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Beginning Marathon Program
Week 2
This is week 2 of our 11 week marathon program. Click here to see week 1 and a description of the program.
This week is "easier" than last week in the fact that the long run is shorter than last week. That is because generally we are going to let your body recover a bit with usually a week in between the really long runs. This week the faster session on Day 4 is the same as week 1, but has 8 intervals instead of 6. However, this is just a guide. See how you feel and do between 6-8 of these. And always remember if you're in the middle of a workout and things aren't going well, don't force yourself through it. Instead just jog for the rest of the run putting in some strides.
The longer run on Day 7 this week is shorter, but important. It will have you get used to running a bit harder when you're tired. This will help you build strength for the final miles of your marathon. You have two options at the end of the long run. For the last 10 minutes, you can run at a slightly faster pace (10-30 seconds a mile or whatever feels comfortable) or you can put in 4 strides during the last mile or so. Either of these options will help show you that you can run well when you are tired.
| Day |
Training |
Total mileage |
| 1 |
Light cross-training (20 minutes). It is good
to do something after a longer run to shakeout the body. |
0 |
| 2 |
Easy run of 4.5-5 miles or 45-50 minutes. |
4.5 |
| 3 |
Off |
0 |
| 4 |
45-50 minutes total. This will be our one
day of running with an emphasis on running at a faster pace for
a longer length of time. Do about a 8-10 minute warm up. Then
do 6-8 * 3 minutes at a pace about a minute faster than you usually
jog. Jog at a very slow pace (or walk between each one) for 2
minutes. You don't have to exactly time these intervals, just
go at a pace faster than you normally jog and what you feel you
can hold for 3 minutes. If you can only do 4 of these, it means
you ran to fast. Don't force the last 2, just jog the rest of
the time. Do a 7-9 minute cooldown. |
4-5 |
| 5 |
Optional run (30-45 minutes) or cross train |
3-5 optional |
| 6 |
Off (if you like to run on both days on the weekend,
you could move day 5 here). Then, it might be best to only run
20 minutes with 4-6 strides since you should rest up for the
long run tomorrow. |
optional |
| 7 |
Long run. 10-11 miles, with 2 options at the end. Either 1) pick up the pace a little bit the last 10 minutes (do what feels comfortable. The point is not for you to be running really hard or fast, but to just run a little bit faster than you were doing (maybe 10-30 seconds a mile)) Or 2)you can put in 4-6 strides during the last mile of the run or at the end. |
10-11 |
Click here for Week3
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