Regular Runners
The following programme has been put together by fitness experts, nutritionists and other marathon experts to provide experienced runners with a training schedule that begins in September and builds up over the months leading to Race Day!
Experienced Runners Training Programme
WK | SAT | SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 45 mins steady run | Rest | Speed Play, ideally off-road | Rest | 60 mins easy | Rest | 80 mins steady pace |
2 | 45 mins easy | Rest | 3 x 8-10 mins hard, 3 mins recovery between efforts, with warm-up and cool down | Easy 25 mins jog | 50 mins steady pace | Rest | 90 mins |
3 | 30 mins easy | 50 mins hilly circuit with efforts on hills | Rest | 60 mins steady | 35 mins easy | Rest | 100-110 mins taken very easy |
4 | Rest | 35 mins steady | 3 x 8-10 mins hard, 3 mins recovery between efforts, with warm-up and cool down | 35 mins jog | 50 mins steady | Rest | 50 mins fast pace |
5 | 25 mins recovery jog | 45 mins steady | 60 mins off-road and hilly Speed Play session | Rest | 45 mins easy | Rest | 120 mins slow |
6 | 24 mins jog | 45 mins steady | Alternate 3 min hard bursts with 3 min of easy jogging | Rest | 60 mins comfortable pace | Rest | 120-130 mins slow |
7 | 25 mins very easy | 45 mins steady | 60 mins Speed Play with long duration efforts | Rest | 50 mins steady | 25 mins easy jog | 90 mins good pace with long warm-up and cool-down |
8 | Rest | 45 mins steady | Rest | 45 mins steady | Rest | 20 mins very slow jog | Half marathon race |
9 | Rest | 45 mins easy | 4 x 8-10 mins hard, 2.5 mins recovery between efforts | 45 mins easy | 70 mins at race pace | Rest | 145 mins |
10 | 25 mins jog recovery | 45 mins steady | Rest | 75 mins off-road Speed Play | 45 mins easy | Rest | 160 mins taken easy |
11 | Rest | 50 mins steady | 2 x 15 mins hard, 4 mins recovery between efforts | 45 mins steady | 25 mins easy jog | Rest | 180 mins slow |
12 | Rest | 45 mins steady | 50 mins relaxed Speed Play | 45 mins steady | 25 mins easy jog | 20 mins easy jog | 10k race |
13 | 25 mins easy recovery | 45 mins steady | 4 x 15 mins hard, 2.5 mins recovery between efforts | 35 mins slow | 50 mins steady | Rest | 200 mins slow |
14 | Rest | 50 mins steady | 60 mins easy Speed Play | 35 mins jog | 45 mins at marathon race pace | Rest | 130 mins steady |
15 | 5 mins easy off-road | Easy 25 min jog or rest | 35 mins brisk pace + warm-up and cool-down | 45 mins steady | Rest | 25 mins easy | 50 mins steady |
16 | 5 mins easy off-road | Warm-up, 10 mins at race pace, cool-down | 30 mins very easy | Rest or 25 mins easy | Rest | 15 mins very, very easy jog | RACE DAY |
Speed Play Training involves changing the speed at which you run throughout your training session.
Super Slow Really, really slow, so slow it hardly seems worth putting your kit on.
Easy Jog No pressure, just loosening up or a recovery run.
Slow Still a slow pace but a little faster than an ‘easy jog’.
Comfortable You can chat easily to your training partner and keep the pace consistent.
Steady Even-paced run where you can chat in short sentences.
Brisk Slightly breathless, not easy to hold any conversation with your training partner.
Hard You certainly know you’re working, conversation is definitely out.
W/U Warm up.
W/D Warm down.