24 Week Marathon Training Plan

The first 12 weeks of this marathon training plan will be kept pretty simple. We’ll be focusing on the basics of a good marathon training program; building mileage and aerobic strength, understanding the fundamental weekly schedule, and acclimating your body to the increasing stress load.

Week
Goals
Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Week 1
5 Runs: Target 25 miles
Day Off
Easy 5 mile run
Easy 3 mile run
Easy 5 mile run
Day Off
Easy 3 mile run
Easy long run of 10 miles
Week 2
5 Runs: Target 30 miles
Day Off
Easy 5 mile run
Easy 3 mile run
Easy 5 mile run
Day Off
Easy 3 mile run
Easy long run of 12 miles
Week 3
5 Runs: Target 35 miles
Day Off
Easy run
Tempo run WU/CD. 3 X 5min at tempo pace*
Easy run
Easy hilly run*
Day Off
10 mile Progression run*
Week 4
4 Runs: Target 25 miles
Day Off
Pickups WU/CD 6 X 1min pickups w/ 2min rest
Day Off
Easy run
Tempo run WU/CD. 3 X 10min w/ 1min rest at tempo pace
Day Off
Easy long run of 13 miles
Week 5
5 Runs: Target 30 miles
Day Off
Tempo Run WU/CD 6 X 2min pickups w/ 2min rest
Easy run
Day Off
Tempo Run. WU/CD. 20-25min at tempo pace
Easy hilly run
Easy long run of 12-14 miles
Week 6
6 Runs: Target 35 miles
Day Off
Intervals. WU/CD. 4 X 800m at 10k pace w/ 2min rest
Easy run
Easy run
MP Workout*. WU/CD. 3 X 2mi at MP w/ 2min rest
Easy run
Easy long run of 14 miles
Week 7
6 Runs: Target 40 miles
Day Off
Hills. WU/CD. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1min hill intervals. Take 2-3min rest
Easy run
Easy hilly run
Tempo Run. WU/CD. 30min Tempo Run
Easy run
12 mile Progression run
Week 8
Down Week
5 Runs: Target 25 miles
Day Off
Easy run
Easy hilly run
Easy run
Day off
Easy run
Easy long run of 15 miles
Week 9
5 Runs: Target 30 miles
Day Off
Tempo Run. WU/CD. 30min Tempo run
Easy run
Day Off
Long Hills: WU/CD. 5 X 3min hard uphill intervals w/ 2-3min rest
Easy run
Easy long run of 16 miles
Week 10
5 Runs: Target 35 miles
Day Off
Easy run
MP Workout*. WU/CD. 3 X 2mi at MP w/ 2min rest
Easy run
Day off
Easy run
13 mile progression run
Week 11
6 Runs: Target 40 miles
Day Off
Hills: WU/CD. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1min hard uphill intervals w/ half interval rest
Easy run
Easy run
Intervals WU/CD. 4 X mile @ HM Pace w/ 2-3min rest
Easy run
Long run of 8-10 miles easy
Week 12
4-5 Runs: Target 25 miles
Day Off
Intervals WU/CD. 4 X 800m @ HM pace w/ 2min rest
Day Off
Intervals WU/CD. 6 X 400m @ HM pace w/ 1min rest
Easy 30min
Easy 20min jogging, pre-race
Half marathon race / Marathon prep race.

The second 12 weeks of this marathon training plan will focus on building mileage on long runs, accomplishing key workouts to increase fitness, develop specific marathon pace, and building fatigue resistance. If you did a race at the end of the 12 week block, take a recovery week and proceed to week 13. Adjust accordingly to fit your schedule.

Week
Goals
Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Week 13
5 Runs: Target 40 miles
Day Off
Rest day or easy run of 2-3 miles
Easy run
Intro Workout WU/CD. 10 X 1min at HM pace/1min easy pace
Easy run
Easy hilly run
15-17 mile easy long run
Week 14
6 Runs: Target 45 miles
Day Off
Hills: WU/CD. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1min hard uphill intervals w/ half interval rest
Easy run
Easy run
Tempo run WU/CD. 30min Tempo run
Easy run
15 mile structured long run – 5 mile easy, 10 mile w/ alt 1mile at MP/1 mile easy
Week 15
5-6 Runs: Target 50 miles
Day Off
Easy hilly run
Easy run
Intervals WU/CD. 6 X 400m @ HM pace w/ 1min rest
Easy 30min
Easy 20min or day off
17-19 mile easy long run
Week 16
Down Week
4-5 Runs: Target 25 miles
Day Off
Easy run or day off
Easy hilly run
Easy run
Day off
Easy run
Easy long run of 15 miles
Week 17
5-6 Runs: Target 45 miles
Day Off
Intervals WU/CD. 6-7 X mile at HM pace w/ 2min rest
Day off
Easy run
Tempo Run WU/CD. 35min tempo run
Easy run
17-19 mile easy long run
Week 18
5-6 Runs: Target 50 miles
Day Off
Easy run
Long Hills WU/CD. 6 X 3min hard uphill intervals w/ 2-3min rest
Easy run or day off
Easy hilly run
Easy run
17 mile structured long run – 9 mile easy, 2X (2 mile at MP+20sec, 1 mile at MP) 1 mile CD.
Week 19
5-6 Runs: Target 55 miles
Day Off
Intervals WU/CD. 10 X 800m at HM pace w/ 1-2 min rest
Easy run
Easy run or day off
Tempo Run WU/CD. 40min tempo run
Easy run
20-22 mile easy long run
Week 20
Down Week
4-5 Runs: Target 30 miles
Day Off
Easy run
Day off
Easy run
Easy hilly run
Easy run or day off
13 mile progression run
Week 21
6 Runs: Target 60 miles
Day Off
Easy run
MP Workout. WU/CD. 3 X 2 mile at MP w/ 2min rest
Easy run
Intervals WU/CD. 12-16 X 1min fast/1min easy
Easy run
23-24 mile easy long run
Week 22
5-6 Runs: Target 50 miles
Day Off
Long Hills: WU/CD. 5 X 3min hard uphill intervals w/ 2-3min rest.
Easy run or day off
Easy run
Intervals WU/CD. 5 X mile @ MP w/ 1min rest
Easy run
12-14 mile easy long run
Week 23
4-5 Runs: Target 30 miles
Day Off
Hills: WU/CD. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1min hard uphill intervals w/ half interval rest
Easy run or day off
Easy run
Intervals WU/CD. 4 X mile @ MP w/ 1min rest
Easy run
Long run of 8-10 miles easy
Week 24
4-5 Runs: Target 40-50 miles (including race)
Day Off
Intervals WU/CD. 2 X mile @ MP w/ 2min Rest
Day Off
Intervals WU/CD. 6 X 400m @ HM pace w/ 1min rest
Easy 30min
Easy 20min jogging, pre-race
Target Marathon Race

Notes for Marathon Training Plan

* WU/CD. Warm up and cool down. 10-15min easy pace running followed by dynamic stretching, usually 15-25min total. I highly recommend doing at least the 10-15min easy running if you’re short on time. This is meant to get you ready for a run at faster than your easy pace. It increases blood flow to muscles and as I like to say “primes the system for hard work.“

* Tempo Run Guidelines. A tempo run is meant to get you close to your lactate threshold but not go over. It should be a comfortably hard effort that you could maintain for 10-20min past the end of the run. You should not be straining to achieve the desired effort. This run is best done by monitoring your heart rate to 87-92% of your maximum heart rate. These should be done on a flat course.

* Easy Hilly Run. I’m a huge proponent of adding a lot of hill running into a marathon training plan. It helps give you the strength you need to finish out a successful marathon. Easy means easy. Keeping your heart rate or effort in the easy range while running significant elevation gain. You may have to re-calibrate what you think is a hill. If possible, you would achieve 1,000-1,500ft of elevation gain with an 8-10 mile run.

* Progression Runs. A progression run starts out easy and progressively gets faster until you finish the last few miles at about tempo effort. Usually broken down to 1/3 easy pace, 1/3 progression dropping about 10-15sec/mi, 1/3 at tempo effort. These can be done on flat to rolling courses.

* Easy Runs. Easy runs are meant to be EASY. Yes, they feel slow. Yes, I know you can go faster. That’s not the point. Take your time. Run for time if that helps you slow down. Keep these to 65-75% of your maximum heart rate and very conversational. Most in this chart do not have mileage because you’ll fill in your weekly mileage using easy runs of varying distance based on how much your target weekly mileage is.

* 1st Target Race. Half Marathon. As we progress through the 6 month marathon training plan it is often a good idea to test your fitness using a race. The half marathon at the 12-week point is meant to help you stay motivated and on target with your training. It can also help you to figure out your current training paces as it gives you a training marker to start from.

* MP (Marathon Pace) Workout. This workout is to get you familiar with your marathon pace. It will be similar to your tempo effort +5-10sec. You should feel pretty comfortable for the full 2 miles but it will start to get tough on the last interval. Keep an even pace and do this on a course similar in profile to your target marathon.

* Structured Long Runs. These are long runs that have a specific purpose and structure to the mileage, pace, or both. They are meant to not just get you to the finish line of a marathon but to adapt your body to some of the discomfort you will feel later in the race by having to push your body when it is already tired.

* Target Marathon Race. At this point, you’ve put in the work and you’re ready for your race. Preparing correctly does not guarantee that the race will go well or that it will be easy. Races are never easy and never get easier. They only get faster. Hopefully the training has been hard but rewarding in prepping your body to go the distance and that it will result in a performance that you are happy with.