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Marathon running training plan
Expert reviewer, Declan Leonard, Physiotherapist, Bupa UK
Next review due September 2023
If you’ve got a marathon on the horizon, we have two running training plans to help you on your way:
- beginner – if it’s the first time you’ve run a marathon, or it’s been a while since you ran any longer distances
- intermediate – if you consider yourself to be a more developed runner
How the training plans work
The training plans have three key elements, which alter as you progress:
- F – frequency (how often)
- I – intensity or pace (how hard)
- T – time (how long)
Exercising regularly and gradually increasing how much you do is key to improving your health and fitness.
As you get fitter, you’ll be able to train more often and for longer in each session. As a beginner, this means you can gradually run more and need to walk less. At an intermediate level, you should find that you’re able to run distances faster.
It’s hard to define ‘intensity’ (or pace) because it depends on your individual level of fitness, which will increase as your training progresses.
The training plans involve different types of run that correspond to your ‘perceived effort scale’. The scale runs from 1 to 10, where 1 is standing still, and 10 is your maximum effort, so running as fast as you can (see the table below). The activities in the running training plans correspond to the ‘Activity’ column in the table.
Perceived effort levels
Types of training
The training plans involve long runs and light to moderate (recovery) runs, and some faster runs too.
Easy runs
These allow your legs to recover from hard efforts and prepare you for the next day of training. Take them at a light to moderate pace (effort level of 5 to 6). You should be able to enjoy running without feeling tired.
Steady runs
These runs should be at a slightly challenging pace with an effort level of 6 to 7. You should be able to hold a conversation, but find it difficult. This will become your race pace and be used for your long runs. It will increase your distance and build up your aerobic fitness, efficiency and endurance.
Tempo runs
Constant speed running is sometimes referred to as tempo running, and this improves your running pace.
Although the true definition of tempo running varies, aim to run at a constant speed that feels ‘comfortably hard’. This should be about an 8 on the effort scale. Stick to about 15 to 20 minutes at this pace and always include warming-up and cooling-down as follows:
- 30 mins total:
- 5 mins warm-up (effort level 5)
- 20 mins tempo running (effort level 8)
- 5 mins cool-down (effort level 3–4)
- 40 mins total:
- 5 mins warm-up (effort level 5)
- 15 mins tempo running (effort level 8)
- 5 mins easy jog (effort level 5)
- 10 mins tempo running (effort level 8)
- 5 mins cool-down (effort level 3–4)
- 50 mins total:
- 5 mins warm-up (effort level 5)
- 20 mins tempo running (effort level 8)
- 5 mins easy jog (effort level 5)
- 15 mins tempo running (effort level 8)
- 5 mins cool-down (effort level 3–4)
In your warm-up, aim to include several minutes of exercises to get your heart going followed by some leg stretches. You could start with some light jogging followed by jumping jacks and then throw in some lunges and leg swings. This will warm up your muscles and get your blood flowing, which should boost your performance and may help to reduce your risk of picking up injuries. A good cool-down exercise is to walk after your run to slowly bring your heart rate down.
Interval training
Interval training is running intervals of fast, short periods of effort, alternated with recovery periods of slower running. So, you run really fast over a set distance or time, at an effort level of 9. Then you follow each hard interval with an easy one of at least the same length, then repeat. Try using a treadmill or running track to help you get the distances and times right. Training with intervals builds your aerobic fitness, strength and speed.
As you go through your training plan, try filling the recommended time with these sequences:
- Starting interval training:
- 30 secs running (effort level 9)
- 2 mins easy jog/walk (effort level 5)
- Hitting your stride (from week 8):
- 1 min running (effort level 9)
- 2 mins easy jog/walk (effort level 5)
- Closer to race day (from week 12), try short/fast intervals and longer/slower ones, eg:
- 30 secs sprinting (effort level 10)
- 90 secs easy jog/walk (effort level 5) (repeat x 5)
- 3 mins running (effort level 9)
- 4 mins easy jog/walk (effort level 5) (repeat x 2/3)
- 30 secs sprinting (effort level 10)
- 90 secs easy jog/walk (effort level 5) (repeat x 2/3)
Don’t forget to perform at least 5 to 10 minutes of warm-up and cool-down before and after your interval training.
Cross training
This helps you to keep up your fitness but reduces the strain on the muscles you use for running. Take one session a week to do an activity, such as swimming, cycling or using a cross trainer in the gym. This will work your muscle groups in different ways and help to stop you from getting bored of just running. You could also try some resistance or weight training with movements, such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, step ups, and box jumps. These can improve your running performance.
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Smarter living. It’s in your DNA.Beginner training plan
This plan is for beginner runners who would like to train for a marathon. The training plan is for you if it’s the first time you’ve run a marathon, or a long time since you ran any longer distances. To get the most out of it, you should already be able to run at least 5km, and ideally 10km, comfortably.
If you’re struggling to run the full distances suggested, don’t worry. Just make sure you cover the whole distance, slowing to a walk to recover energy before running again. And remember that these are just guides – sometimes you might need to hold off for a week if things feel too intense. You’ll also want to take your work-life balance into account as things like poor sleep, not eating well, and stress can all affect your running and how you manage your training. And most importantly, how you recover.
Don’t forget to warm up for each run with 3–5 minutes of jogging or walking at effort level 4 or 5, and cool down with 3–5 minutes at effort level 3 or 4.
One mile is equivalent to 1.6km. For this training plan, distances in km have been rounded to the nearest whole number for simplicity.
Click on the image below to see the full training plan (PDF 0.2 MB, opens in a new window).
Intermediate training plan
This plan is for you if you consider yourself to be a more developed runner. You may have already completed marathon races before, or possibly a half marathon race.
One mile is equivalent to 1.6km. For this training plan, distances in km have been rounded to the nearest whole number for simplicity.
Click on the image below to see the full plan (PDF 0.2 MB, opens in a new window).
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Author information
Reviewed by Rachael Mayfield-Blake, Freelance Health Editor, September 2020
Expert reviewer, Declan Leonard, Physiotherapist, Bupa UK
Next review due September 2023
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