INTERMEDIATE MARATHON TRAINING PLAN – 20 WEEK CYCLE
The marathon presents, perhaps, the greatest challenge of any running event. At one time only the most accomplished runner attempted this distance. Today, however, marathon participants are of all ages and abilities. Many intermediate competitors turn to the marathon as a new challenge. This intermediate marathon training plan is for intermediate level runners that want to run at a goal pace without the high intensity and mileage of a full competitive marathon training plan
20 Week training cycle
This intermediate marathon training plan uses is 20-week cycle that designed to prepare an intermediate marathon runner to peak for a marathon. You should be able to run for 6 miles without stopping before beginning this program. As an intermediate runner, you should be at or past this level. If you are in or just coming out of a recovery cycle, with reduced mileage, gradually build up to a long run of at least 6 miles and a weekly base of 15 to 20 miles, before starting this program.
An intermediate competitor is an athlete that has been racing for at least one season and has been following a structured training program for at least one season. The intermediate level does not necessarily equate to a certain speed or finishing position in races. Intermediate and advanced level competitors may finish in the front of the pack, in the middle or at the back. The level that you are at is more related to your state of mind, your goals and the intensity/consistency of your training.
This program is general in nature. Feel free to make adjustments in order to accommodate scheduling conflicts and individual goals and rate of improvement.
The Workouts
This marathon training plan contains rest days, easy runs, long runs, speed training workouts, lactate threshold workouts, form drills and strength training. This training program. It is designed to build speed, improve speed endurance and increase both general and functional strength.
Easy Runs
Easy runs should be run at a pace that feels fairly comfortable. You should be breathing hard, but should be able to carry on a conversation. If you are breathing so hard that you cannot talk, you are running too hard. If you can sing, you are running too easily. Running too hard on easy run days is one of the most common mistakes among intermediate and advanced runners. You must keep your pace easy on these days in order to give your muscles sufficient time to recover and strengthen.
Rest
Rest is a very important part of this marathon training plan training program. Without proper rest, your muscles and connective tissues will not have an opportunity to recover and strengthen properly. On the days calling for complete rest, do no strenuous activity. On the days calling for rest or cross training, you can rest totally or do some cross training. Cross training can be any activity other than running. You could go for a walk, swim, bicycle or do nothing. It is up to you.
Long Runs
The long runs used in this marathon training plan are performed at two different paces. The first portion of the workouts are run at an easy pace. The last portion are run at goal race pace. This will train you to run at goal pace when fatigued.
Speed Training
Speed training is short to medium length repeats that are run at paces that range from race pace to an all out effort. The goal of this type of workout is to improve overall speed and the ability to maintain a quality pace for long distances.
Lactate Threshold Workouts
Lactic acid is a natural by-product of energy production. Normally, excess lactic acid is converted to energy. When the intensity of your running reaches a certain point, more lactic acid is produced than your body can process. This causes a decrease in the efficiency of your muscles. The point at which lactic acid begins to accumulate in your muscles is your lactate threshold. The goal of these workouts is to raise your lactate threshold level. This intermediate marathon training plan uses many workout that focus on this very important phase of training.
Strength Training
A proper strength-training program will improve your speed, power, and running economy and help you avoid injury. Strength training in this marathon training plan should be performed two or three times per week.
During the initial stages of your program, you should perform your strength training with a high number of repetitions and at a low level of intensity. As your running program progresses, so should your strength training. Gradually increase the intensity and lower the repetitions.
There are three types of strength training exercises in this marathon training plan that you should perform: General strength exercises; running specific exercises; and plyometric exercises. General strength exercises will build overall upper and lower body strength. Running specific exercises will strengthen the motions that are specific to running. Plyometric exercises are explosive strength exercises that will improve your running specific strength and economy.
Form Drills
Form drills are designed to improve your running form, technique and economy. Running economy is a measure of the efficiency of your running. The goal is to run efficiently with the least amount of effort.
Standard Warm Up
The following routine, or a similar one, should be followed whenever a warm up is called for: Run easy for 5 to 10 minutes or until you feel loose, stretch, run 4 x 100 meter acceleration strides, perform 5 minutes of form drills.
Week 1
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 45-minute fartlek run. Fartlek is a Swedish word for speed play. This is a non-structured workout in which you run at a steady pace and add in short surges of faster running. For this workout, alternate running for 5 minutes at a moderate pace with 1 minute at 5K pace.
Wednesday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 4 x 800 meter repeats at 5 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 7 miles at an easy pace.
Week 2
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 3 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace. Jog easy for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 5 x 800 meter repeats at 5 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 40 minutes at 20 seconds per mile slower than 10K pace.
Week 3
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up, run 4 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace or 15 seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace. Jog 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 6 x 800 meter repeats at 5 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Run 4 x 400 meter repeats at 15 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 200 meters between repeats. Jog for 800 meters between the 2 sets. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 9 miles at an easy pace.
Week 4
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 1 mile at an easy pace, followed by 5 miles at your marathon goal race pace. Cool down with 1 mile of easy running.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 8 x hill repeats. Find a hill that is fairly steep and at least 100 meters in length. Run up the hill at a pace that feels like 5K pace. Run 20 meters past the top of the hill. Jog back down. Repeat this 10 times. Note that your pace should feel like 5K pace, but will actually be slower due to the incline.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 50 minutes at a pace that is about 20 seconds per mile slower than your 10K pace. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Week 5
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up, run 5 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace or 15 seconds per mile slower than 5K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging. If you are having trouble maintaining your pace, increase the distance of your recovery jogs.
Wednesday – Rest. You will take additional rest day every 5 weeks. This will allow your muscles to recover during your training program.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 20 minutes, alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 60 seconds at an easy pace. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 11 miles at an easy pace.
Week 6
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 3 x 1200 meter repeats at 5K pace, followed by 1 mile at 10K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 10 x hill repeats. Run up a hill that is approximately 100 meters long, at a pace that feels like 5K pace. Jog down to recover. Repeat 12 times.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 5 miles at your goal marathon race pace.
Week 7
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 6 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace or 15 seconds per mile slower than 5K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Jog for 800 meters to cool down.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 2 x 800/400/1600 meter supersets. Run 800 meters at 5K pace, 400 meters at 10 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 1 mile at 10K pace. Take no rest between distances. Jog for 800 meters between sets.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 13 miles at an easy pace.
Week 8
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 3 miles at 10K pace followed by 4 miles at goal marathon race pace and 1 mile at 5K pace. Take no rest between distances. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 25 minutes, alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at an easy pace. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 6 miles at your goal marathon race pace.
Week 9
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 2 x 2400 meter repeats at 10K pace, followed by 1 mile at 5K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of easy jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 3 x 800/400/1600 meter repeats. Run 800 meters at 5K pace, 400 meters at 10 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 1600 meters at 10K pace. Take no rest between the distances. Run at an easy pace for 800 meters between the sets. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 15 miles at an easy pace.
Week 10
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 1 mile at an easy pace followed by 7 miles at goal marathon race pace. Cool down with 1 mile at an easy pace.
Wednesday – Rest.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 2 x 2000/800/400 meter repeats. Run 2000 meters at 10K pace, 800 meters at 5K pace and 400 meters at 10 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace, with no rest between distances. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 7 miles at your goal marathon race pace.
Week 11
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 6 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 30 minutes, alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at an easy pace. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 17 miles. Run the first 14 miles at an easy pace. Run the last 3 miles at goal marathon pace.
Week 12
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. run 1 mile at an easy pace followed by 8 miles at goal marathon race pace. Cool down with 1 mile at an easy pace.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 30 minutes, alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at an easy pace.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 8 miles at your goal marathon race pace.
Week 13
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 3 miles at 10K pace, 5 miles at goal marathon race pace and 1 mile at 5K pace. Take no rest between distances. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 6 miles on a trail that is consistently and gradually uphill. Run at a pace that feels like your goal marathon race pace. Your actual pace will be slower due to the incline. If you do not have an uphill trail in your area, you can do this workout on a treadmill that is elevated 3 to 5 degrees.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 19 miles. Run the first 15 miles at an easy pace. Run the last 4 miles at goal marathon pace.
Week 14
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 3 miles at 10K pace, 6 miles at goal marathon pace and 1 mile at 5K pace, with no rest between distances. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 2 x 400/800/2000 meter supersets. Run 400 meters at 10 seconds faster than 5K pace, 800 meters at 5K pace and 2000 meters at 10K pace, with no rest between distances. Jog for 800 meters between the sets. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 9 miles at your goal marathon race pace.
Week 15
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run a 60-minute fartlek run. Alternate running 5 minutes at goal marathon pace with 2 minutes at 5K pace. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Rest.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 20 minutes, alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at goal marathon race pace. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 21 miles. Run the first 17 miles at an easy pace. Run the last 4 miles at goal marathon pace. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Week 16
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 3 miles at 10K pace, 7 miles at goal marathon race pace and 1 mile at 5K pace, with no rest between distances. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 1 800/1600/2400/1600/800 meter superset. Run 800 meters at 5K pace, 1600 meters at 10K pace, 2400 meters at goal marathon race pace, 1600 meters at 10K pace and 800 meters at 5K pace, with no rest between distances. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run a 10K race or 10K time trial. Run the 10K in the best possible time you can manage.
Week 17
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 2 x 5000 meter repeats at 10K pace. Jog for 800 meters between the repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday- Standard warm up. Run 1 x 3200/1600/800/400 meter repeats. Run 3200 meters at goal marathon race pace, 1600 meters at 10K pace, 800 meters at 5K pace and 400 meters at 10 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Cool down with 800 meters of easy running.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 23 miles. Run the first 18 miles easy. Run the last 5 miles at goal marathon pace.
This will be your longest training run. After this week you will begin to “taper” or decrease overall mileage. A taper is necessary to allow your muscles to full recover from long training runs and to be at full strength for the race.
Week 18
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 7 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 30 minutes, alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at goal marathon race pace. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 8 miles at goal marathon pace.
Week 19
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 8 x 800 meter repeats at 5 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 20 minutes, alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at an easy pace.
Friday – Run 6 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 6 miles at goal marathon pace.
Week 20
Monday- Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 5000 meters at 10K pace. Cool down with 800 meters of easy running.
Wednesday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Run 2 miles easy. Run 4 acceleration strides.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – Rest
Sunday – RACE DAY. HAVE FUN!!
Congratulations on finishing your intermediate marathon training plan and running a successful race. Now take a week off to let your body and mind recover from your strenuous race. Then you could start a new training cycle at the same level or move up to the advanced level.
