Marathon Training Tips Part 1: The Training Program

Disclaimer: So I'm not going to pretend that I have run a dozen marathons, qualified for Boston, or am an expert when it comes to marathon training.  But sometimes I believe that if you are training for your first or second marathon, getting tips from a fellow recreational runner can possibly be even more helpful than advice from Joe Schmo who runs a sub 3-hour marathon.

So with that disclaimer, here is my background are a few of the things I have learned.

Master Mel 
I run recreationally, but I am a fitness professional.  I received a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Exercise Science fields and I have almost 10 years of experience.

My first marathon was in April 2010 and I was 9 -weeks pregnant.  I finished at 4:43:00 although I had trained with a 3-hour 20-mile run.

My second marathon was in March 2014 and I finished at 3:59:21.  I had trained at about the same speed with a 3-hour 20-mile run, but I was not pregnant and I had the advantage of everything I had learned running my first 26.2.

Finding a Training Program

There are a lot of training programs out there.  It can be quite overwhelming to figure out which works best for you.  

Should I be focusing on total weekly miles or longer daily runs?  

How many days should I be running, should I be running every day?  

Does it matter if I change up my rest day?

What if I miss a day, will it mess up my training?

The answer to those questions is yes.  And no.  Obviously everyone looking to train for a marathon is starting at a different point. Some of you are already able to run 10 miles without a problem, others can still barely trudge through a 5k.  

Here is the training program that I have used for my training.  I originally got this from my friend Sarah, and I honestly have no idea where she got it since it's just a Word doc she sent me.  

16- week Marathon Training

As part of the program, you need to do two additional days of cross-training for at least 40-45 minutes.  Many days, I did two hours of cross training which I believe helped with my endurance. 

Week              Tuesday                     Thursday                   Saturday

                        Speed                          Tempo                         Long

1                      8x400 meters            3 miles                        10 miles

2                      4x1200 meters          5 miles                        12 miles

3                      6x800 meters            7 miles                        13 miles

4                      3x1600 meters          3 miles                        10 miles

5                      10x400 meters          5 miles                        14 miles

6                      5x1200 meters          5 miles                        15 miles

7                      7x800 meters            8 miles                        17 miles

8                      3x1600 meters          10 miles                      13 miles

9                      12x400 meters          3 miles                        18 miles

10                    8x800 meters            5 miles                        15 miles

11                    4x1600 meters          8 miles                        20 miles

12                    12x400 meters          5 miles                        15 miles

13                    6x1200 meters          5 miles                        20 miles

14                    7x800 meters            4 miles                        15 miles

15                    3x1600 meters          8 miles                        10 miles

16                    30 min easy with       20 min easy with       Marathon

                           5x60s                          3 or 4 pickups          

The training paces recommended by the FIRST program are somewhat faster than those recommended by other training plans.  Of course, with just three running days a week, you should be will rested for each workout.  Here are the paces you’ll need to run, each expressed relative to your current 10-K race pace.

Long Run                   10-K pace + 60 to 75 seconds/mile

Long Tempo              10-K pace + 30 to 35 seconds

Mid Tempo                10-K pace + 15 to 20 seconds

Short Tempo             10-K pace

1600 m repeats         10-K pace – 35 to 40 seconds

1200 m repeats         10-K pace – 40 to 45 seconds

800 m repeats           10-K pace – 45to 50 seconds

400 m repeats           10-K pace – 55 to 60 seconds

I have tweaked it a little bit each time, but these are the reasons I like it.  

- You only run 3 days a week.  In my schooling and work experience I have found that many people get injured due to overuse and chronic running.  Anyone that goes from occasional running to running 5-6 days a week will likely injure something: knee, muscle, back, take your pick.

-Change in tempos.  Training with the sprint workouts significantly increased my speed.  I loved changing up my focus.  It was also an easy thing to do on the treadmill.  I LOATHE running on treadmills, so I usually don't. However, as a mom, I sometimes don't have the option.  Running sprints keeps my focus and doesn't allow me to get bored.  I actually prefer doing the sprints on a treadmill because then I believe I push myself to go faster than I would on the road.

-Length of the program.  Although 16 weeks can seem like a long time, you start off with 10 miles right off the bat.  Training a full 4 months running at least a 10-mile run every week allows your body (and your mind) to believe that it's not as long as you think.  It also allowed for some weeks when I had to adjust for illness, injury, busy schedules, etc.  If I missed a week or two, I didn't really feel like I was completely out of the training.

-Two 20-milers. The first time I trained, I only did one 20-mile run.  I hit the wall right around mile 21 during the race.  I immediately decided then and there that I would either do more miles next time, or do at least two.  So, the second training, I did both.  I did a 20 and then a 21.5 a couple weeks later.  I think it really paid off.

Choosing the Training Program is only the first step.  Remember you should adjust what you need to in order to make it work for you, but also know that programs like this are created for many purposes including rest days, peak performance, and progress.