Full Marathon
Goal
- London Marathon – 23rd April 2023
- 16 Week + schedule for a target time
There are three plans:-
- Low mileage – Targets Groups 5 & 6 or any beginners looking to run their first marathon
- Medium mileage – Targets Groups 3 & 4 * For those with marathon experience looking to improve PB
- High Mileage – Targets Groups 1 & 2 & top of group 3 * For those with marathon experience looking to improve PB
Half marathon plans
There are also three plans for the half marathon:-
- Low mileage (colour pdf, b&w pdf) – Targets Groups 5 & 6 or any beginners looking to run their first half marathon
- Medium mileage (colour pdf, b&w pdf) – Targets Groups 3 & 4 * For those with half marathon experience looking to improve PB
- High Mileage (colour pdf, b&w pdf) – Targets Groups 1 & 2 & top of group 3 * For those with half marathon experience looking to improve PB
Tips
- Don’t become a slave to the schedule but use it as a guideline
- If possible get someone to run with, particularly the long runs, even if they run only part of it with you.
- Some weeks it won’t be possible to follow (personal reasons, injury etc), so change the days to suit your schedule
- Tues/Weds runs. Impossible to do quality for both, so focus on one & run the other at a lower intensity
- Avoiding injury Each week we recommend to do at least one cross-training session per week with particular focus on strength and conditioning
- The club offers a free strength & conditioning session each week on a Monday with Jacqui
- Swimming is particularly good to recover after the long run.
- Yoga & pilates are complimentary
- Create a daily stretching routine.
- In the case that an injury is suspected, lay off and consider cross training (bike, swim etc)
- If a niggle becomes an injury consider getting professional advice (physiotherapy etc) DO NOT RUN THROUGH AN INJURY
REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE; It is better to get to the marathon start line slightly undertrained and uninjured, than fully trained but injured!
Key for plans
| Race | Use as a benchmark to see how training is progressing – DO NOT USE 20 MILE RACES AS A RACE! |
| Easy Run | Conversational pace |
| Brisk run | Tempo = Comfortably fast. Threshold = One word answer pace |
| Interval (speed) session | Not easy to talk |
| Rest | Complete rest, swim, stretch or yoga |
| Long Run | These should be run at approximately 1-2mins above your marathon goal pace |