Schedule 2

For experienced runners or for those that have a natural ability to run and are looking for a sub 3:30 marathon

All persons that follow this schedule should already be running at least three times a week prior to starting. Although not a necessity, the use of a heart rate monitor whilst following this programme would be a bonus.

Week 1

Sun (Jan 6) – 6 to 8 miles fairly easily
Mon – 3 to 5 miles with 3 to 4 relaxed stride outs of approx 20 secs. Rest for those that normally only run 3 to 4 times a week.
Tue – 4 to 6 miles fairly easily.
Wed – 6 miles including paced intervals of 1 min – 2 mins – 3 mins – 2 mins – 1 min. Run intervals between 80 – 85% of maximum effort. Jog very easily for same time after each effort.
Thur– 3 to 5 miles.
Fri – Rest
Sat – 4 miles steady state run

Week 2

Sun (Jan 13) – 7 to 10 miles depending on previous running background.
Mon – 3 to 5 miles with 4 relaxed strides of 20 secs. Rest for those that normally run 3 to 4 times a week.
Tues – 5 to 7 miles including 2 x 1 mile at pace i.e. 85% of maximum effort.
Wed – 6 miles, running miles 3 and 4 at approx 80% of maximum effort.
Thurs – 3 to 5 miles including 4 to 6 x 1 min at pace, 85%. Jog for 1 min after each rep. If you are not fully recovering then reduce pace of intervals slightly and continue to jog until you feel ready to go again.
Fri – Rest.
Sat – 4 to 7 miles easily.

Week 3

Sun (Jan 20) – 9 – 11 miles.
Mon – 3 – 5 miles. Rest for those that feel it to be more benefit to have a day off running. Listen to your body!
Tue – 4 – 6 miles incorporating a few hills i.e. 3 to 5 with a gradient that is not too severe! For those that aren’t used to hill running, don’t go silly and try to stay relaxed while running up hill.
Hills to be approx 30 secs in terms of length and time to run up them. Good warm down to finish with easy running and relaxed stretching of all muscle groups to finish off.
Wed – 6 to 8 miles at a steady pace.
Thur– 5 – 6 miles including 3 to 4 x half a mile at pace i.e. 85% of maximum effort. Jog for 2 mins between. Longer if required, but if pace is done at the correct tempo, then a recovery time of 2 mins should be sufficient.
Fri– Rest
Sat – 10 mins easy – 15 mins at tempo i.e. 80% - 10 min’s easy.

Week 4

Sun (Jan 27) – 12 miles.
Mon – easy relaxed 3 mile run.
Tue - Warm up of about 10 mins of easy to steady running followed by 3 x 4 mins at 85% maximum effort. Jog easy for between 2 to 4 mins depending upon required recovery time. Warm down with 10 mins of easy running.
Wed – 5 miles relaxed running. Off road if possible.
Thur – Warm up 10 mins, then 4 x 80 to 90 secs loop that incorporates a gradient. Work hard over the top of hill. Jog for 2 mins between reps. Warm down with 10 mins of easy running.
Fri – Rest.
Sat – 5 to 7 miles easy to steady pace running off road if possible.

Week 5

Sun (Feb 3) – 13 to 15 miles finishing off with a controlled strong last 3 miles.
Monday – 3 – 5 miles with 4 to 5 x 20 secs relaxed strides. Jog for at least 60 secs between strides. Rest for those that feel it to be more benefit to have a day off running.
Tuesday – 5 – 7 miles incorporating 4 to 6 x 45 secs at pace. Jog for 3 to 4 mins between.
Wednesday – 8 miles at a steady pace. Try to incorporate a few hills into the course, but just use any gradient as a resistance to your controlled running pace. Don’t force the pace up the hills! Thursday – 6 – 7 miles including 3 x 5 min’s at approx 85/90%. Jog for 5 min’s between.
Friday – Rest
Saturday – Option weekend: If racing on Sunday, then just do an easy 4 miles. If not, choose an out and back course of approx 4 miles. Run out steadily turning at the half way point and running back at a good pace.

Week 6

Sun (Feb 10) – 12 miles at a steady to good pace, or race 10k up to 10 miles.
Monday – easy relaxed 4 to 5 mile run with 4 to 5 x 20 secs relaxed strides. Jog at least 60 secs between.
Tuesday - Run to hill taking about 10 to 15 mins for warm up, then 6 to 7 x 30 to 35 secs up hill (not too steep). Jog back down after each rep. 10 to 15 mins warm down including 2 x 20 secs relaxed stride outs on flat ground.
Wednesday – 6 to 8 miles of steady state running.
Thursday – Warm up 10 mins, then 6 x 2.5 mins at 85/90%. Jog for 2.5 to 3 mins between. Warm down with 10 mins of easy relaxed running.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – 2 miles easy - 2 miles at tempo 80% - 1 mile easy - 1 mile at pace - 1 mile easy.

Week 7

Sunday (Feb 17) – 17 to 18 miles broken down into sections of - 1 mile easy - 3 miles quicker than desired marathon pace - 4 miles at marathon pace - 2 miles at quicker pace – 4 miles at marathon pace – 2 to 3 miles at pace to finish, plus 1 mile warm down.
Monday – 3 to 4 miles easily with 2 to 3 x 20 secs relaxed strides. Jog for at least 60 secs between strides. Rest for those that feel it to be more benefit to have a day off running.
Tuesday – 5 – 7 miles incorporating 4 x 4 mins at 85% with 2 to 4 mins jog recovery between.
Wednesday – 9 miles steady paced run.
Thursday – 6 – 7 miles including 2 sets of 4 x 60 secs at a fast pace with 60 secs jog between. Jog for 6 mins between the sets.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – Good warm up of about 15 mins easy to steady paced running, then 6 to 8 x hill/gradient of approx 30 secs. Fast efforts up hill with a very easy jog back down. Warm down with 10 mins of easy running.

Week 8

Sunday (Feb 24)– 12 to 13 miles incorporating – 2 miles easily – 4 miles at marathon pace – 2 miles easily – 3 miles at marathon pace – 1 mile easy.
Monday – 5 to 6 miles at a steady pace.
Tuesday - Warm up with 10 mins of easy to steady paced running followed by 2 x 10 mins at a pace that equates to about 10 to 15 secs quicker than desired marathon pace. Jog for 5 to 8 mins between with 10 mins easy running to warm down.
Wednesday – 8 to 10 miles of steady paced running incorporating a few hills into the course.
Thursday – Warm up 10 mins, then 4 x 5 mins at 85/90%. Jog for 2.5 to 3 mins between. Warm down with 10 mins of easy relaxed running.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – Good warm up of 15 mins easy paced running with a few strides, followed by a 3 mile timed effort at close to race pace for this distance. Warm down with 8 to 10 mins of easy jogging.

Week 9

Sunday (March 2) – 20 miles. Some of you may well be taking part in various races, but for those of you who are not, use this training run to practice your desired marathon race pace. If nothing else it will give you a good indicator as to how it is all coming together. Break the run down (if not racing) into segments. Start out at a steady pace to get yourself well warmed up and into the run during the first 4 miles and then alternate 2 mile sections at marathon pace with easier running between. All being well you should feel relatively comfortable. If not, then there is still hopefully enough time to increase fitness levels before the big day or perhaps readjust if need be.
Monday– 4 miles nice and relaxed.
Tuesday – 2 miles warm up followed by 6 to 8 x 3 mins at 85/90% with 1.5 mins jog between. Warm down with 1 to 2 miles easy running.
Wednesday – 6 – 7 miles steadily.
Thursday – 2 miles warm up, followed by 5 x 4 mins at 85/90% with 2 mins jog between. Warm down with 1 to 2 miles of easy running.
Friday – Rest or swim.
Saturday – Good warm up of approx 2 miles running, followed by 8 to 10 x fast hill/gradient efforts. Approx 30 secs per rep, jog back down. Use same hill as two Saturday’s ago.

Week 10

Sunday (March 9) – 12 miles. Alternate 2 steady paced miles with 1 mile slightly faster than desired marathon pace.
Monday – 5 to 7 miles fairly easily with 5 x 20 secs relaxed strides. 60 secs easily between strides.
Tuesday – 2 miles warm up followed by 10 x 2 mins at 90% with 1 min jog between. 1 to 2 miles warm down.
Wednesday – 10 miles steady controlled pace.
Thursday – 2 miles warm up followed by 12 to 16 x 1 min fast with 1 min jog between. Warm down 1 to 2 miles easy running.
Friday – Rest or swim.
Saturday – For those racing tomorrow, just an easy 30 min jog. If not racing, then 45 mins good controlled paced run round an undulating course.

Week 11

Sunday (March 17) – *For those who are racing, (ideally a half marathon), warm up with 2 miles of easy running, plus a few strides. Aim to run the race at marathon pace for 9 to 10 miles upping the tempo for the last 3 – 4 miles. This should give you an indication as to how realistic your aims are for the 26.2 miles. Warm down with 2 to 3 miles of easy running to give you a total of 17 to 18 miles.
** Those who are not racing, run 17/ 18 miles at a steady pace. Work the last 3 to 4 miles.
Monday – 4 to 5 miles fairly easily. Include 3 to 4 x 20 secs relaxed stride outs.
Tuesday – Warm up 12 mins of easy to steady pace running followed by 3 to 4 x 6 mins at 85/90% with 3 mins jog between. Warm down with 10 mins of easy running.
Wednesday – 8 miles steadily.
Thursday – 2 miles warm up, then 3 x 75 secs fast with 1 min jog between. Repeat this 2 more times with 6 mins easy running between sets. Warm down with 8 to 10 mins of easy running.
Friday – 3 miles fairly easily.
Saturday – Rest.

Week 12

Sunday (March 23) - 22 to 23 miles. Start with 2 miles easily to warm up, then Include 3 x 3 miles at desired marathon pace with 3 miles easy to steadily after each rep. Finish with a good controlled effort for last 2 to 3 miles.
Monday – Easy 3 to 4 miles. If feeling exceptionally tired, then rest or go for a relaxed swim.
Tuesday – Easy to steady 4 to 6 miles including 3 to 4 x 30 secs relaxed strides. Jog for at least 2 mins between strides.
Wednesday – 2 miles easy, then 8 to 10 x 2 mins at pace with 1 min jog between. 1 to 2 miles easy to warm down.
Thursday – 5 miles easily.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – 6 miles slightly quicker than desired marathon pace.

Week 13

Sunday – Half Marathon Race or 13 to 15 miles, run at desired marathon pace for the first 10 miles picking the pace up for the last 3 to 5 miles.
Monday – 4 to 5 miles fairly easily.
Tuesday – 7 miles steadily.
Wednesday – Warm up with 2 miles of easy to steady running, followed by 3 x 60 secs fast with 90 secs jog after each, 2 x 3 mins fast with 3 mins jog after each and 3 x 60 secs fast with 90 secs jog after each. Warm down with 10 mins of easy running.
Thursday – 4 to 5 miles easily.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – 1 mile easily - 3 miles fast – 1 mile easily.

Week 14

Sunday – 10 Miles steadily, including 2 x 2 miles at marathon pace.
Monday – Rest or 3 to 4 miles easily.
Tuesday – 1 mile easy – 1 mile fast – 1 mile easy.
Wednesday – 3 to 4 miles easily.
Thursday – 3 to 4 miles including 3 x 30 secs stride outs with 2 mins jog between.
Friday – Rest.
Saturday – 20 min jog, firmly focusing your mind on tomorrow’s race.
Sunday – The London Marathon.