Marathon Training Schedule (target time 4:30)
Stepping up from the Half Marathon distance to a full Marathon takes courage, strength, determination and a good training plan
Running your first Marathon can be daunting, however if you've completed a Half Marathon, you should be able to make the step up by following our Marathon schedule below. The target time is four hours and 30 minutes (numbers in the table denote length of traiuning runs in minutes).
16 week schedule for a 4:30 marathon
Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ER 30 | SR 30 | Rest / CT | SR 30 | Rest | ER 30 | LR 45 |
2 | ER 30 | SR 30 | Rest / CT | SR 30 | Rest | ER 30 | LR 60 |
3 | RR 30 | TR 3 x 6 - 5 min recovery 15 min warm-up / cool-down jog |
Rest / CT | KH (10 uphill effort) _ 15 warm-up / cool-down jog) | Rest + STR | RR 40 or Rest | LR 75 |
4 | Rest + STR | TR 2 x 10 5 min recovery jog |
Rest / CT | KH (15 uphill effort) | Rest | RR 30 | LR 85 |
5 | Rest | TR 2 x 12 5 min recovery jog |
Rest / CT | KH (22 uphill effort) | Rest | SR 35 (inc 5 x 2 hard with 2 min recovery) | LR 95 |
6 | Recovery week | RR 25 | Rest / CT | TR 15 + 15 warm-up / cool-down jog | Rest + STR | RR 25 | LR 105 |
7 | Rest | TR 2 x 15 4 min recovery jog |
Rest / CT | KH (25 uphill effort) | Rest + STR | RR 40 | LR 120 |
8 | Rest | TR 20 15 warm-up / cool-down jog |
Rest / CT | LI - 4 x 5 at 10K pace - 3 min recovery jog | Rest | SR 30 over hills (push on uphills) | LR 135 |
9 | Rest | TR 2 x 20 5 min recovery jog |
Rest / CT | CT 60 | MR 60 with 4 x 5 efforts @ 10K pace - 5 min recovery jog | RR 30 + STR | LR 150 |
10 | Rest | RR 30 + STR | INT - 4 x 3 @ 10K pace - 2 min recovery) | CT 30 | Rest | RR 2- inc 5 x 30 sec strides + STR | Race a Half Marathon |
11 | Rest | RR 30 | Rest / CT | MR 75 @ max pace | Rest | INT = 6 x 3 @ 10K pace with 2 min recovery | LR 160 (40 easy, 90 max pace, 30 easy) |
12 | Rest | RR 75 (inc. 30 @ threshold pace) | Rest / CT | MR 90, 60 @ max pac 30 @ threshold pace |
Rest | Run 40 (inc 5 x 3 @10K pace - 2 min recovery) | LR 180 (60 easy, 90 max pace, 30 easy) |
13 | Rest | TR 30 | Rest / CT | MR 75 @ max pace | Rest | INT - 4 x 5 @ 10K pace with 2 min recovery | LR 180 (60 easy, 90 max pace, 30 easy) |
14 | Rest | TR 25 | Rest / CT | MR 90 Last 45 @ max pace |
Rest | Run 40 (inc 5 x 3 @ 10K pace - 2 min recovery) | LR 120 (60 easy, 60 max pace) |
15 | Rest | CT 30 + STR | RR 35 (inc 15 @ threshold pace) | Rest | TR 2 x 10 with 3 min recovery | STR 30 | LR 60 @ max pace |
16 | Rest | RR 30 (15 @ max pace) | Rest | RR 20 (inc 6 x 30 sec pick-ups) | Rest | 15 very easy jog | Race Day! |