TRAINING PLAN

50 TRAINING

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
4 M O N T H S TO A FA S T E R M A R AT H O N
If youve run one marathon or several and you want to run your next one faster, this intermediate training plan is
aimed at helping you get stronger and faster over a four-month period leading up to your race.

BY MAR IO FR A IOLI, AUT HOR OF T HE OFFICIA L ROCK N R OL L G U I D E TO M A R ATH ON A N D H A L F-M A R ATH ON TR A I N I N G

TOTA L
WEEK SU N DAY M ON DAY TUES DAY W ED NESDAY T HURSDAY FR I DAY SAT UR DAY
MI LEAG E

FARTLEK: 6 MILES EASY RUN: 5 MILES LONG RUN: 12

EASY EASY RUN: 8 MILES REST OR
1 RUN: 4
MILES
REST
10 X 1:00 @ 5K EFFORT W/2:00
+ STRENGTH-
TRAINING CIRCUIT
+ 4 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES W/LAST 3
MILES AT GOAL
35
JOG RECOVERY BETWEEN REPS (X 1) MARATHON PACE

HILL REPEATS: 6 MILES

EASY RUN: 5 MILES
EASY EASY RUN: 8 MILES REST OR LONG RUN: 13 MILES
2 RUN: 4
MILES
REST 8 X 20-SECOND HILL REPEATS
AT HARD EFFORT W/1:00
+ STRENGTH-
TRAINING CIRCUIT
+ 4 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
+ 4 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
36
(X 1)
RECOVERY BETWEEN REPEATS

FARTLEK: 8 MILES
TEMPO RUN: 2-MILE WARM-UP, EASY RUN: 5 MILES
EASY REST OR LONG RUN: 14 MILES
3 RUN: 5
MILES
REST
3 MILES @ HALF-MARATHON
PACE, 2-MILE COOL-DOWN (7
+ STRENGTH-
TRAINING CIRCUIT
10 X 2:00 @ 10K
EFFORT W/2:00
CROSS-
TRAINING
+ 4 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
39
MILES) (X 1) JOG RECOVERY
BETWEEN REPS

HILL REPEATS: 7 MILES

EASY RUN: 5 MILES
EASY EASY RUN: 6 MILES REST OR EASY RUN: 10 MILES
4 RUN: 5
MILES
REST 10 X 30-SECOND HILL REPEATS
AT HARD EFFORT W/1:00
+ STRENGTH-
TRAINING CIRCUIT
+ 4 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
+ 4 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
33
(X 1)
RECOVERY BETWEEN REPEATS

For more about strength training, go to Competitor.com/strengthcircuit. For details about cross-training, go to Competitor.com/crosstraining.

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 TRAINING PLAN

52 TRAINING

>>
TOTA L
WEEK SU NDAY M ONDAY TUES DAY WEDNESDAY T HURSDAY FRI DAY SAT UR DAY
MI LEAG E

FARTLEK: 8 MILES
LONG RUN: 14
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + REST OR
5 RUN: 5
MILES
REST 5 X 5:00 @ HALF-MARATHON
EFFORT W/1:00 JOG
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
EASY RUN: 8 MILES + 5
X 20-SECOND STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES W/LAST 5
MILES AT GOAL
40
MARATHON PACE
RECOVERY BETWEEN REPS

LONG RUN: 15
HILL REPEATS: 7 MILES MILES W/6 X 3:00
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + EASY RUN: 10 MILES REST OR PICKUPS @ 10K
6 RUN: 5
MILES
REST 8 X 45-SECOND HILL REPEATS
AT HARD EFFORT W/1:30
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
+ 5 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
EFFORT W/5:00
RECOVERY
42

RECOVERY BETWEEN REPEATS BETWEEN REPS

MID-RUN

FARTLEK: 10 MILES
TEMPO RUN: 2-MILE WARM-UP, LONG RUN:
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + REST OR
7 RUN: 5
MILES
REST
5 MILES @ HALF-MARATHON
PACE, 2-MILE COOL-DOWN
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
6 X 4:00 @ 10K
EFFORT W/2:00 JOG
CROSS-
TRAINING
16 MILES + 5
X 20-SECOND
45
(9 MILES) RECOVERY BETWEEN STRIDES
REPS

INTERVALS: 7 MILES
EASY RUN: 12
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + REST OR
8 RUN: 5
MILES
REST 10 X 400M @ 5K PACE W/200M
JOG RECOVERY BETWEEN
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
EASY RUN: 6 MILES + 5
X 20-SECOND STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES + 5 X
20-SECOND
35
STRIDES
REPEATS

HILL REPEATS: 9 MILES

LONG RUN: 17
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + EASY RUN: 11 MILES REST OR
9 RUN: 5
MILES
REST 10 X 1:00 HILL REPEATS
AT HARD EFFORT W/2:00
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
+ 6 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES W/LAST 7
MILES @ GOAL
47
MARATHON PACE
RECOVERY BETWEEN REPEATS

FARTLEK: 10 MILES
INTERVALS: 10 MILES
EASY RUN: 18
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + REST OR
10 RUN: 5
MILES
REST 8 X 1000M @ 1K PACE W/400M
JOG RECOVERY BETWEEN
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
12 X 1:00 @ 5K
EFFORT W/1:00 JOG
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES + 6 X
20-SECOND
48
RECOVERY BETWEEN STRIDES
REPEATS
REPS

TEMPO RUN: 2-MILE WARM-UP, EASY RUN: 19

EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + EASY RUN: 10 MILES REST OR
11 RUN: 5
MILES
REST
6 MILES @ HALF-MARATHON
PACE, 2-MILE COOL-DOWN
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
+ 6 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES W/LAST 10
MILES @ GOAL
49
(10 MILES) MARATHON PACE

INTERVALS: 10 MILES EASY RUN: 14

EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + REST OR
12 RUN: 5
MILES
REST
5 X 1 MILE @ 10K PACE W/2:30
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
EASY RUN: 6 MILES + 6
X 20-SECOND STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES + 6 X
20-SECOND
40
RECOVERY BETWEEN REPS STRIDES

EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + EASY RUN: 10 MILES REST OR THE SIMULATOR
13 RUN: 5
MILES
REST
EASY RUN: 8 MILES + 5 X
20-SECOND STRIDES
STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
+ 6 X 20-SECOND
STRIDES
CROSS-
TRAINING
[SEE PAGE 56]: 20
MILES
48

FARTLEK: 10 MILES
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES + REST OR
14 RUN: 5
MILES
REST EASY RUN: 10 MILES STRENGTH-TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
5 X 3:00 @ 5K
EFFORT W/2:00 JOG
CROSS-
TRAINING
LONG RUN: 22
MILES
52
RECOVERY BETWEEN
REPS

INTERVALS: 10 MILES
REST OR EASY RUN: 12
EASY EASY RUN: 5 MILES +
15 RUN: 5
MILES
REST
EASY RUN: 6 MILES + 6 X
20-SECOND STRIDES
STRENGTH TRAINING
CIRCUIT (X 1)
8 X 800M @ 10K
PACE W/400M JOG
CROSS-
TRAINING
MILES + 6 X
20-SECOND
38

RECOVERY BETWEEN STRIDES

REPEATS

FARTLEK: 5 MILES
TEMPO RUN: 2-MILE WARM-UP, EASY RUN: 5
EASY
16 RUN: 5
MILES
REST
3 MILES @ GOAL MARATHON
PACE, 2-MILE COOL-DOWN
EASY RUN: 5 MILES
4-5 X 2:00 @ 10K
EFFORT W/2:00 JOG
REST
MILES + 6 X
20-SECOND
27
(7 MILES) RECOVERY BETWEEN STRIDES
REPS

RACE
DAY!