Check out this 16-week training plan if you're running a marathon and aiming for a time of around three hours

Background

» Club member, runs regularly and competes in all local events including cross country and road races ranging from 5km to half-marathon
» Trains six to seven times per week and runs for 70-90min on a Sunday
» Been running for five years or longer
» Aims for PBs and positional finishes as well as a valuable team member

Overview

» Targeting to complete the marathon distance in around 3hr - 3hr 30min
» Aiming to run the whole distance and hit pace targets en-route
» Training with a group of four similar ability runners on club nights and with a partner who is also targeting the same marathon as you on other days

Training

» Most runs are based on ‘time-on-feet’ with sessions at slower than marathon pace, marathon pace and half-marathon pace plus some 10km speedier runs to improve running efficiency
» Commencing with a 16 week plan and backed-up with a solid year of training for shorter distances and targeting a 12 week specific block of work prior to race
» Fastest race pace target (3hr) is around 6min 52sec per mile which is around 8¾ miles in an hour
» Pacing and drinking on the run strategies should be practiced (find a 4-5 mile fairly accurate loop and try and hit your marathon target pace

Advice

» Set training goals and try to stick to them unless injury or illness dictates otherwise
» Wear the right footwear for your biomechanics in training and also what will be best for race day (get professional help)
» Aches and pains will be encountered – make sure you differentiate between these and a potential injury
» If too tired or achy, don’t be afraid to miss a training day or two or even deviate from the training plan (better to get to race day 95% fit than injured and unable to run)
» Try some cross-training at a gym (elliptical machine) if you feel too achy for a few days or if the winter weather becomes too dangerous
» Try varied routes and some softer surfaces in daylight hours to alleviate the stresses and strains on muscles and joints
» Keep focussed and cut down on alcohol and eat healthily. You will burn many more calories in your training – these need to be replaced correctly
» When trying to run marathon pace in training select a flat route as hills will play havoc with your target speed
» Respect the marathon distance – good pacing is vital to make it an enjoyable day and poor pacing will inevitably make your day a painful one!
» Look for some build-up races as part of your training. A half-marathon or longer (not a marathon) around 7-10 weeks before your marathon would be perfect, plus some 10km races to hone your speed and act as fitness tests and break the tedium of the plan
» Training plans rarely run smoothly and the 16 week plan is negotiable with tiredness, niggles and sniffles to be taken account of – a couple of days off here and there can have more benefit than hard work
» If you can get a massage once a week it will help enormously to alleviate injuries and keep those all-important legs fresh

Note:
STMP = slower than marathon pace
MP = marathon pace
HMP = half-marathon pace
In sessions where reps are stated, include at least a 10min warm-up and 10min cool-down

» You can find a beginner marathon training plan here and an intermediate plan here