Mike Gratton's Marathon Training Schedules

MARATHON TRAINING PLANS

Courtesy of Mike Gratton
(Past winner of the London Marathon & Director of LPG Leisure Pursuits Ltd)

For details on many running, cycling and Triathlon holidays please visit the LPG website

Mike says "We get asked to prepare training programmes for the runners taking part in the London or New York Marathons for charity. As a past London Marathon winner and more recently coach to a good few marathoners from sub 2.20 to 'get-around' runners, I have put together a 15 week plan, which if started on January 6th will take you up to the London Marathon."

Week 1	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	30 mins walk/jog	30 mins Run	60 mins Run	90 mins Run
Monday	Rest	Rest	Rest	45 mins Run
Tuesday	15 min walk/jog	30 min Run	45 min Run	8 x 2 mins at marathon pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	30 min run – last 10 mins at a marathon pace	45 min Run
Thursday	15 min walk/jog	30 min Run	45 min run	30 min run – last 10 mins at marathon pace
Friday	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest
Saturday	15 mins walk/jog	Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each	Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each
Training Objective:	Getting over the inhibitions and mental preparation for a regular training pattern. The amount of running is irrelevant – it’s more about being ‘out there’.	Getting time on the feet and the start of a gradual build up of training.	Getting time on the feet and the start of a gradual build up of training. Beginnings of generating the pace necessary to run at sub-4 hr speed.	Runner probably already into full training for road or cross-country season. Long runs start to take over in importance.

Week 2	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	40 mins walk/jog	40 mins steady	60 mins steady	90 mins steady
Monday	Rest	Rest	Rest	45 mins Run
Tuesday	15 min walk/jog	30 min Run	45 min Run	8 x 2 mins at marathon pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	30 min run – last 10 mins at a marathon pace	45 min Run
Thursday	15 min walk/jog	30 min Run	45 min run	30 min run – last 10 mins at marathon pace
Friday	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest
Saturday	15 mins walk/jog	Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each	Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each
Training objective:	As week 1	As week 1	As week 1	As week 1

Important: Warm-up jog and stretch before all sessions + stretch gently after (before you get cold).

Week 3	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	50 mins walk/jog	60 mins steady	90 mins steady	2 hrs steady
Monday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon - 45 mins easy
Tuesday	20 mins jog	45 mins easy	45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please)	5 x 1 mile efforts 10 secs per mile faster than marathon pace.
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	Rest	60 min Run
Thursday	20 mins jog	45 mins easy	45 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 45 mins easy
Friday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	30 mins easy
Saturday	Circuit in a park – run 1 min continuous then walk 1 min recovery x 10 each	10 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	Rest	30 min Jog
Training Objectives:	Starting to run short distances continuously.	Development of the long run and some hill work to build strength in the legs.	Slightly tapering week before the first race of the season to enable you to ‘see where you are’ in your fitness level.	Slightly tapering week before the first race of the season to enable you to ‘see where you are’ in your fitness level. The long runs are still more important than the result of the race.

Week 4	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	60 mins jog/walk	75 mins steady	10 km Race	10 km Race
Monday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	30 mins easy
Tuesday	25 mins easy	45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please)	45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please)	8 x 1,000 m at Half Marathon Pace – 2 mins recovery between each
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – easy 30 mins Afternoon – 60 mins steady
Thursday	25 mins easy	45 mins steady	60 mins easy	Morning – easy 30 mins Afternoon – steady 30 mins followed by 10 x 200m
Friday	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest
Saturday	Circuit in a park – run 1 min continuous then walk 1 min recovery x 10 each	10 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	12 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	16 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery
Training Objective:	Gradually increasing time of the feet – a mental strategy or run 5 mins/ walk 1 min for the long run will help you get through 60 mins.	Lengthening long run – the pace doesn’t matter. Introduction of ‘speed work’ at speeds faster than marathon race pace will accelerate fitness levels.	Building the speed necessary to run a sub-4 hr marathon is important at this stage.	Building the speed necessary to run a sub-4 hr marathon is important at this stage.

Important: Warm-up jog and stretch before all sessions + stretch gently after (before you get cold).

Week 5	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	75 mins run/walk	90 mins easy	2 hrs steady	2 hrs steady
Monday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 45 mins Run
Tuesday	35 mins easy	45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please)	45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please)	On fairly straight uninterrupted route 10 mins at Half Marathon pace – 5 mins recovery – run 10 min back trying to get to pass your start point
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	60 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 60 mins steady
Thursday	35 mins easy	60 mins easy	30 mins steady	Morning – easy 30 mins Afternoon – steady 30 mins followed by 10 x 200m
Friday	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest
Saturday	Circuit in a park – run 1 min continuous then walk 1 min recovery x 10 each	10 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	12 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	16 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery
Training Objectives	15 mins added to the long run – using the 5 min run/1 min walk strategy.	Consolidation week – getting used to the balance between the long run and speed work.	Consolidation week – getting used to the balance between the long run and speed work.	Consolidation week – getting used to the balance between the long run and speed work.

Week 6	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	75 mins run/walk	90 mins easy	2 hrs steady	2 hrs steady
Monday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 45 mins Run
Tuesday	40 mins easy	Up the clock – run 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 mins fast/ 2 mins slow, 3 mins fast/3 mins slow/4 mins fast/4 mins slow, 5 mins fast.	Up the clock – run 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 mins fast/ 2mins slow, 3 mins fast/3 mins slow/4 mins fast/4 mins slow, 5 mins fast.	Up and down the clock – run 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 mins fast/ 2mins slow, 3 mins fast/3 mins slow/4 mins fast/4 mins slow, 5 mins fast/5 mins slow, the 4, 3, 2, 1 min back down.
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 60 mins Run
Thursday	40 mins easy	60 mins easy	75 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon - 10 min warm-up – 20 min Tempo run (10 mile race pace) – 10 mins warm-down
Friday	Rest	Rest	30 min easy	30 min easy
Saturday	10 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	12 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	Rest	Rest
Training Objectives	Consolidation week – slight increase in the mid week runs.	Development of ability to run faster than race pace and hold the pace for an increasing amount of time.	Development of ability to run faster than race pace and hold the pace for an increasing amount of time. At same time long run is increased to the magic 2-hrs.	Up and down the clock develops strength and speed. The Tempo run enables you to hold a fast pace for a long time.

Week 7	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	90 mins run/walk	2 hrs steady	10 km Race	10 km Race
Monday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 30 mins easy
Tuesday	45 mins steady	10 mins warm up – 20 mins at marathon pace – 10 min warm down.	10 mins warm up – 20 mins at marathon pace – 10 min warm down.	4 sets of 5 x 300m at 10 km pace with 100 m jog recovery between efforts/3 mins standing recovery between sets.
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	75 mins steady	90 mins steady
Thursday	60 mins steady	60 mins steady	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 30 mins easy
Friday	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest
Saturday	10 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	12 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	15 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	20 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery
Training Objectives	The long runs are going to start to get you tired – refuelling after the long Sunday run & mid week hour run is essential – it’s tough but it will start to build the endurance you’ll need for the marathon.	Marathon pace running is important so that your body gets the ‘feel’ of the speed you want to race at.	Marathon pace running is important so that your body gets the ‘feel’ of the speed you want to race at. Twice a day training on some days gives a boost to your endurance, and the afternoon run can sometimes be better because you have ‘warmed-up’ in the morning.	Big ‘interval sessions’ develop the heart & lungs, build strength and develop the speed necessary to run inside 7 minutes per mile 26 times.

Week 8	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	90 mins run/walk	2 hrs mins easy	2 ½ hrs steady	2 ½ hrs steady
Monday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 45 mins Run
Tuesday	45 mins Run	10 mins warm up – 20 mins at marathon pace – 10 min warm down.	10 mins warm up – 20 mins at marathon pace – 10 min warm down.	Pyramid Session 200m/400m/600m/800m/1000m/800m/600m/400m/200m – 2 mins recovery between each
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	75 mins easy	75 mins steady
Thursday	60 mins easy	30 mins steady	30 mins steady	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 45 mins Run
Friday	Rest	30 mins easy	30 mins easy	30 mins easy
Saturday	10 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery	Rest	Rest	Rest
Training Objectives	Consolidation week.	Consolidation week. Tapering towards the end to prepare for your first race test – the race result is important to gauge your fitness and then to reassess your aims in the marathon.	Increased long run at an easy pace, then taper down towards the end of the week towards a fitness test race.	Increased long run at an easy pace, then taper down towards the end of the week towards a fitness test race.

Important: Warm-up jog and stretch before all sessions + stretch gently after (before you get cold).

Week 9	Get You Round	Sub 5 hrs	Sub 4 hrs	Sub 3 hrs
Sunday	100 mins run/walk	10 Mile Race	10 Mile Race	10 Mile Race
Monday	Rest	Rest	30 mins easy	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon – 45 mins Run
Tuesday	50 mins easy	Up the clock – run 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 mins fast/ 2mins slow, 3 mins fast/3 mins slow/4 mins fast/4 mins slow, 5 mins fast.	Up the clock – run 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 mins fast/ 2mins slow, 3 mins fast/3 mins slow/4 mins fast/4 mins slow, 5 mins fast.	16 x 400m at 5km pace – 2 mins recovery between each
Wednesday	Rest	Rest	75 mins easy	90 mins steady
Thursday	60 mins easy	60 mins steady	On fairly straight uninterrupted route 10 mins at Half Marathon pace – 5 mins recovery – run 10 min back trying to get to pass your start point	Morning – 30 mins easy Afternoon - On fairly straight uninterrupted route 10 mins at Half Marathon pace – 5 mins recovery – run 10 min back trying to get to pass your start point
Friday

Sub 3 hrs