Training Plan For Loch Ness

Last time I started marathon training, I started a blog and posted my training plan on it.

This wasn’t (just) self-aggrandisement or self-publicity.  It was an attempt to have some form of public conscience.  If I didn’t stick to the training, I would need to come to the blog and explain why – so I’d better have a pretty good excuse!

That part seemed to work, so I’m going to do the same again.

This is my training plan, which I hope will lead me to a four hour marathon at the end of September.

In the interest of brevity I have not listed all the warm-up and cool-down phases of my planned runs, rather I have listed the main “target” or “activity” part of the run. Most of the weekday runs will probably be run on the same 6 mile course that I often run, all that will change is the “how” of the run.
Parkruns are generally expected to be the “fast” run of the week – though my “fast” may be a lot less fast than other people’s “fast”!

# W/B Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Miles (approx)
1 11-Jun Rest 4 x (5+1) threshold Rest 1 x 10min threshold Rest Parkrun 90 minute LSR 25
2 18-Jun Rest 5 x (5+1) threshold Rest Giffnock 10k Rest Parkrun 120 minute LSR 28
3 25-Jun Rest 3 x (8+1.5) threshold Rest 1 x 15 min threshold Rest Parkrun 90 minute LSR 25
4 02-Jul Rest 3 x (10+1.5) threshold Rest 3 x (6+1.5) Kenyan Hills Rest Parkrun (run to & from) 120 minute LSR 34
5 09-Jul Rest 45 min recovery Rest 1 x 20min threshold Rest Parkrun 135 minute 30
6 16-Jul Rest 45 minute recovery Rest 3 x (10+1.5) Kenyan Hills Rest Parkrun (run to & from) 90 minute LSR 31
7 23-Jul Rest 45 minute reovery with hills Rest 3 x (10+1) Kenyan Hills Rest Parkrun at recovery pace Dundee Half Marathon 27
8 30-Jul Rest 45 minute recovery Rest 3 x (12+1) Kenyan Hills Rest 135 minute LSR (in Manchester) Rest 28
9 06-Aug NODA Summer School NODA Summer School NODA Summer School NODA Summer School NODA Summer School NODA Summer School 135 minute LSR (in Lancaster) 15
10 13-Aug Rest 45 minute recovery Rest 2 x (10+1.5) threshold Rest Parkrun 180 minute LSR 35
11 20-Aug Rest 45 minute recovery Rest 1 x 20 min threshold Rest Parkrun (run to & from) 90 minute LSR 31
12 27-Aug Rest 4 x (5+1) threshold Rest 5 x (5+1) threshold Rest 2 mile recovery Glasgow Half Marathon 27
13 03-Sep Rest 40 minute recovery Rest 3 x (5+1) threshold Rest Parkrun at recovery pace 22 mile LSR 37
14 10-Sep Rest 40 minute recover Rest 3 x (5+2) Kenyan hills Rest Parkrun at recovery pace 90 minute LSR 20
15 17-Sep Rest 30 minute recovery Rest 30 minute recovery Rest Parkrun at recovery pace 60 minute LSR 15
16 24-Sep Rest 2 x (5+1.5) threshold Rest 30 minute recovery Rest 20 minute recovery Race Day! 34

So… this gives me a planned grand total of something like 448 miles of training throughout the sixteen weeks. as compared to the 419 that I actually achieved last time… Let’s see what comes of it all!