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This training plan is advisable for runners with marathon times around 3h 25’ or 3h 20’. With it, they can aim for a finish time around three hours and fifteen minutes, give or take three minutes. The improvement will depend on their previous level, how closely they follow the plan, race strategy, course profile and/or weather conditions.
The key for these runners is to master their race paces well, from 4’40 to 4’30’’ per km. To achieve this, they should race the half marathon between 4’15’’ and 4’10’’ per km (that is, between 1h 28’ and 1h 30’). Obviously, those who get closer to the faster pace will have better chances and a wider margin for the marathon.
There are many external, uncontrollable factors that significantly affect performance on marathon day, so it is necessary to arrive with a good safety margin. Those who are just barely ready to run under their target time, if unlucky enough to face a very windy or very hot marathon day, will have no chance. In these cases, the most sensible thing is to change the goal right at the start, and if they planned to run at 4’40’’ per km (average), they should switch to 4’50’’ or 4’45’’ per km. This way they will avoid blowing up badly in the final kms and will be able to finish in good condition, even if they add four to six extra minutes.
It is necessary to do some core exercises (about 25 reps each) after every training session. Easy run paces should range between 6’00’’ and 5’00’’ per km during the weeks that include hill work, “oberones” and heavy strength training. In the central weeks of the plan they should be between 5’45’’ and 4’50’’, and somewhat quicker in the following weeks (from 5’30’’ to 4’40’’). In the last ten days before the marathon, runs should go back to being easy. You may change the order of training days, but never doing more than two consecutive workouts. And in no case doing two interval sessions back‑to‑back.
Strength training is essential for marathon preparation. It is very important to work very specifically on the quadriceps (both eccentrically and concentrically), abductors, adductors, calves, soleus, psoas and hamstrings. You will perform much better and reduce the risk of injury. No strength training should be done during race weeks. It is important to do ankle exercises every week. With them you will not only strengthen your ankles, but also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your stride and greatly reduce the risk of plantar fasciitis, tendinitis and shin splints.
Hydrate with at least half a liter of water with mineral salts every training day. And double that if you sweat a lot or train in heat and humidity. If you follow this plan, do not add more training. Not more running days, not more minutes to easy runs, not more intensity to paces. You would reduce its effectiveness and two things could happen: you could get injured or you could overtrain. Both are bad.
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY | |
| 1 | 60’ + strength | 25’+ 30’ of fartlek from 1’’ to 4’ (always recovering 1’) + 15’ | 25’ + 2 oberón circuits + 10’ |
95’ progressive (45’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’35’’ and 20’ from 4’35’’ to 4’20’’) |
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| 2 | 60’ + strength | 25’ + 8 x 4’ strong on flat terrain + 15’ rec:1’ jogging |
60’ + ankle work + strength + 2 strides |
100’ progressive (50’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’35’’ and 20’ from 4’35’’ to 4’15’’) |
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| 3 | 60’ + strength | 25’ + 4 x 10’ strong on flat terrain + 15’ rec:2’ jogging |
100’ progressive (50’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’35’’ and 20’ from 4’35’’ to 4’15’’) |
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| 4 | 60’ + weights |
25’ + 5 x 2000 + 15’ rec: 1' 9’00’’ to 8’30’’ |
105’ progressive (55’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’30’’ and 20’ from 4’30’’ to 4’10’’) |
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| 5 | 60' |
25’ + 6 x 1000 + 15’ rec: 1’ 4’25’’ to 4’05’’ |
45’ very easy + ankles + 8 strides |
Race (From 10 to 15 km) |
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| 6 | 65’ + weights |
25’ + 18 x 300+ 15’ rec: 40’’ |
105’ progressive (55’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’30’’ and 20’ from 4’30’’ to 4’10’’) |
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| 7 | 65' |
25’ + 6 x 1000 + 15’ rec: 1’ 4’25’’ to 4’00’’ |
45’ very easy + ankles + 8 strides |
Race (Preferably 21 km) |
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| 8 | 65’ + weights |
25’ + 2 x 8 x 400+ 15’ rec: 50’’ and 2’ between sets From 1’36’’ to 1’25’’ |
65’ + weights + strides |
105’ progressive (55’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’30’’ and 20’ from 4’30’’ to 4’10’’) |
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| 9 |
25’ + 12 x 500+ 15’ rec: 45’’ From 2’05’’ to 1’48’’ |
65’ + weights |
25’+ 3 x 4000 +15’ rec: 90’’ 19’00’’, 18’20’’ and 17’40’’ |
110’ progressive (60’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’30’’ and 20’ from 4’30’’ to 4’10’’) |
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| 10 |
25’ + 10 x 1000 + 15’ rec: 1'
4’25’’ to 4’00’’ |
70’ + weights |
25’+ 2 x 5000 +15’ rec: 2’ jog 22’30’’ and 20’45’’ |
110’ progressive (60’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’30’’ and 20’ from 4’30’’ to 4’05’’) |
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| 11 | 70' |
25’ + 3 x 2000 + 15’ rec: 1’ 8’45’’ to 8’15’’ |
45’ very easy + ankles + 8 strides |
Race (Half Marathon) Necessary to run under 1h 28'. Ideal to run 1h 27' |
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| 12 | 70' |
25’+4x3000 +15’
rec: 90’’ 13’30 to 12' 15" |
70’ + weights + 2 strides |
110’ progressive (60’ from 6’00’’ to 5’00’’ 30’ from 5’00’’ to 4’30’’ and 20’ from 4’30’’ to 4’10’’) |
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| 13 | 65’ + 2 strides |
TEST: 25’ +2x6000+ 15’
Rec: 90’’ 1st at 27' 10" or slower and 2nd under 24' |
90’ easy progressive (6’00’’ to 4’25’’) + 6 strides | ||||
| 14 | 60' |
25’ + 5x1000+15’ rec:1’ From 4’30’’ to 4’ |
40’ + ankles + 2 strides |
MARATHON Go through halfway in 1h 37’20’’, at the fastest (if it’s flat) |
