Program + Ramp-Up Training
16 Weeks + 4 Weeks (Optional)
This training plan is designed to accommodate new runners and introduce individuals to long-distance running. It is ideal for those with a limited running background or those who have been running casually for a short time. For those new to running, or who cannot run 3+ miles continuously at the start are encouraged to begin the program with the Ramp-Up training plan.
How This Plan Prepares Individuals:
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Goal: Completing a marathon at a steady, manageable pace, focusing on building endurance and confidence.
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The plan emphasizes easy runs and long runs, gradually increasing in distance to help runners acclimate to the demands of marathon distance.
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Cross-training and rest days allow for recovery and muscle balance, reducing the risk of burnout and injury.
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The emphasis is on gradual progression with plenty of time for adaptation, so individuals can comfortably run the full marathon without the need for high-intensity speed work or overly demanding training.
Ramp-Up Training (Optional 4 Weeks)
Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rest | Easy run (1.5-2 miles) | Cross-training (20-30 min) | Easy run (2 miles) | Rest or easy walk | Long run (3 miles) | Cross-training (20 min) |
2 | Rest | Easy run (2-3 miles) | Cross-training (25-30 min) | Easy run (3 miles) | Rest or easy walk | Long run (4 miles) | Cross-training (20-30 min) |
3 | Rest | Easy run (3 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) | Easy run (3-4 miles) | Rest or easy walk | Long run (5 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
4 | Rest | Easy run (3-4 miles) | Cross-training (30-35 min) | Easy run (4 miles) | Rest or easy walk | Long run (6 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
Beginner Training Program (16 Weeks)
Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-3 | Rest | Easy run (3-4 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) | Easy run (3-4 miles) | Rest or walk | Long run (4-6 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
4-6 | Rest | Easy run (4-5 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Fartlek or tempo run | Rest or walk | Long run (7-9 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
7-9 | Rest | Easy run (5-6 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Hill sprints or tempo | Rest or walk | Long run (10-12 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
10-12 | Rest | Easy run (6 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Fartlek or tempo run | Rest or walk | Long run (13-15 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
13-15 | Rest | Easy run (6-7 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Hill sprints or tempo | Rest or walk | Long run (16-18 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
16 (Taper) | Rest | Easy run (3-4 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) | Easy run (2-3 miles) | Rest | Rest | Race Day! |
Intermediate Training Program
16 Weeks
The intermediate training plan is tailored to runners with some experience with consistent training and running. It is best for those looking to improve their marathon time or increase their endurance. There is greater variety in the workout regimen than the beginning plan and running distances ramp up at a quicker pace.
How This Plan Prepares Individuals:
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Goal: Completing a marathon faster and more efficiently, with a focus on improving race time and pacing strategies.
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The plan incorporates tempo runs, speed intervals, and hill sprints, which target improvements in speed, strength, and running efficiency.
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Long runs are progressively longer, building stamina, and are sometimes paired with paced segments to simulate race conditions.
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This plan enhances the runner’s ability to manage both speed and endurance, preparing them to race at a more competitive level while still maintaining consistency and injury prevention.
Intermediate Training Program (16 Weeks)
Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-3 | Rest | Easy run (4-5 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Fartlek or tempo run | Rest or easy run (3-4 miles) | Long run (8-10 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
4-6 | Rest | Easy run (5-6 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Hill sprints or tempo | Rest or easy run (4-5 miles) | Long run (11-13 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
7-9 | Rest | Easy run (6-7 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Fartlek or tempo run | Rest or easy run (5-6 miles) | Long run (14-16 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
10-12 | Rest | Easy run (7-8 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Hill sprints or tempo | Rest or easy run (6 miles) | Long run (17-19 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
13-15 | Rest | Easy run (8 miles) | Cross-training (30-45 min) | Fartlek or tempo run | Rest or easy run (6-7 miles) | Long run (20-22 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
Week 16 (Taper) | Rest | Easy run (4-5 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) | Easy run (3 miles) | Rest | Rest | Race Day! |
Advanced Training Program
16 Weeks
Experienced marathoners or competitive runners may find this training plan the most fulfilling. The plan is suited for those seeking to achieve a personal best or qualify for a prestigious race (e.g., Boston Marathon) and who are willing to push themselves with high-intensity training. Runners in this program should have a solid foundation of fitness and a strong base of consistent weekly running mileage.
How This Plan Prepares Individuals:
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Goal: Maximizing performance by achieving peak fitness and targeting a personal best time.
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The plan includes advanced workouts such as speed intervals, hill sprints, and fartlek runs to improve VO2 max, lactate threshold, and running economy.
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Long runs are longer and more challenging, often with pace work to simulate race conditions and improve race-day pacing.
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The plan includes higher intensity and frequency of workouts, focusing on strength, speed, and endurance to help individuals race at a fast pace over the full marathon distance.
Advanced Training Program (16 Weeks)
Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-3 | Rest | Speed intervals (400m or 800m) | Easy run (5-6 miles) | Tempo run (5-6 miles) | Rest or easy run (4 miles) | Long run (10-12 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
4-6 | Rest | Speed intervals (800m or 1k) | Easy run (6-7 miles) | Fartlek or tempo run | Rest or easy run (5 miles) | Long run (13-15 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
7-9 | Rest | Speed intervals (800m or 1k) | Easy run (7-8 miles) | Hill sprints or tempo | Rest or easy run (6 miles) | Long run (16-18 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
10-12 | Rest | Speed intervals (1k or 1200m) | Easy run (8 miles) | Tempo run (8 miles) | Rest or easy run (7 miles) | Long run (19-21 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
13-15 | Rest | Speed intervals (800m or 1k) | Easy run (9 miles) | Fartlek or tempo run | Rest or easy run (7-8 miles) | Long run (22-24 miles) | Cross-training (30 min) |
Week 16 (Taper) | Rest | Speed intervals (400m) | Easy run (4-5 miles) | Easy run (3 miles) | Rest | Rest | Race Day! |