Running schedule marathon advanced

Important points of attention

PDF version of this schema.
Tip: Create your own schema in PDF.
The total preparation period is: 20 weeks. The number of training sessions per week is: 5. (during the four weeks of the intensive period: 4).
First read Creating an advanced training schedule in which you can broadly read how to make a global training schedule.
Quantity is more important than quality. In other words the number of kilometers goes up, the intensity goes down.
Speed training can go never (much) rapidly than above the speed what you wants run on the marathon.
The best you can do is Saturday the endurance training in marathon speed and Sunday the extra long quiet endurance training.
If you a race runs then do you that week no extra long quiet endurance training.
The extra long quiet endurance training builds you gradually on: each third week you run approximately two thirds of the distance which you a week for that have run.
Endurance training speed 3 (93%) is equal to marathon speed.

The training schedule

General preparation period

Start: 20 weeks of target.
End: 12 weeks of target.
Weeks: 8

How often	What and how	Duration/Distance
2 x a week	long easy endurance run pace 1	60 to 90 minutes *
2 x a week	average long run pace 2	45 to 60 minutes
2 x every three weeks	average long run pace 2	30 to 45 minutes
At most once every three weeks	intensive endurance run pace 3	30 to 45 minutes
Explanation * Not 90 minutes the first week, but gradually build up each week.

Specific preparation period

Start: 12 weeks before target.
End: 6 weeks before target.
Weeks: 6

How often	What and how	Duration/Distance
1 x a week	extra long slow endurance run pace 1	gradually to 26 km
1 x a week	slow endurance run pace 1	30 to 45 minutes
1 x every two weeks	average long run pace 2	30 to 45 minutes
1 x a week	average long run pace 2	45 to 60 minutes
1 x every two weeks	endurance marathon pace *	30 to 45 minutes
1 x a week	speed game (or interval training **)	60 minutes / � 9km
Explanation * In other words, endurance run pace 3 (93%) Explanation ** Pace: 95% (slightly faster than marathon pace) Distances: 600m 800m 1000m 1500m 2000m for example: 4 x 1500m Pause: work:rest ratio 1:0.5 dribbling

Intensive period

Start: 6 weeks before target.
End: 2 weeks before the target.
Weeks: 4

How often	What and how	Duration/distance
1 x a week	extra long slow endurance run pace 1	gradually to 34 km
2 x a week	slow endurance run pace 1	30 to 45 minutes
1 x every two weeks	average long run pace 2	30 to 45 minutes
1 x a week	average long run pace 2	45 to 60 minutes
1 x every two weeks	endurance marathon pace *	30 to 45 minutes
1 x a week	speed game (or interval training **)	60 minutes / � 9km
Explanation * In other words, endurance run pace 3 (93%) Explanation ** Pace: 95% (slightly faster than marathon pace) Distances: 600m 800m 1000m 1500m 2000m 3000m for example: 4x 2000m Pause: work:rest ratio 1:0.5 dribbling

The last two/four weeks

Method 1

Two weeks before the marathon, the endurance training will be halved.
The last week before the marathon you do little: one time quiet endurance run of about 30 minutes and three days before the marathon is a fast 25 minute run. The last days before the marathon you just do (almost) nothing.
Read also the page Race preparation and especially the part about carbohydrate overload. Good luck!

Method 2

The marathon tapering period starts one month before the contest. The first week you train 75 percent of the training size of the heaviest week. 50 percent the following week. After that, 30 percent. And finally the week before the marathon only 15 percent. During the first three weeks of this period you reduce only the extent of your long runs; the speed training you stay just do it. The last week you mainly do interval training five km race pace and marathon pace.

Create your own schedule

Create your own training schedule: Create your own schema in PDF.