This 16 week marathon training program is designed for beginner to intermediate level runners. Please remember that all training programs require individualised adjustments to suit your specific requirements - there is no one size fits all training program for a running event (or any fitness event for that matter). If you need help personalising your running program please chat with us. Find out more and see the program here...
Training Sessions:
Long: Consistent pace at 70-75% Max HR/conversation pace/slower than race pace.
Tempo/sustained efforts: Consistent pace at 80-85% Max HR/faster than race pace or race pace. Build pace steadily as a warm up for first 10-15 min.
Easy/recovery: Consistent pace at 70-75% Max HR or slower/conversation pace/comfortable pace
Speedwork/intervals: Intermittent periods of a set distance or time at 90-95% Max HR/faster than race pac/uncomfortable pace followed by periods of lower intensity that allow recovery. Warm up and cool down of 10-15minutes required.
Fartlek: Self determined periods of work at 80-95% Max HR/faster than race pace followed by self determined periods of recovery. Build pace steadily as a warm up for first 10-15 min.
Hills: Running on hilly terrain. Thorough warm up and cool down of 10-15min required.
This program is dated for the lead up to the Brisbane Running Festival on Sunday 2 June 2019 but you can adjust the date to suit any 16 week period.
Week 0 (Leading up to 11 February)
Easy runs building up to 1 hour 2-3 times per week.
Week 1 (Monday 11 February)
Long: 1 hour 15 min
Tempo: 45min
Easy: 1 hour
Speedwork: 30min 400m on/off
Total: 3 hours 30 min
Week 2 (Monday 18 February)
Long: 1 hour 30 min
Tempo: 45min
Easy: 1 hour
Fartlek: 30 min
Total: 3 hours 45 min
Week 3 (Monday 25 February)
Long: 2 hours (finish last 30min at race pace)
Easy: 1 hour
Easy: 1 hour
Hills: 30 min
Total: 4 hours 30 min
Week 4 (Monday 4 March)
Long: 1 hour 45 min
Easy: 1 hour
Tempo: 1 hour
Speedwork: 30min 600m on/off
Total: 4 hours 15 min
Week 5 (Monday 11 March)
Long: 2 hours
Easy: 1 hour
Tempo: 1 hour
Fartlek: 30 min
Total: 4 hours 30 min
Week 6 (Monday 18 March)
Long: 2 hours 30 min (finish last 30min at race pace)
Easy: 1 hour
Easy: 1 hour
Hills: 30 min
Total: 5 hours
Week 7 (Monday 25 March)
Tempo: 1 hour 15 min
Easy: 30 min
Tempo: 1 hour 15 min
Speedwork: 30min 800m on/off
Total: 3 hours 30 min
Week 8 (Monday 1 April)
Long: 2 hours 15 min
Tempo: 1 hour 15min
Easy: 1 hour
Fartlek: 30 min
Total: 5 hours
Week 9 (Monday 8 April)
Long: 2 hours 30 min
Easy: 1 hour
Tempo: 1 hour 15 min
Hills: 30 min
Total: 5 hours 15 min
Week 10 (Monday 15 April)
Long: 3 hours (finish last 30min at race pace)
Easy: 1 hour
Easy: 1 hour
Speedwork: 30min 1000m on/off
Total: 5 hours 30 min
Week 11 (Monday 22 April)
Long: 2 hours 45 min
Tempo: 1 hour 30 min
Easy: 1 hour
Fartlek: 30 min
Total: 5 hours 45 min
Week 12 (Monday 29 April)
Long: 3 hours
Tempo: 1 hour 30min
Easy: 1 hour
Hills: 30 min
Total: 6 hours
Week 13 (Monday 6 May)
Long: 3 hours 30 min
Easy: 1 hour
Speedwork: 30min 1000m on/off
Easy: 30 min
Total: 5 hours 30 min
Week 14 (Monday 13 May)
Long: 2 hours 30 min (finish last 30min at race pace)
Easy: 1 hour
Tempo: 1 hour 45min
Total: 5 hours 15 min
Week 15 (Monday 20 May)
Long: 1 hour 30 min (finish last 30min at race pace)
Easy: 1 hour
Easy: 1 hour
Total: 3 hours 30 min
Week 16 (Monday 27 May - Race Week)
Easy: 1 hour
Easy: 1 hour
Marathon 42.2km
Notes:
Respond to 'niggles' & injuries as soon as you notice them by making individualised adjustments to your training program.
Other cross training options can be used to substitute for the speedwork, fartlek OR easy training sessions but up to only 1 substituted session per week (unless your body requires more days off running). Coss training options include cycling, rowing, swimming etc that follow the same training format as the day it's been substituted in for.
Include strength training & mobility work for the purposes of improving running related function & preventing injury. This may include but is not limited to core strength, hip stability, hip & ankle mobility, postural control & glute, hamstring, quad & calf strength.