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!