Is this a good first time mrathon training schedule?

4 messages
12/02/2013 at 21:04

I'm currently training for my first marathon (Sunderland, April 28th). Until recently I was just a recreational runner: 3 or 4 days a week I'd run at an easy pace for 30-60 minutes. Over the last couple of weeks I've started doing 3 mile tempo runs and slowly increasing my long runs (my last was 9 miles). My new schedule looks like this:

Sun- 6 miles at easy pace
Mon- 3 mile tempo
Tue- Rest
Wed- Long run
Thu- 3 mile tempo
Fri- Rest
Sat- Rest

Running and resting on these days best fits my schedule so I won't be changing that. My idea is to keep the other 3 runs the same each week and increase my long runs each week. I want to get up to a run of around 30 miles before the marathon (I know a lot of programs peek at about 20 miles but i would rather know I can manage beyond the race distance).

Is this a feasible training program?

cougie    pirate
12/02/2013 at 21:13
So you plan on running 6, 3,3 and 30 on your longest run week ?

It's a training plan but there are good reasons that plans for marathons don't include a 30 mile run.

Why not read some of the training threads ?
12/02/2013 at 21:16
Absolutely no need to run "over distance" most plans only go up to 20-22 miles for a reason. If you are running 30 miles in training you will probabaly do yourself an injury and burn out at the same time.
Who / what gave you the idea that 30 mile runs would be beneficial?
13/02/2013 at 12:25

Generally your second longest run should be half the distance of your longest run, so if you want to do a 30M LSR you need to build up to a 15M medium long run.  However, I can't say I'd advise a low-mileage first-time marathoner to go beyond 22M as their longest run.  The injury risk is just far too high.  I also don't think it's a good idea to do a tempo run and your long run on consecutive days.  Both count as a quality session and should be separated by a rest day or short easy run.


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