Marathon training schedule for
beginner marathoners who want to train for their first marathon.
Discover exactly how to train for your first marathon with this
marathon training program for beginners.
If you
are a beginner marathoner then this marathon training program to train
for your first marathon is going to be critical to you crossing the
finishing line. It is important that when you are training for your
marathon you follow a proven step-by-step marathon training program
that has been proven to work.
The
reason for this is that if you don't follow a marathon guide that
has been used by thousands of other marathon runners then you will
probably feel tired and lethargic during the build-up phase of your
marathon training. Not only will you probably be feeling flat during
this period but you will also be more likely to develop a niggling
injury if you don't train for your marathon the right way.
The best advice on how to train for
a marathon is to follow a training program that
slowly builds your weekly mileage. If you go out and train hundreds
of miles right off the bat then you are setting yourself up for a
running injury.
When
building up your mileage slowly, the best way to do this is to adhere
to the ten percent rule. The ten percent rule means that you should
not increase your weekly mileage by more than ten percent in any
given week.
By
following this rule you will give your muscles the chance to increase
in stamina relatively naturally. When your muscles build up naturally
over time then you are more likely to avoid feeling tired and flat
during the build-up phase of your marathon training program.
For
example, if you have increased your marathon training to say 25
miles. Then by following the ten percent rule you should then aim to
run 27-28 miles in the following week. It doesn't sound like a very
large additional mileage to cover, however this is the most
beneficial way to increase your marathon training workload.
The
other part to be aware of during your marathon running program is to
include a taper period into your training. What I see most beginner
marathon runners do is train right up until their marathon race. I
guess they believe that the more miles they get into their legs the
fitter they will be for their marathon race.
This
seems fine however if you train right up until you run a marathon then
you
will not have given your muscles a chance to recover from the stress
and strain they have gone through during the marathon
program.
A better
way to train for your marathon is to include a taper phase into your
marathon running program. A taper phase is a period where you
actually decrease your total weekly mileage. This decrease in your
total weekly mileage allows your body to recover and therefore you
are more likely to be in optimum condition on your race day.
The best
time to start tapering your training is around 3 weeks prior
to your marathon race. In the taper phase you should then aim to
decrease your total weekly mileage by around 25% in any given week.
For
example, just say you have followed a marathon running program that
includes a taper period and you have maximized your total weekly
mileage to 40 miles per week around 3 weeks prior to your marathon.
If you then decrease your weekly mileage by 25% then you should aim
to train 30 miles in the next week. Obviously, depending on your
marathon goals your weekly mileage will differ from this example.
Following
a taper phase like this will then leave you feeling energetic and
full of confidence for your marathon race.
The
other component your marathon schedule should include is how
you should break your training sessions up. For example, most
beginner marathon runners just go out and train hundreds of miles.
However, to get the most out of your training you should
break your training up into long and short training sessions.
The
reason for this is that you will still be getting the maximum number
of miles into your legs, however you will also be incorporating rest
periods into your training if you want to.
The way
most elite marathon runners train is to include one long training run
into their marathon training program. The long training session is
usually done on the weekend when they have the time to complete it.
It is this long training session where you will get the majority of
your stamina and fitness levels from.
After
the long training run most elite marathon runners usually have a rest
day in order to give their muscles a chance to recover. It is rest
days like this which will minimize your chance of developing an
injury.
You
should also include a semi-long training run and two shorter training
runs into your marathon training program. Optionally you can also
include a cross-training session into your marathon training program.