Marathon training plans

How long is a piece of string. I've done two. Second one was much better after getting a few things wrong on the first one. Listen to your body. Mix up your training. I swapped a couple of long runs with MTB rides. Stretch. And keep stretching. Do some core strength stuff. Generally most plans will mix all the different paces and distance building up over the weeks and months. Maybe fire in a half marathon somewhere, and a few 10ks. If you're doing a 1:30 half you should manage to get close to a 3:15 marathon. I ran a 3:23 with a 1:32 half during training.

I'd love to do more, but arthritis in my knee says no. Do it while you can.

I'd be happy to use the Runners World plan, and 3:15 to 20 should be a decent target for you.

Good luck

If you’re running a 1.30 HM you’ve got no problems stepping up to a full marathon. Build up miles, time on your feet with a longer run a week and taper properly and you can’t go far wrong.

Most people will try to do one long run a week (Sunday may be a good day for this), hopefully building to about 20 miles. I do two proper workouts a week (including Sunday, which usually mixes in some faster blocks into the long run) and the rest is just as much steady running as I feel like. And yeah, the odd bike ride and even swim for a change, but you have to do some long miles running.

You may get close to 3h marathon if your 1:30 half was off limited training. 3:15 would be a safer bet though.

Ignoring pace for the moment…. When I write a marathon plan, I work back from the target date and plan the weekly long runs first to ensure I get in five 20 milers.

Race week - Race
Race week minus 1: 10 miles
Race week minus 2: 15 miles
Race week minus 3 to minus 7: 20 miles
Then a build from wherever I am at the moment fitness-wise for a long run to 20 miles by adding 1 or 2 miles per week depending on how fit I am and how much time I’ve got.

So that gives me all the long runs, and an overall time for the programme, usually it’s about 6 months if it’s an event I’m taking seriously.

Then I put in a mid-week medium long run that’s 50-75% of the long run distance for that week.
Then I add in some sort of speed session each week.
And finally I pad the week out with easy runs so that the overall mileage volume for each week increase by between 5 and 10% each week - whatever works to give a steady build but never more than 10% volume increase. And every 4th week I drop the volume by 10%.

Paces for all the sessions are then based on my fitness and what I’m targeting for the race.

Seems to have worked for the seven marathons I’ve done.

Oh, and a 90 minutes half (which is excellent!) suggests a 3:20ish marathon but that assumes you’ve trained right for it and have pacing and food down to a tee.

I’d be inclined to based my training paces around a 3:45 marathon to start and then re-evaluate once you’ve done a couple of 20 mile runs and know how you react when going much further (I’m assuming you’ve not run beyond half distance so far).

I use McMillan for working out my training paces…

https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/

Check out Ben Parkes. I have used his half plan with good results. Got 10 weeks into his marathon plan but had to cancel my marathon but I’ve never ran so well during that training. Will be using it again for next year.
I guess it depends on what you want time-wise and how much you’re going to put into it but I enjoyed the mix of sessions and paces. It helps that he gives you paces to run at too

https://benparkes.com/collections/marathon-plans

I'm currently on week 6 of Hanson's Marathon Method and it's the first time I've followed a plan and stuck to it. So far, so good. Another option I've used when helping other people in our club with marathon training is the Hal Higdon guide. There are so many different plans out there and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

I have no plans to train for a marathon

I’d be happy to use the Runners World plan, and 3:15 to 20 should be a decent target for you.
Good luck

This.

A 90 minute half is a very solid start point for a 3:20ish.

Generally, I don’t think you need to overly complicate marathon plans.
A slow long run each week, building up to 22 miles max. I generally like to have 3 or 4 runs of 20+ miles in the legs but that’s personal preference.
2 hard runs each week, one longer at goal pace, one shorter with some fast intervals.
Then a couple of easier recovery runs.
Mix that lot together and you’ll be fine.

Are you paying attention @nobbingsford??? 😉

The first road marathon I did I trained for using a Runners World plan, and it went great. I did the 3:15 plan and finished in 3:09. 6 weeks before the marathon I did a 1:27 HM. So pretty much the same position you're in now. So I'd say go for it. And I'd also say the most important thing is sticking to the plan. Marathon training for a mid-pack athlete isn't that much of an art, more of a science, and 99% of people react the same way to the same plan. Follow the plan and you'll almost certainly get the expected results.

Thanks for the info, some good stuff to go off. This forum never disappoints.

I will try an aim for 3:20ish and see where it takes me.

However, a 16 week training block means I have to start WC 19th December for the Manchester Marathon.

Good luck. My 18 week plan starts on the 11th so someone's calendar may need a check - I hope it isn't mine 🙂

(OK, I count the long run as the first run of the week, race day is then the first run of the 19th week)

A slow long run each week, building up to 22 miles max. I generally like to have 3 or 4 runs of 20+ miles in the legs but that’s personal preference.
2 hard runs each week, one longer at goal pace, one shorter with some fast intervals.
Then a couple of easier recovery runs.
Mix that lot together and you’ll be fine.

oof... so i'm in for the brighton half in feb 23, then the brighton marathon in early April... I'm concerned what with work, kids, commuting (sometimes with kids, sometime I could run it) i'm gonna need 10 days a week to fit it all in!

DrP

@DrP, that's very much an ideal world plan.
Basically, you need a weekly long run, some fast runs and time to recover.
Mix it up however you see fit, unless you're targeting a particularly challenging time that's be fine.

ok, cheers....
my issue with 'gold standard' training plans is that I just don't confidently have time to fit them in...
I'll aim for a longer run per week (which i can fit in as a commute of sorts I guess... i'm 21km work -> home, and build up on this as needed), then fit a few fast or weight-vest (i wear this when running with my OH) runs as well...

I reckon at most, i'll be able to fit 3 runs per week...

DrP

Can you get in any other aerobic workout? 3 runs + a couple of Zwift sessions would work.

yeah - this is the thinig i'm unsure about...
I'll still cycle to/from work somedays, MTB on tuesday evenings, zwift training/racing etc...
I guess that'll all benefit my CVS system..

DrP

EDIT - i think, for me, the key is going to be getting in 2-3 hour runs...

I’ll aim for a longer run per week (which i can fit in as a commute of sorts I guess… i’m 21km work -> home, and build up on this as needed)

I do a commute run sometimes, and find the home run hard - so I reckon your 2 x 21km commutes would indeed count as the long run. Add a few km on the way back as needed.

so I reckon your 2 x 21km commutes would indeed count as the long run

I find statements like "your 42km run would probably count as the long run" frightening!!!!
That's a full marathon ditance isn't it!

DrP

@DrP, I think you need to work out what you want from the marathon, be that in terms of a time or even a level of enjoyment
You can certainly do a marathon on 3 runs per week, but if you want to get it done in a reasonable time and/or you want to enjoy it and it not be a miserable experience, then you'd need to be disciplined and make sure each of those runs counted.

If you've only got time for 3 runs then they should look like:
1 long run, starting at whatever you're comfortable with and ended up at circa 21 miles 3 weeks out from the run. These need to be non-stop (maybe with the odd water stop), but relatively slow. You're trying to get your body used to keeping moving and being on your feet for a long time, For me, these are the keys runs, you're stuffed without them.
1 goal pace run for an hour or so. Build up to the 1 hour distance, but this should be at the pace you want to run the marathon at. Don't expect these to be fun...
1 intervals or hills run. Either works, and can be as simple or complicated as you wish, but warm up and then do a run with burst of hard effort at faster marathon pace. These are not fun, but will reap you rewards

I'd normally be adding recovery runs or other such things in, but with 3 runs per week I'd just be making sure they counted and the recovery will come on your days off.

I find statements like “your 42km run would probably count as the long run” frightening!!!!
That’s a full marathon distance isn’t it!

Unless I've misread, you're not doing a 42km run, you're doing 21km commute? Very few run full marathon distance in 1 go before the event.

@lunge cheers..

Seems a sensible approach - i'm a data/garmin geek, and pretty good at sticking to pace etc..
At present i'm doing 10km runs at 4.40min/km which TBH is likely too fast for a marathon pace which i was loosely thinking will be about 5.10 (3hr 38)
Currently, my garmin thinks i'll do it in 3.35, so that's a pretty good target to aim for..

I reckon i need to slow down a bit, but build up distance..

DrP

@DrP is the Brighton half and marathon happening next year? I thought the company who put the event on was going into administration.

oh... didn't know this...
will see how that pans out...

DrP

FWIW the longest run I did when I trained for my first marathon was (IIRC) 32km, and I did it 4 weeks out before starting to taper. I'm not 100% sure you really need to go that far from a physical training PoV, but the pyschological benefits of having done a proper long run definitely helped. Don't forget to make the most of the long runs to train the nutrition part - you can't run for over 3 hours without eating something, and there's a big difference to how your body handles food intake when you're running compared to on a bike. ("Food" here includes gels, haribo, whatever). I'd probably not eat anything for the first hour, then aim to consume a gel or similar every 30min from there on. See if you can find out what food is on offer at the race itself (what brand gels, for example) and use them in your training.

Good advise there. Nothing worse than finding out on the day that the gels on offer at an event have rather explosive effects on your stomach...
You also use your long runs to test the kit, making sure your clothes don't chafe, that your socks don't give you blisters, that your breakfast is right for your guts.

Nothing worse than finding out on the day that the gels on offer at an event have rather explosive effects on your stomach…

Though could be great motivation for a sprint at the last 2 miles if you DON'T want to be seen shitting yourself on local TV....

DrP

oh… didn’t know this…
will see how that pans out…

There's always the Steyning Stinger to fall back on. Planning on having a crack at the half again next year.

I don't really like running but signed up for a marathon about 10 years ago (Brighton) to tick it off the list. In the run up I decided I'd rather be out on the bike than out running, so did a total of 0m of run-based training in the run up to it (still out on the bike a lot so my fitness was good).

I did OK, but couldn't walk properly for a week afterwards, so don't recommend this approach

is the Brighton half and marathon happening next year? I thought the company who put the event on was going into administration.

Given what I have heard then thats for the best. I understand they havent paid out last years prize money.

So for shits and giggles I ran a half marathon distance yesterday eve (whilst eldest was at a swimming party)... 1hr 48,so not too bad given no training yet... 5.05/km pace
Legs feel fine today...
Is a good baseline for marathon training I guess, so with some work I reckon a 4.35 pace sh0uld be doable....

Tis a bit boring though!

DrP

1:48 for a half on spec and on no training is very respectable.

Ta…. I just kinda “forest gumped” it! Was on littlehampton seafront… basically a flat 2.1 ish km promenade stretch, so i just ran back…and forth….and back…and forth….. until the swim party was over!

I’ve found decent shoes (on cloud hobbies for me) make a huge difference.
Let’s see if
a) i can keep up the motivation
B) the marathon goes ahead!

DrP