Preparing a successful
Marathon Training
Programme
WSA Wed 23rd Jan 2013
Ian Legg: UKA Level 3 Coach
Endurance; Strength & conditioning; Sprints & Jumps
Agenda
 Principles
to follow
 Structure: of the programme
 Content: Critical sessions
 4 sample programmes
 Other considerations
 Summary thoughts
Principles to follow


Set ‘SMART’ objectives
Be realistic
– With your race goal
– With your training plan

Regular & consistent training
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Structured training schedule
Planned rest!
Strengthening / stretching exercises (to avoid injury)
Regular races to check progress / confirm race target
time
Race plan & pace plan
Setting Goals
The goals are personal to you
 Be realistic
 Over ambitious = Injury or Illness
 SMART
 Challenging but achievable
 Set milestone goals on the way – to check
progress / assess if realistic
 Be prepared to flex them – they are not
sacrosanct!

Training Programme Structure

16 week programme (s)
– 4 week blocks
– 2 weeks steady / 1 hard / 1 easy
– NB: Weeks 9 to 12 of the programme are the ‘Danger Zone’
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Target 1 race (minimum) per block
Volume & intensity build through each block
Planned ‘rest’ built into the programme
Avoid back to back hard sessions
Taper towards the marathon
TIP: Don’t increase mileage week on week by
more than 10% to reduce injury risk.
Weekly Content / Critical Sessions
1 Long slow run pw
 1 Speed Session pw (10k/5k race session)
 1 Race pace Run pw
 1 Tempo Run pw *
 2 Injury prevention sessions pw
 NB: The structure of each of the
programmes gets you to train at
different paces / intensities and
distances.

Long Slow Run
A staple session in all marathon training plans
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Purpose
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To build an aerobic base
Slower than race pace
60 to 70% of max heart rate
Time on feet critical – NOT the pace
1 per week (all schedules)
Duration (depends upon schedule)
– 1 hour to 3 hours
– Distance increases through 3 of the 4 week training
blocks
– Intensity DOES NOT increase, or training effect lost

Tip: Use a heart rate monitor. If the run pace is
outside your heart rate range WALK until it is
within range.
Speed Session
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Purpose
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To run comfortably faster than race pace
Develop anaerobic energy system
Increases lactate tolerance
Allows you to run at a faster pace for longer
1 session per week (all schedules)
Type of speed sessions
– Intervals; Fartlek; Hill Running; Parlauf
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Sample sessions
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6 by 1 mile (10k pace); 1 min rec
3 by 2 miles (10k pace); 2 min rec
8 by 0.5 mile (5k pace); 1 min rec
6 by 1k (5k pace); 2 min rec
NB: Wed night club sessions are perfect, don’t worry if they don’t
match these exactly!
TIP: You are aiming for the pace of all your efforts in a speed session
to be the same pace. Top athletes will be metronomic with their pace
judgment – with very little differences between fastest and slowest
effort in a session.
Race Pace Run

Purpose
– Get used to racing at your target pace
– Allow you pace the race evenly
– NB: Often ignored / forgotten in programmes
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Detail
– Distance varies (depends upon schedule you
follow)
– 6 miles to 18 miles maximum
– Distance increases through the 16 week
programme until wk12, but once target race
pace confirmed the speed remains constant
Tempo Run
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Purpose
– To build ‘fast’ aerobic / anaerobic base
– Faster than marathon race pace
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Duration
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35 mins to 45 mins
25 to 35 mins of c10 mile race pace
5 mins jog at start / finish before ‘tempo’ effort
Break the main efforts into smaller blocks of time if
required
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2 by 12 mins with 1 min jog
2 by 20 mins with 2 mins jog
etc
Session: Injury Prevention

Purpose
– To help avoid injury
– Allows the running element of the programme to remain
‘regular and consistent’
– Develops improved running efficiency (and ultimately
reduces effort and increases speed)

Duration
– 2 sessions pw (ideally) of c30 mins
– Do on a non running day
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Content
– Come along next Wed at 20:15 to get sample exercises
– Will include strengthening and flexibility exercises

NB: Athletes are aware of the benefits of training muscles /
aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms. You MUST equally train bones
/ ligaments / tendons to remain injury free. Hence Strength &
Conditioning sessions are critical
Session: Rest!

Purpose
– To allow you time to recover from training
– Regular training + Rest = ‘super
compensation’
– NB: Improvement from training comes during
‘rest’
– Lack of rest results in
 Illness
 Significant
increase in risk of injury
 fall off in performance levels.

Duration (depends upon schedule)
– All programmes have rest included
How it works!
Rest and training working well
With adequate recovery, this allows for
super compensation and your body becomes fitter /
stronger and faster and improves to
a higher performance level
Performance
Training reduces
performance levels
Time
Recovery phase
Session: Cross Training

Purpose
– Alternative to running
– Uses other muscle groups – reducing injury risk
– Strengthens complimentary muscle groups – reducing
injury risk
– Allows the same training benefit to be achieved with less
running specific training – reducing injury risk
– Provide variety to your training

Duration (depends upon schedule)
– 1 to 2 sessions pw

Types of sessions
– Cycling: Biggest transfer benefit
– Lane Swimming: Proper coached session
– Other possible options (Rowing / cross trainer)
Beginners Programme
Beginners Programme
Day
Running element
Comments
Mon
Rest
Strengthening / Flexibility
Tue
Recovery Run of 40 mins - steady pace
Hard week do a tempo run of 40 mins
Easy week - Extra rest day
Wed
Interval Session
Typical distance of these sessions will be c5-6 miles
Thu
Rest
Strengthening / Flexibility
Fri
Race Pace Run
Start at 6 miles and build to 16 miles by week 12
Shorter distance on easy week and increase the distance on hard week
When the 'race pace run' is above 12 miles incorporate into Long Run day.
Sat
Complete Rest
Sun
Long Run
Start at 1 hour and add 15 mins pw until 2 hours.
Notes
1. 3-4 runs per week
2. Training time pw is 6 to 8 hours
3. Ramp up the volume and intensity over each 4 week block
Intermediate Programme
Intermediate Programme
Day
Running element
Comments
Mon
Tempo Run
40 mins on steady week / 50 mins on hard / 30 mins on easy week
Tue
Rest
Strengthening / Flexibility
Wed
Interval Session
Typical distance of these sessions will be c5-6 miles
Thu
AM - Recovery Run
Fri
Race Pace Run
4-5 miles easy
Strength / Flexibility evening
Extra rest day on easy week
Start at 6 miles and build to 16 miles by week 12
Shorter distance on easy week and increase the distance on hard week
When the 'race pace run' is above 12 miles incorporate into Long Run day.
Sat
Complete Rest
Sun
Long Run
Start at 1.5 hour and build to 3 hours
Notes
1. 4-5 runs per week
2. Weekly mileage 35 to 45 miles
3. Training time pw is 8-10 hours
4. Ramp up the volume and intensity over each 4 week block
Advanced Programme
Advanced Programme
Day
Running element
Comments
Mon
AM- 40 mins steady
PM- 35 mins tempo
Tue
Rest
Strengthening / Flexibility
Wed
Interval Session
Typical distance of these sessions will be c5-6 miles
Thu
AM - Recovery Run
Fri
Race Pace Run
4-5 miles easy
Strength / Flexibility evening
Extra rest day on easy week
Start at 8 miles and build to 18 miles by week 12
Shorter distance on easy week and increase the distance on hard week
When the 'race pace run' is above 12 miles incorporate into Long Run day.
Sat
Complete Rest
Sun
Long Run
Start at 2 hour and build to 3 hours
Notes
1. 5-6 runs per week
2. Weekly mileage is 45-55 miles
3. Training time pw is10-12 hours
4. Ramp up the volume and intensity over each 4 week block
Injury Prevention Programme
Injury Minimisation Programme
Day
Running element
Comments
Mon
Tempo Run
30-40 mins decent pace
Tue
Rest
Strengthening / Flexibility
Wed
Interval Session
Typical distance of these sessions will be c5-6 miles
Thu
Race Pace Run / Recovery Run
Start at 6 miles and build to 18 miles by week 12
Shorter distance on easy week and increase the distance on hard week
When the 'race pace run' is above 10 miles incorporate into Long Run day.
Substitute for a swim session / easy week, add evening swim hard week
Fri
Complete Rest
Sat
Cycle
Duration of 1-2 hours
Strengthening / Flexibility
Sun
Long Run
Start at 2 hour and build to 2.5 hours
Incorporate Race Pace Run in weeks 9-12
Notes
1. 3-4 runs per week
2. 1-2 non run sessions - cycling / swimming
3. Training time pw is7-10 hours
4. Ramp up the volume and intensity over each 4 week block
Next Steps
Define your goal – if not done already
 Make it SMART?
 Decide on your plan
 Set some interim milestones

– 5k / 10k / 10m / 13m races?
– Time improvement over a measured course /
training run
Identify realistic race pace – at least 8
weeks before marathon.
 Try out some of these suggestions NOW
……or you never will!!!!!

Summary
 Any
schedule is a framework
 Be flexible
 I am here to help / advise
– [email protected]
– 07860 334431
 Good
luck!
………….Any
Questions??????