| Weeks |
Phase |
Miles |
|
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
| Base |
Base |
25 |
|
|
6 easy |
3 thresh |
|
|
6 easy |
10 slow |
| 16 |
Base |
27 |
|
|
3 fartlek |
6 easy |
3 thresh |
|
3 easy |
12 slow |
| 15 |
Base |
29 |
|
|
6 easy |
4 easy |
4 thresh |
|
3 easy |
12 slow |
| 14 |
Base |
29 |
|
|
6 easy |
4 easy |
4 thresh |
|
3 easy |
12 slow |
| 13 |
Strength E |
22 |
|
|
2 hills |
4 easy |
4 fartlek |
|
3 easy |
9 slow |
| 12 |
Strength |
31 |
|
|
4 hills |
6 easy |
4 thresh |
|
5 easy |
12 slow |
| 11 |
Strength |
34 |
|
|
3 hills |
6 easy |
4 thresh |
|
3 easy |
18 slow |
| 10 |
Strength |
34 |
|
|
3 hills |
6 easy |
4 fartlek |
|
5 easy |
16 slow |
| 9 |
Speed E |
26 |
|
|
4 easy |
5 easy |
3 interval |
|
1 strides |
13 (race) |
| 8 |
Speed |
35 |
|
|
4 fartlek |
6 easy |
4 interval |
|
5 easy |
16 slow |
| 7 |
Speed |
34 |
|
|
4 thresh |
4 easy |
3 interval |
|
3 easy |
20 slow |
| 6 |
Speed |
35 |
|
|
4 fartlek |
6 easy |
4 interval |
|
5 easy |
16 slow |
| 5 |
Speed E |
28 |
|
|
3 thresh |
6 easy |
4 interval |
|
3 easy |
12 slow |
| 4 |
Peak |
35 |
|
|
4 fartlek |
6 easy |
2 interval |
|
3 easy |
20 slow |
| 3 |
Taper |
25 |
|
|
3 thresh |
6 easy |
1 interval |
|
3 easy |
12 slow |
| 2 |
Taper |
18 |
|
|
2 fartlek |
4 easy |
1 interval |
|
3 easy |
8 slow |
| 1 |
Taper |
8 + race |
|
|
3 strides |
3 easy |
2 easy |
|
|
26.2 race |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sample interval sessions: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Wk 9 |
12 x 400m at 5km pace; 45 secs recovery |
|
|
|
|
| Wk 8 |
2 sets of 3 x 1000m at 3km pace; 120 secs recovery; 1 lap jog between sets |
|
| Wk 7 |
3 sets of 4 x 400m at 800m pace; 150 secs recovery; 1 lap jog between sets |
|
| Wk 6 |
400m, 600m, 800m, 1200m, 1600m, 1200m, 800m, 600m, 400m (+5 secs/lap as +distance); 60 secs rec (90 after 4/5/6) |
| Wk 5 |
4 x 1600m at 5km pace; 90 secs recovery. |
|
|
|
|
| Wk 4 |
6 x 600m at 1500m pace; 120 secs recovery |
|
|
|
|
| Wk 3 |
5 x 400m at 3km pace; 45 seconds recovery; |
|
|
|
|
| Wk 2 |
10 x 200m at 400m pace; 180 secs recovery |
|
|
|
|
Hi Owen – this looks great. I actually paid $20 for a program for beginner marathoners by Hal Higdon who you have recommended elsewhere in the book, and is generally thought to be something of an authority. However, his approach is to run 4 days (yours is 5) and also the “long slow” days at weekend start at 6 miles (week 1) and increase in a roughly linear way to around 20. You advocate going much higher much earlier. I think your approach here is more realistic – I do feel like I can do more mileage than I am on Higdon’s program at present, and I worry that I’m not pushing hard enough in terms of mileage. Any thoughts on Higdon’s more “softly-softly” approach?