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» Marathon Plan - Personalized (Easy)
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Beginner Plan


Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Total
1*
08/14 - 08/20
Rest 4 miles
4:00 TUT
Rest 1-hour run Rest 4 miles 6 miles 15-16 miles
2
08/21 - 08/27
Rest 4 miles
4:00 TUT
Rest 1-hour run Rest 4 miles 7 miles 15-16 miles
3
08/28 - 09/03
Rest 4 miles
5:00 TUT
Rest 6 miles Rest Rest 8 miles 18-19 miles
4
09/04 - 09/10
Rest 4 miles
5:00 TUT
Rest 6 miles Rest Rest 9 miles 18-19 miles
5
09/11 - 09/17
Rest 4 miles
3x2:00 AI
Rest 4 miles Rest 5-K race 6-8 miles 19-21 miles
6
09/18 - 09/24
Rest 5 miles
6:00 TUT
Rest 7 miles Rest Rest 10 miles 22-24 miles
7
09/25 - 10/01
Rest 5 miles
6:00 TUT
Rest 7 miles Rest Rest 12 miles 22-24 miles
8
10/02 - 10/08
Rest 5 miles
7:00 TUT
Rest 8 miles Rest Rest 12 miles 25-27 miles
9
10/09 - 10/15
Rest 5 miles
7:00UTUT
Rest 8 miles Rest Rest 14miles 25-27 miles
10
10/16 - 10/22
Rest 5 miles
3x3:00 AI
Rest 4 miles Rest 10-K race 5 miles 24 miles
11
10/23 - 10/29
Rest 5 miles
8:00 TUT
Rest 9 miles Rest Rest 16 miles 30-32 miles
12
10/30 - 11/05
Rest 5 miles
8:00 TUT
Rest 9 miles Rest Rest 18 miles 30-32 miles
13
11/06 - 11/12
Rest 5 miles
9:00 TUT
Rest 10 miles Rest 4 miles 20 miles 39 miles
14
11/13 - 11/19
Rest 5 miles
9:00 TUT
Rest 10 miles Rest 4 miles 10 miles 29 miles
15
11/20 - 11/26
Rest 3 miles
3X3:00 AI
Rest 5 miles Rest 3 miles
3x2:00 AI
5 miles 16 miles
16
11/27 - 12/03
Rest 3 miles
3x2:00 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.