Marathon Training Plan

 Training for my first marathon went, well, it was interesting. I was super nervous and excited to get started. And then I got sick the week I was supposed to start the training block. I was disappointed but also figured if I was going to get sick during training, this was the best time to do it. So, the first week was some walking and maybe light yoga but no running. Luckily, I was going into it with a solid base, having just run a half marathon about a month earlier. 

I'm providing this here for you to use as a guide should you chose. It is NOT the best training plan. It is NOT what I would recommend. I provide this as a way of showing that life happens. You get sick, you have other plans, you have other hobbies that interfere with training, you have to travel for work and can barely find time to run for 30 minutes some days. It is ok. We adapt. None of us have perfect training blocks, not even the pros. 

Here's my actual training for my first marathon: 

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1	Sick all week :(
2	Easy Run 45 minute	Intervals 10 min Warmup 4x 5min @ threshold pace, 90sec recovery Cool down	Recovery Run 35 minute	Yoga 30 minute	Intervals 10 minute WU 4x 5min hard, 2min easy	Long Run 90 minute	Rest
3	Backcountry Ski Day	Backcountry Ski Day	Yoga 45 minute Walk 40 minute	Elliptical 45 minute Yoga 20 minute	Recovery Run 45 minute	Rest	Race Half Marathon
4	Yoga 45 minute Walk 60 minute	Recovery Run 30 minute Yoga 30 minute	Fartlek 45 minute Full Body Lift 30 minute	Intervals 10min WU 3x 10min TH, 2min recovery Cool down	Ski Day	Long Run 135 minute (2:15)	Rest Yoga 30 minute
5	Intervals 10min WU 5x 6min TH, 90sec Cool down Leg Day Lift 30 minute	Recovery Run 30 minute Upper Body Lift 30 minute	Ski Day	Easy Run 30 minute	Ski Day Yoga 30 minute	Long Run 90 minute Full Body Lift 40 minute	Ski Day
6	Intervals 10min WU 3x 10min TH, 2min Cool down	Recovery Run 30 minute Full Body Lift 30 minute	Intervals 15min WU 5x 3min @ 10K pace, 90sec Cool down	Elliptical 35 minute Full Body Lift 30 minute	Intervals 10min WU 3x 10min TH, 90sec Cool down	Ski Day Yoga 20 minute	Long Run 150 minute (2:30)
7	Recovery Run 35 minute	Full Body Lift 25 minute Walk 35 minute	Intervals 15min WU 6x 1K @ 10K pace, 90sec Cool down Yoga 20 minute	Easy Run 40 minute	Yoga 35 minute	Long Run 150 minute (2:30)	Recovery Run 35 minute
8	Intervals 10min WU 3x 10min TH, 90sec Cool down Full Body Lift 20 minute	Yoga 20 minute	Intervals 15min WU 6x 1K @ 10K pace, 90sec Cool down	Recovery Run 30 minute Upper Body Lift 30 minute	Rest Day	Long Run 165 minute (2:45) Yoga 25 minute	Full Body Lift 35 minute
9	Recovery Run 45 minute	Intervals 10min WU 4x 8min TH, 90sec Cool down	Recovery Run 45 minute Upper Body Lift 30 minute	Elliptical 45 minute	Easy Run 45 minute Yoga 30 minute	Walk 45 minute Yoga 15 minute	Hilly Half Marathon
10	Rest Day	Recovery Run 30 minute Upper Body Lift 30 minute	Easy Run 35 minute	Easy Run 30 minute	Elliptical 40 minute	Long Run 90 minute Yoga 30 minute	Elliptical 20 minute Full Body Lift 30 minute
11	Full Body Lift 30 minute	Intervals 10min WU 3x 10min TH, 90sec Cool down Full Body Lift 20 minute	Easy Run 25 minute	Easy Run 40 minute	Yoga 45 minute	Long Run 180 minute (3:00)	Walk 45 minute Yoga 30 minute
12	Recovery Run 35 minute Leg Day Lift 25 minute	Track Workout Reverse Ladder 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400	Elliptical 45 minute	Intervals 15min WU 5x 2min @ 10k, 1min recovery Cool down	Flying Pig 1 Mile Race	Flying Pig Races 10K 5K	Flying Pig Half Marathon
13	Walk 45 minute Yoga 20 minute	Fartlek Run 40 minute	Threshold Run 25 min easy 20 mn TH 25 min easy Cool down	Easy Run 30 minute Yoga 30 minute	Rest Day	Long Run 135 minute (2:15) easy 45 min MP Cool down	Rest Day
14	Easy Run 45 minute	Track Workout 15min WU 4x 400 1X 1200 5X 500 1x 800	Elliptical 35 minute	Walk 50 minute	Easy Run 45 minute Full Body Lift 30 minute	Trail Race 13K	Rest Day
15	Elliptical 25 minute Full Body Lift 30 minute	Track Workout 15 min WU 2x 400 3x 1600 1x 400	Walk 45 minute	Threshold Run 25 min easy 25 min TH 25 min easy Cool down	Easy Run 30 minute	Long Run 60 minute (30 @ MP)	Rest Day
16	Rest Day	Fun Hike 75 minute	Easy Run 25 minute	Easy Run 20 minute	Walk 60 minute	Marathon Race Day!	Recover Walking

Again this is NOT what I would recommend. And it should be noted that just because this worked for me (or I made it work) does not mean it will work for you. If you're ready to start a custom training plan, let's see if I'm the right coach for you! 

Run like Hell, Train like a Devil! 

Coach Red