Training Plan

Time is marching on, and I am having to start to think about a training plan.  This is something that makes the whole adventure seem a little more “real”.  My once-a-week run is no longer going to be adequate, and will no longer have the excuse of “I can’t be bothered” if I fail to go out for a run.

So, I spent a fair amount of time looking at various training plans.  In the end, I have based my training plan on this one, written by Coach Julie for the Greater Manchester Marathon.

I have two actual half marathon events during the training run – the Alloa Half Marathon on the 18th of March, and the rather frightening-sounding Heaven and Hell race two weeks later, on 8th April.  Apparently its title comes from the heavenly flat parts of the run, and the hellish three-mile climb near the end of the race!  The profile below doesn’t have distances, but it’s certainly scary!

So… after all the waffle, here is the plan:

# W/B Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Miles
1 06-Feb Rest 3 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy 7 mile slow jog/walk 16
2 13-Feb Rest 3 mile easy Rest 4 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy 10 mile slow jog/walk 20
3 20-Feb Rest 5 mile easy, with few faster stretches Rest 5 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy 12 mile slow 22
4 27-Feb Rest 5 mile easy Rest Run to hill, 9 x 40s uphill & jog back. Run home Rest 3 mile easy 10 mile easy >15
5 05-Mar Rest 6 miles
Start slow, then 6 faster bursts between 2 lampposts, cool down jog
Rest Hill session as last week with one extra rep Rest 4 mile easy 13 miles easy >23
6 12-Mar Rest 6 miles
Start slow, build up pace
Rest 7 mile easy Rest 5 mile inc some fast 200m bursts Alloa Half Marathon 31
7 19-Mar Rest Warm up.
3 x 10 mins with faster bursts
Brisk walking between
Cool down brisk walk
Rest 6 mile easy with few surges Rest Warm up.
3 miles brisk.
Warm down
15-16 miles.  Very Easy
Take drinks!
>24
8 26-Mar Rest 5 mile easy, with few faster stretches Rest 7 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy Heaven and Hell Half Marathon 28
9 02-Apr Rest 6 mile steady Rest 8 mile easy Rest Warm up.
3 miles brisk.
Warm down
16-18 miles.
Steady pace
34
10 09-Apr Rest 5 miles easy
Few fast strides
Rest 9 miles easy Rest 3 miles easy 11-13 miles easy jog/walk 29
11 16-Apr Rest Warm up.
6 x 45s fast, 3 min jog.
Warm down
Rest 6 miles.
Start slow.
Finish faster for last 10 mins
Rest 3 mile easy 18 mile jog/walk >27
12 23-Apr Rest 5 mile easy Rest 9 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy 13 mile jog/walk or
Half marathon
30
13 30-Apr Rest 6 mile steady Rest 8 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy 20mile endurance jog / walk.  Prepare drinks in advance 37
14 07-May Rest 8 miles steady Rest 6 mile easy Rest 3 mile brisk 10-12 mile jog / walk 28
15 14-May Rest 6 mile steady Rest 5 mile easy Rest 3 mile easy 10 mile easy.
Practise marathon preparation
25
16 21-May Rest Warm up.
1 mile fast.
Warm down
Rest 3 mile jog.
Wear racing kit
Rest 20 min jog,
inc easy strides & rest
Race Day! 30

So, we start in earnest on Tue 06-Feb – just over three weeks away.  My plan will be that I will report back every Sunday, taking a note of exactly how close – or otherwise – I have come to achieving my goals.

I am determined to be a marathon finisher!