Building Your Perfect Marathon Training Plan

Every organization seems to have their own step plans. There are seven step plans, twelve step plans - you name it. Not wanting to be left out we have our own step plan and you don’t even need an addiction to use it. Well - some of us may have a running addiction, but that’s not all bad. At any rate - ours is a six step plan. This plan will help you determine what type of marathon training program is perfect for you and your goals. The six steps in our marathon countdown plan are:

• Define Who You Are

• Define Your Goal

• Calculate Your Timeline

• Choose Your Training Days

• Determine Your Training Paces

• Making Adjustments

• Who Are You?

   

 This first question is an important one.   No, I don’t think you’re an amnesia patient in a hospital - although you may think so from this question. The question refers to determining and understanding what type of runner you are.

No two people in the world are exactly alike. We come in all shapes, sizes, colors and personalities. Thank goodness for that. Just think what a boring and really creepy world it would be if we are all the same. It would be like the marathon runners version of The Stepford Wives! Just as no two people are alike, no two marathon runners are alike. Some marathon runners are world class, highly experienced athletes while others are new to the sport of running and are just learning how to run and train.

Some runners love to compete. They train for performance. Taking an extra 1 minute off of their marathon PR (personal record) is an important goal and a reason for a huge celebration. Some of these competitive runners are driven mostly by the thrill of competition. They run for the adrenalin rush of racing shoulder to shoulder over the last half mile of a race with a fellow competitor after nearly 26 miles of strategic racing.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are also many runners who are neither interested in nor enjoy competition. This type of athlete runs for the pure joy of running. They love the freedom and fitness that they obtain from the sport. They aren’t concerned with where they finish in the pack or in their finishing time or pace. They only want to enjoy the run and the company of their fellow runners.

Those are examples of the extremes of marathon runners. The vast majority of marathoners are a mix of those extremes. It is very rare to find a competitive runner who does not also enjoy the simple act of running. It would be very difficult indeed to perform the required training if you did not truly enjoy running. It is also hard to find a non-competitive runner who doesn’t still get a thrill out of setting a new PR or beating a few of their fellow age groupers to the finish line.

Regardless of where you fall on the marathoner spectrum you need to identify what type of marathon runner you are. Before you even start to think about your training you really need to recognize what type of marathon runner you are and why you are running. Only then will you be able to determine your most appropriate training program and marathon goals.

For our purposes in this guide, there are four distinct types of marathon runners. Each type of runner has their own specific training needs, potential goals, possible workouts and training time line. It is important to put yourself in the proper category to insure that you end up using the most appropriate training program and workouts. You will fall into one of these categories:

Beginning Runner

Are you new to running? Maybe you have run in the past, but not in recent years. Do you run occasionally but not with any consistency? Are you unable to run for at least 3 miles without distress? If this sounds familiar you are classified as a beginning runner. As a beginning runner you have training needs that more experienced or consistent runners do not have. You need to build up a base of muscular strength and endurance to support your actual marathon training.

As a new runner, you need to build up both the muscular strength and endurance of your leg muscles. You also need the base training to allow some important physiological changes to take place in your body. These changes improve your body’s ability and efficiency in producing the energy required to complete a marathon. Your body becomes much more efficient at burning both fats and carbohydrates to produce energy. Without a period of base training you run the risk of injury, muscle soreness, over training and mental burnout.

This doesn’t mean you can’t train to run a marathon in as short a time as 4 months. Many new runners do and so can you. Just keep in mind that the risks of injury and physical or mental burnout are much higher when you begin marathon training without a base of fitness. If you try to do too much too soon you may find the simple act of going down a set of stairs to be the most challenging part of your day. But over doing it isn’t all bad. It can be an inspiring mental challenge to reattach your knee caps every morning. But if you would like to stick to your old routine of relatively pain free living, try to give yourself time to build a base of fitness.

Recreational Runner

This is a big group. Most runners belong to this category. Running is fun. It’s a recreational activity and most runners participate for fun and fitness. Runners in this group have some running experience. They probably run from 2 to 5 days per week and are sometimes known as “weekend warriors”. A recreational runner may participate in an occasional 5K or 10K race. They may even have run a marathon in the past, but they run for the joy of running, not for the competition.

Does this sound like you? If you are in this group, you should not need a base building period. You have already built up a base of muscular strength and endurance that will support your marathon training. Even though you are already at a fairly high state of fitness, you are now entering a level of training that is new to you. You will begin doing longer runs that will place new stresses on your muscles, joints, connective tissues and last but not least, your mental toughness.

The marathon is a unique distance. It is really like no other distance. The length of the marathon introduces new causes of running fatigue that you haven’t encountered in 5K’s, 10K’s or half marathons. The marathon presents challenges that even longer ultra-marathons do not. There is no question that 50 or 100 mile ultra marathons are great tests of endurance, but the marathon is short enough that you are still able to race it at a strong pace.

The combination of a very long distance run at a fairly strong pace makes the marathon unique. So even though you are an experienced runner you are moving into new and unfamiliar territory with the marathon.

As a relatively experienced runner you may be tempted to try to finish your marathon at a specific pace or within a specific amount of time. I would recommend against this. The marathon is unlike any other shorter race you may have completed. In shorter races, muscular fatigue and an increase in the acidity of your blood are the limiting factors to your performance.

The marathon throws in a some new fatigue factors - carbohydrate depletion and a central, brain governed fatigue. Both the unfamiliar race distance and the new elements of fatigue can make the game of marathon pacing a difficult one to win. I believe that a much wiser strategy would be to set a goal of just finishing your marathon.

Competitive Runner

Competitive runners also run for the joy of running, but in addition they love the thrill and challenge of competition. A competitive runner may be competing against the clock, other runners in their age group or may be competing for top finishing positions.

As a consistent, year round runner, you have built and always maintain a general base of fitness. There is no need for you to engage in classic base training. Competitive runners have a free choice of any of the possible marathon goals. You could run just to finish, train for a specific pace/finishing time or compete for top overall or age group positions. As the difficulty of your goal increases, the intensity and dedication required by your training program also increases.

In this group it becomes more important to carefully choose your goal, your workouts and your training program. As an experienced competitive runner, you already are familiar with the challenges of racing and should have a good feel for pacing. Choose your goal using your past experiences as a guide to what you can do. Choose a goal that is challenging, but achievable.

Elite Runner

The top participants in any activity are usually known as the elite. I sometimes hesitate to use that term because it can suggest superiority. Elite runners are not superior to any other class of runner. What sets elite runners apart are their complete dedication to running, their experience level and their goal of always competing for top finishing positions. An elite runner has been training and racing for at least 5 years and have built up an extremely high level of fitness, strength and endurance. An elite runner trains at very high levels on a consistent year round basis. When an elite runner competes in races their concentration is nearly always on competing and winning either their age group of overall titles.

Step Three - What’s Your Timeline?

OK - now you know who you are and what you want to accomplish. The next step is to determine when you want to accomplish your goal - or in simple terms - when is your marathon? I strongly recommend that you have a goal race in mind before you start training.

You need a specific date to shoot for so that you will be able to design a training program that will peak at on race day. The timing of your training program is critical. I cannot emphasis this enough. Your training program will build up your strength, endurance and fitness to a very high level before tapering to allow you to enter your race at full strength. If your timing is off you will not enter your race in peak condition.

Once you have a firm date for your goal race you can construct your timeline. The most important question in deciding the length of your program is how long do you need to get in marathon shape?

The time you need to properly prepare for a marathon will vary from runner to runner. If you are an experienced runner and can currently complete a long run of around 12 miles you could be ready in as little as 12 to 14 weeks. If you are a new runner you would need about 28 weeks to get ready for your first marathon. Be sure you take your required training time into consideration before you pick your goal race. If you are a new runner and you pick race that is 8 weeks away you are probably in a bit of trouble.

Carefully go over your chosen training schedule. Look at the required workouts. Your marathon countdown has a full 24 week schedule, but you may or may not need the entire 24 weeks. If you are currently at a fitness level that you can complete all of the workouts at 18 weeks until your marathon, that would be a good starting point. Be careful here and be sure that you are not over reaching. It would be much better to add a couple of weeks to your training than to jump into a training week you aren’t prepared for.

Step Four - Training Days Per Week

A common question I get as a running coach is how many days per week should I run? There is really no single answer to that question. It depends upon your personal schedule, goals and desires. I run seven days per week. I do that mostly because I simply love to run. Running is a part of my life. I would no sooner skip my daily run than I would skip brushing my teeth or eating dinner.

Running seven days per week in not necessary for you to meet your running goals. In reality you would probably be able to meet a minimal running goal of finishing a marathon with just a single run per week - your long run. That one run per week would progressively improve your endurance to the point at which you could finish your race. I would not recommend that method because it is not the safest or most effective way to train.

For beginning runners I would recommend running 3 to 5 days per week, recreational runners 4 to 6 days per week and competitive runners 6 to 7 days per week. You can adjust this according to your specific needs but I would not suggest dropping below 3 days per week at any level.

Step Five - Determine Your Training Paces

You already learned about training zones and training paces. Now you need to determine your training paces and decide how you are going to judge your pace. I’ve made determining your paces easy. At the end of this section I have provided a chart that lists your precise training paces for each type of workout. You don’t need to run at the exact pace listed, but try to stay within about 3 seconds per mile of those paces if you can.

Judging the pace you are running is a bit more difficult. There are four primary methods of determining your training pace - Wrist watch/stop watch, GPS monitor, heart rate training, and training by your rate of perceived exertion. Each has advantages in certain situations. Here are the basics of each type of training and some recommendations.

Wrist Watch/Stop Watch

This one has been used for many years and is a tried and true method. It’s also very simple. You check your watch each time you complete a lap on your area track or when you pass a pre measured marker on your favorite trail. That will give you your precise pace or speed. This method works great if you are running on a track. But what about on the road? It can still be used successfully if you are able to accurately measure and mark mile stones on your road or trail. That is where the problem comes in. Most runners have no way to accurately measure a road course. So the bottom line is that this is a very good way to measure your pace on the track but probably not so good on the road.

GPS Monitor

Technology is great isn’t it! When I first started to run I never imagined I would be able to strap on a wrist monitor and be able to see my exact pace, speed and distance. A GPS monitor makes judging your pace and distance a no brainer. All you need to do is read your monitor. This is an excellent method for all of your training runs. Not only will you always know your pace and distance, but many of these monitors allow you to download the data into your computer! The only drawback is that sometimes you can lose your signal when you are running between tall buildings or in a heavily wooded area. Overall this is a very good way to monitor your training pace and distance.

Heart rate training

Training by heart rate has become very popular over the past several years. When training by heart rate, you wear a belt around you lower chest that has a sensor built into it. The sensor sends heart rate data to a receiver that you wear on your wrist, similar to a watch. You monitor your heart rate by checking the wrist receiver. Heart rate training is based upon two heart rates - your maximum heart rate and your target heart rate.

 Your maximum heart rate is the maximum rate at which your heart will beat. This can be determined by a monitored treadmill test or can be estimated with the formula of 220 minus your age. If you are 40 years old, your estimated maximum heart rate would be 220 - 40 = 180 beat per minute.

Your target heart rate is a range of rates that your training program will specify for each workout. You will run at a pace that elicits the desired heart rate. You will either slow down or speed up in order to keep you heart rate at the desired level. The theory is that each of the different types of workouts - easy runs, speed workouts, lactate threshold runs, hill workouts; are best performed at a specific heart rate level.

Target heart rate is calculated using one of several formulas. The two most commonly used are the percentage of maximal heart rate and the Karvonen formula.

Percentage of Maximal Heart Rate

This formula is maximum heart rate x desired training percentage x 1.15. The formula uses a multiplier of 1.15 because studies have shown that a straight percentage of maximal heart rate results in a training heart rate that is too conservative. For example, our 40 year old athlete will have an estimated maximum heart rate of 180 beats per minute. If this athlete wanted to run at a pace that results in a heart rate of 70% of maximum heart rate, the formula would be as follows:

180 x 70% = 126      

126 x 1.15 = 145 beats per minute.

In this example, the target heart rate for your training run would be 145 beats per minute. Your target heart rate will vary according to your fitness level and what type of workout you are doing. It may vary from 50% of your maximum heart rate to 90%.

Karvonen Formula

The Karvonen formula is similar to the percentage of maximal heart rate. The difference is that the Karvonen formula incorporates the resting heart rate. Resting heart rate is the rate that your heart beats when at rest. It is best measured just before getting out of bed. Measure your pulse at your wrist or neck. Count the number of beats in 10 seconds and multiply by 6. This will give you the beats per minute. The Karvonen formula is maximum heart rate - resting heart rate x desired intensity + resting heart rate. Using the same 40 year old, desiring an intensity of 70% of maximum heart rate, with a maximum heart rate of 180 bpm and a resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute, the formula would be as follows:

180 - 80 = 100     100 x 70% = 70   70 + 80 = 150 beats per minute

The physiological difference between the two methods is heart rate reserve. The Karvonen formula factors in this reserve which is basically the reserve of the heart to increase its output. Both formulas are very commonly used. Of the two, the Karvonen formula is usually the most accurate.

One of the most common errors committed by marathoners is running too hard on easy run days. Heart rate training offers the advantage of not letting you run harder than you should be on your easy days. You can set the monitor to alert you if your heart rate goes too high.

The main disadvantage of heart rate training is a lack of accuracy. Estimated maximum heart rates are based on statistics that have a built in variation of up to 19 beats per minute. This means that if you are exercising at 70% of your maximum heart rate, you may be working out at up to 17 beats per minute too fast or too slow. There are many people who can exercise comfortably at up to 36 beats faster than the recommended maximum and those who must keep their heart rate well below the recommended maximum. Your training heart rate will also vary. High heat conditions, dehydration, fatigue, stress, illness and medications can all cause your heart rate to increase, which will decrease the accuracy of heart rate training. Your heart rate will also increase in the last half of workouts or races due to a condition known as cardiac drift.

Heart rate training is a good method to use if your goal is only to finish. If you are a pacer or a racer I would not suggest using this method because of the inaccuracies.

If you choose to judge your pace using a heart rate monitor the table below will give you the approximate heart rate training ranges for each workout type.

Training By Perceived Exertion

Listening to your body has a lot of advantages. There are more variables involved in how fast you should run than just heart rate. Your stress level, physical health, emotional health, temperature, humidity, the time of day, the last time you ate and what you ate, all contribute to the intensity at which you should run. If you listen to your body, it will tell you all of these things.

This RPE system is a good method to use for finishers. It can also be used successfully by pacers and racers who have a good feel for the various paces. If you are an inexperienced running this method may not be especially accurate.

The rate of perceived exertion (RPE), also know as the Borg scale, was developed by Swedish physiologist G.A.V. Borg. This scale rates exercise intensity from 5 to 20 depending upon how the athlete feels or perceives his or her effort. The effort ratings range from very little effort to maximal effort. Using the chart may take a little practice but once you are comfortable and familiar with the various paces it can be a fairly accurate way to judge your training pace.

The Borg RPE scale, while very useful can be a bit hard to follow with the various ratings of hard, somewhat hard and hard+. To makes things a little easier I have adapted the scale to a more user friendly version using the paces included in your training program.

Your RPE will vary depending upon the factors discussed earlier. That is the major benefit of this type of training. If your body is strong and rested, you will feel strong and your pace will feel easier. When your body is in this condition, you are able to train harder and the RPE will support this. If you are feel tired and sluggish, it is because your body needs a break. In this condition, your pace will feel harder.

Your Training Paces

To make figuring your training pace easy I have included the table below that has specific training paces for all of the workouts included in this guide. Simply find your goal finishing time and follow the appropriate training paces. If your goal is to finish without a specific pace all of your training runs will be at an easy endurance pace. In that case you should monitor your pace using either the heart rate method or the RPE method.

Step Six - Making Adjustments

Now you’re ready to train. There is just one final step that you may or may not need to take. This guide includes a large number of specific training schedules that will meet the needs of most marathon runners, but there are some situations were you may need or want to make adjustments to your program.

Training programs aren’t written in stone. They are flexible and easy to adjust. Any part of your program can be fined tuned to meet any custom or unusual need that may arise. The need to make adjustments may occur before you start training due to a specific need or they may pop up during training because of injuries, timing problems, training needs or a number of other scenarios. Here are some common areas that you may need or want to consider adjusting.

Walk/Run Sequence

Taking walking breaks both during your training runs and during your actual marathon can help you avoid the extreme fatigue that is common during the last miles of a marathon.

Using walking breaks during training has become a very common technique in recent years. Walking breaks are very effective in decreasing muscle fatigue because you’re using different muscles in different ways when you walk. You are giving the muscles used when running a brief “break” and saving them for later in the race.

Are walking breaks for you? Maybe yes and maybe no. The answer depends upon how aggressively you want to approach your marathon and your experience level. Many runners from beginners to elite level set a goal of running the entire race. If this is your goal I would discourage the use of planned walking breaks during training. Your training should always be specific to your goal. If your goal is to run the entire distance, I believe you should train the same way. If you are planning to use a walk/run sequence during your race, you should train the same way.

Even if your goal is to run the entire distance, you may want to consider very short walking breaks at fluid stations. That will provide your muscles some brief but valuable recovery time as well as allowing you to get more fluids down.

What is the best walk/run sequence to use? Again, that depends upon your goal and experience level. The chart below shows you my recommended walk/run ratios. This is just a starting point. You can adjust these to a level that you feel is most appropriate for your specific situation.

Dealing With Injuries

In an ideal running world there would be no injuries. I hope you are able to progress through your training without suffering from a significant injury. If you do run into problems you may need to either take some time off or reduce your training volume. If that happens, does your marathon goal go up in smoke? Not necessarily. If you have a major injury and need extensive recovery time you may need to rethink your marathon plans. But most running injuries don’t require long term recovery. How to salvage your marathon goal will depend upon when you are injured and how much time off you need. Follow the charts below for recommended training adjustments.

Alternate Marathons

It’s a very rare occurrence for a marathon to be canceled - but it can happen. Race day temperatures could rise to unsafe levels. There might be some sort of extreme weather such as a hurricane or blizzard. It doesn’t happen often but you just never know.

Race cancellations aren’t the only reason you may miss your marathon. Injuries, illness or scheduling problems could also cause to miss your goal race. If your race is cancelled or if you can’t participate in your goal race you have two choices. You can try to find an alternate race or you could scrap your plans entirely.

If you need to completely scrap your plans, all is not lost. You gained a lot of fitness during your training. You can always enter a race sometime in the next six months. The training you did for this race will give you a big step up for your next one.

Finding an alternate marathon can be difficult. Marathons have become very popular in recent years and most of them fill up well before race day. If you are lucky enough to find one that will work for you in the next few weeks you can still salvage your training plan and make it work for your alternate race. Adjusting your training for an alternate marathon is not difficult. It is a simple matter of repeating the number of training weeks with some minor adjustments. Here are my training suggestions for your alternate marathon.

Racing During Training

If you’re a competitive runner you probably will go stir crazy if you don’t get in a couple of races during your marathon training. There’s no reason not to race during training. Races are actually excellent training runs. The trick is to insert them at the proper points in your training.

Most races are on the weekends and the chances are very high that your long training runs are also falling on the weekends. Your biweekly long runs are a critical part of your marathon training so try not to schedule a race on a long run day. A good time to substitute a shorter 5K, 10K or half marathon is on a no-long run week. The shorter, high intensity racing will be a good substitute workout for that week.

Another good time to substitute a race for your workout is on speed, hill or lactate turn point days. Try to avoid racing before or after a long run. You need fresh muscles before your long run and you need a recovery day after a long run. Also try not to race on easy endurance run days. The endurance runs play a role in building your fitness but are also intended to allow sufficient recovery time. Always remember to follow the hard/easy rule of not doing two hard runs on consecutive days.

Estimating Your Marathon Potential

If you run competitive marathons on a consistent basis you already have a good idea of your marathon potential. If you have not run a marathon before or have not run one recently you may be struggling to figure out a good pace or finishing time to shoot for. No worries! There is a surprisingly accurate way to estimate your marathon potential using your current 5K race time.

There are a number of equations out there for estimating your marathon pace. I have combined a number of them to come up with what I have found to be the most accurate indicator. Just find your current 5K race pace on the following chart to estimate your current marathon pace. If you don’t know your current 5K race pace either enter a local 5K race or do a time trial on your area track. It’s important that you run your 5K as fast as possible to come up with an accurate measure. Keep in mind that these are only estimates but they are very accurate in most cases.

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