Easy Treadmill Marathon Training Plan

By Rick Morris

Time changes all. Many years ago the marathon was an event reserved for only the fastest, most experienced runners. Participation numbers in marathon events were small. Even the fittest, top level runners sometimes hesitated to take part in the 26.2 mile races. Some athletes thought the physical stress of the marathon would take such a toll on their body that they would never be able to run at their full potential again. The passage of time has increased our knowledge of the marathon and changed our attitude toward marathon participation.

Things really started to change for the better with the first running boom of the 1970’s. This initial surge in distance running brought many, many more runners into the world of the marathon. While the number of participants increased enormously, most of the marathoners were still accomplished athletes that were running competitively. They ran the marathon because they wanted to compete against others of their age group and their goal was to finish in the best time possible.

In the 1990’s, another running boom appeared. This revolution, which may have been fueled, in part, by the incredible amount of publicity given to television star Oprah Winfrey’s participation in the Marine Corp marathon, targeted several new groups. People now saw that a middle age person with very little athletic experience could also run a marathon. Finishing time became less important and just finishing became the goal. Participants began to train for and complete marathons for a variety of very valid reasons, including: weight loss, lifestyle change, goal setting, fitness, self improvement and dedication to a sick or deceased family member or friend. Today’s marathon runners compete for an almost unlimited number of reasons. People of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels are making the marathon one of the most popular races in the world. Now we know that with proper motivation and dedication to training, anyone can finish a marathon.

This training program will prepare the more casual runner to finish a marathon. This program emphasizes easy running. There is very little attention paid to training for speed or pace. Therefore, this program will prepare you to finish the marathon, but will not get you ready to run a particular pace or finish in a specific time.

Your treadmill is a perfect place to do much of your marathon training. You will have a safe, comfortable environment to run in. You will also be able to get in a few hours of guilt free television time when you’re doing your bi-weekly long run. While you can do all of your training runs on the treadmill and reach a high level of success, I would suggest doing at least 10% of your running outside. Adding in some outdoor running will help prepare your muscles for the hard road surfaces and the slightly different stride mechanics that you will encounter in your race.

Walking Breaks

Nearly all new marathon runners and even some highly experienced runners will take walking breaks both during training and in the actual race. Walking breaks give your muscles a chance to recover and stay strong for the duration of your run. It is neither necessary nor advisable for inexperienced marathon runners to run throughout their long training runs. Take frequent walking breaks as needed. The walking breaks will give your muscles some valuable recovery time and will make completing these long workouts much easier. There are a number of walk/run patterns that you could follow. My suggestion is to walk 1 minute for every 5 minutes of running.

Finish a Marathon Training Program

This training program is made up of a 4 week build up program and a 20 week marathon training program. You may or may not need the entire program. If you are new to running you should start with the build up program and progress through the entire 20 week marathon program. If you are a more experienced runner you can begin the program at your current mileage and fitness level.

All workouts in this program are easy runs. You should be running at an easy conversational pace. A rule of thumb to follow is that you should be able to speak clearly but not sing. If you can’t carry on a clear conversation you’re running too fast. If you can sing, you’re running too slowly. Day 3 of the marathon program calls for rest or cross training. On that day you can either rest completely or engage in a cross training activity such as swimming or bicycling. I would not suggest running on that day. Marathon training is a strenuous activity and you will need a substantial amount of rest during your marathon training period.

Be sure to elevate your treadmill to 1% or level 1 for all workouts. Running on a treadmill at 0% elevation is easier than running outside on level ground. Elevating your treadmill to 1% will make treadmill running equal in effort to outdoor running.

4 Week Build Up Schedule

 12 Week Easy Treadmill Marathon Schedule

Happy Treading!

Running Planet

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