Christoph F. Eick's
15 Week Marathon Training Schedule
The following training schedule is a more Jack Daniels'-style training schedule
(mixed with training elements that worked well for myself including
longer long runs, easy weeks, and fartlek workouts)
with
a lot of running at threshhold pace. The training plan is
well suited for runners who prefer
a "high-quality-not-so-high mileage" schedule.
When using this training plan, you have first to select your
maximum weekly mileage (MWM); miles you run per week are
expressed in percentages of your maximum weekly mileage (e.g. if your maximum
weekly mileage is 50; 90% of MWM means you run 45=0.9x50 miles this week). It is
recommended to select at least 45 miles as your maximum weekly mileage; if this
is too much for you, it might be preferable to use a different
training schedule.
Moreover,
it is assummed that prior to starting the program you already completed
4-6 weeks of base running, and your mileage on the last week should
be 75% of the MWM you selected.
In the schedule below R-pace corresponds to your mile-pace,
I-pace is 5-10 seconds per mile faster than 5K-pace, and T-pace is 15 seconds per mile
slower than your 10K-pace, MP-pace refers to your marathon pace. Farlek workouts
are listed in minutes of duration (e.g. 5x[4:fa|3:sl] means after a warmup of at
least 2 miles, you run 4-minutes at 5K-efforts, and 3 minutes at an easy or even
slower pace, and the sequence of fast running and slow running is repeated five times;
finish the workout with a cooldown that is at least 1M long) and the fast segments
are run at about 5K-effort. Long runs are assumed to be run at an easy
pace (but a few include some running at marathon pace).
The plan below lists only long runs of
at least 13
miles and quality workouts; all other workouts of a week are assumed to
be run at an easy pace (schedule long runs, quality workouts, and easy
runs according to your own preferences; if your weekly mileage is above
50 miles running twice a day might be less stressful for your body):
- Week 1 --- Raceweek: Ftl: 5x[2:fa|2:sl];
Marathon-Race.
- Week 2 --- 60% of MWM: Ftl: 6x[2:fa|2:sl]; 10M incl. 4M@T-pace.
- Week 3 --- 85% of MWM: 10K-Race; 17M long run.
- Week 4 --- 95% of MWM: 20M long run; 4x2400@T-pace with 2:00 rest; 2800-2400-2000
with 3 minutes rest at 5K-pace.
- Week 5 --- 100% of MWM: 4x1M@I-pace 3:00 rest, 50minutes easy +
8x[3min@10K-pace, 7min easy) or 1/2 Marathon Race
- Week 6 --- easy, 70% of MWM: 10x300 walk 100; rest 5min, 800 (all at mile-pace);
22M long run.
- Week 7 --- 100% of MWM: 5x1200@I-pace with 2:30 rest; 4x2000@T-pace with 1:40 rest.
- Week 8 --- 100% of MWM: 2M-1M-800 (2M and M at 5K-pace; 800
at I-pace); 2 hours incl. 3x2M@T-pace;
20M long run.
- Week 9 --- 90% of MWM: 20M long run with 4M@MP, 4x1200@I-pace with 2:30 rest, 10M incl.
2x3M@T-pace.
- Week 10 --- easy, 70% of MWM: ftl:15x[:45fa|:15sl]; 5K-Race; 17M long run.
- Week 11 --- 95% of MWM: 20M long run; 4M@T-pace; Ftl: 6x[4:fa|3:sl].
- Week 12 --- 80% of MWM: Ftl: 5x[4:fa|3:sl]; 4x1600@T-pace with 1:20 rest; 12M incl.
9M@MP.
- Week 13 --- 90% of MWM: 20M long run; 10M incl. 2x2M at T-pace; Ftl: 4x[5:fa|5:sl].
- Week 14 --- 85% of MWM: 18M long run; Ftl: 4x[5:fa|5:sl]; 4x1M@T-pace with 1:20 rest.
- Week 15 --- 80% of MWM: 15M long run, 3M@T-pace.
Adjustments: if you plan to run the marathon faster than 3:03 add a mile to
all long runs listed in the training plan; if your goal time is faster
than 2:50 add 2 miles to all long runs listed in the training plan. If, on
the other hand your goal time is slower than 3:29 subtract a mile from
all long runs listed in the training schedule.
Any comments? Send e-mail to:
ceick@aol.com
last updated: November 21, 2002