Training

This is the year I’ll check my “marathon before 30” off my bucket list, with the Marine Corps Marathon at Halloween.

Here’s the (rough) schedule I plan to use, from the immensely helpful Runners’ World:

Beginner Plan

Week	M	T	W	T	F	S	S	Total
1*	Rest	4 miles, including 4:00 TUT	Rest	1-hour run	Rest	4 miles	6 miles	15-16 miles
2	Rest	4 miles, including 4:00 TUT	Rest	1-hour run	Rest	4 miles	7 miles	15-16 miles
3	Rest	4 miles, including 5:00 TUT	Rest	6 miles	Rest	Rest	8 miles	18-19 miles
4	Rest	4 miles, including 5:00 TUT	Rest	6 miles	Rest	Rest	9 miles	18-19 miles
5	Rest	4 miles, including 3×2:00 AI	Rest	4 miles	Rest	5-K race	6-8 miles	19-21 miles
6	Rest	5 miles, including 6:00 TUT	Rest	7 miles	Rest	Rest	10 miles	22-24 miles
7	Rest	5 miles, including 6:00 TUT	Rest	7 miles	Rest	Rest	12 miles	22-24 miles
8	Rest	5 miles, including 7:00 TUT	Rest	8 miles	Rest	Rest	12 miles	25-27 miles
9	Rest	5 miles, including 7:00UTUT	Rest	8 miles	Rest	Rest	14miles	25-27 miles
10	Rest	5 miles, including 3×3:00 AI	Rest	4 miles	Rest	10-K race	5 miles	24 miles
11	Rest	5 miles, including 8:00 TUT	Rest	9 miles	Rest	Rest	16 miles	30-32 miles
12	Rest	5 miles, including 8:00 TUT	Rest	9 miles	Rest	Rest	18 miles	30-32 miles
13	Rest	5 miles, including 9:00 TUT	Rest	10 miles	Rest	4 miles	20 miles	39 miles
14	Rest	5 miles, including 9:00 TUT	Rest	10 miles	Rest	4 miles	10 miles	29 miles
15	Rest	3 miles, including 3X3:00 AI	Rest	5 miles	Rest	3 miles, including 3×2:00 AI	5 miles	16 miles
16	Rest	3 miles, Including 3×2:00 AI	Rest	3-mile jog	Rest	2-mile jog	Marathon

 

Definitions

Aerobic Intervals (AI): Timed repetitions (of 2:00 to 3:00 minutes) slightly faster than your normal training pace–enough to make you breathe harder, but still not go anaerobic (panting, gasping, verge-of-out-of-breath). Jog slowly after each repetition until you are refreshed enough to run the next.

Total Uphill Time (TUT): The total number of minutes you spend running semivigorously up inclines–could be repeats up the same hill or total uphill time over a hilly loop.

Easy Runs: mean totally comfortable and controlled. If you’re running with someone else, you should be able to converse easily. You’ll likely feel as if you could go faster. Don’t. Here’s some incentive to take it easy: You’ll still burn about 100 calories for every mile that you run.

Long Runs: are any steady run at or longer than race distance designed to enhance endurance, which enables you to run longer and longer and feel strong doing it. A great long-run tip: Find a weekly training partner for this one. You’ll have time to talk about anything that comes up.

Speedwork: means bursts of running shorter than race distance, some at your race goal pace, some faster. This improves cardiac strength, biomechanical efficiency, running economy, and the psychological toughness that racing demands.

Race Day Rules: Run slower than you feel like you should be running over the first 12-13 miles. Look around, chat a bit with those around you. And walk through the aid stations, drink fluids, take a little break, then slowly resume your running.