Full Marathon Training Plan (50-70 km Weekly Mileage)

Welcome to Your Personalised Full Marathon Training Plan!

This 20-week Full Marathon Training Plan is designed for runners who have previously completed a marathon and are now looking to improve their performance and run a stronger, faster marathon. With a weekly mileage target of 60-70 km, this program focuses on refining your endurance, speed, and race-specific strength to help you achieve your personal best. Whether you’re aiming to break your current marathon PR or build a more robust training foundation, this plan will guide you toward achieving your goals.

Getting Started Call:

The journey begins with a personalised getting started call to assess your current training, past marathon experience, and future goals. During this session, we’ll review your fitness level, current running habits, and available time to ensure the plan fits your lifestyle and sets you up for success.

Communication:

Throughout the training, you’ll receive weekly check-ins to monitor your progress and adjust the plan as necessary. This regular communication will keep you on track, provide motivation, and allow for timely adjustments based on how your body is responding to the training load.

Consultations:

You’ll have the opportunity for 30-minute consultations twice a month, where we will review your training, discuss challenges, and troubleshoot any areas of concern. These sessions help ensure your training is aligned with your goals and that you're consistently improving throughout the program.

Plan Structure & Updates:

This 20-week plan is divided into four key phases to gradually build your weekly mileage and intensity, helping you progress smoothly toward race day.

• Base Building Phase (Weeks 1-6):
  We’ll focus on rebuilding and strengthening your aerobic base, starting with weekly mileage of 50-60 km and incorporating long, easy-paced runs to enhance endurance.
• Strength & Speed Phase (Weeks 7-12):
  Introduce intervals, hill workouts, and tempo runs designed to build strength, speed, and stamina, with weekly mileage increasing to 60-65 km.
• Peak Phase (Weeks 13-18):
  Your mileage will peak at 65-70 km per week during this phase, with long runs reaching 30-32 km. Marathon-pace efforts and sustained runs at race-specific intensity will prepare you physically and mentally for the demands of marathon day.
• Taper & Race Preparation (Weeks 19-20):
  These final two weeks focus on tapering down your mileage, allowing your body to recover while fine-tuning race day strategies, nutrition, and pacing.

The plan will be updated weekly to ensure it adapts to your progress, keeping your training fresh and challenging as you build toward your race goal.

Components of the Plan:

• Mileage Progression:
  The plan starts at 50-60 km per week and peaks at 65-70 km, ensuring your body is prepared for the sustained efforts required during a marathon.
• Strength Training:
  You will engage in strength sessions to focus on improving running economy, preventing injuries, and building core and lower-body strength, which are essential for endurance.
• Mobility & Flexibility:
  Mobility and stretching routines will be included to maintain flexibility and prevent tightness, ensuring you stay injury-free and ready for every training session.
• Recovery Runs & Rest Days:
  Carefully scheduled recovery runs and rest days allow your body to adapt to the increasing training load, reducing the risk of burnout and overtraining.

Strength Training Over Video Call:

To enhance your training, we offer weekly strength training sessions via video call. These sessions focus on improving your running-specific strength, targeting key muscle groups like the core, hips, and legs to help you maintain good form throughout your race. The video calls allow for live feedback and adjustments, ensuring your form and technique are correct.

Terrain-Specific Guidance:

Receive personalised guidance based on the terrain of your upcoming race. Whether your marathon includes hills or flat roads, the plan will incorporate terrain-specific workouts that mimic race day conditions, helping you prepare mentally and physically for the course.

Periodized Training:

This plan follows a periodized structure, gradually increasing your mileage and intensity to ensure you peak at the right time for your marathon. The balance of hard and easy weeks allows you to push your limits without risking injury or burnout.

Diverse Workouts:

Your training will include a wide variety of workouts to improve all aspects of your running:

• Long Runs:
  The cornerstone of marathon training, with distances progressing from 20 km to 32 km, these runs are designed to build endurance and help you practice marathon pacing.
• Tempo Runs:
  These mid-length runs at a comfortably hard pace improve your lactate threshold, helping you sustain faster paces for longer periods.
• Interval Workouts:
  Short, intense efforts (such as 800m repeats) designed to improve your speed and cardiovascular fitness.
• Hill Workouts:
  These sessions help build strength and power, crucial for maintaining pace on hilly marathon courses.

Peak Mileage:

During the peak phase (Weeks 13-18), you’ll hit your highest mileage, ranging from 65-70 km per week. This phase is critical for building the endurance and strength you need to tackle the marathon distance with confidence. Long runs during this phase will reach up to 32 km, simulating race-day demands.

Metric Tracking:

Track your progress through detailed metrics, including pace, distance, and intensity. Monitoring these key areas will allow you to see improvements in both your endurance and speed over time.

Taper and Race Day Preparation:

In the final two weeks, your mileage will taper off to allow your body to fully recover while staying sharp. During this period, we’ll work on refining your race day strategy, pacing plan, nutrition, and mental readiness to ensure you’re in peak condition on race day.

Detailed Workout Descriptions:

Each workout comes with detailed instructions and pacing guidelines, so you’ll know exactly how to approach every run and strength session. This clarity ensures you maximize the effectiveness of each workout and stay aligned with your goals.

Who Is This Plan For?

This plan is designed for athletes who:

• Have already completed a marathon and are looking to improve their performance.
• Want to focus on refining their endurance and speed with a 60-70 km per week structured training plan.
• Are committed to a 20-week program that builds on previous marathon experience, gradually increasing mileage and intensity for optimal race performance.
• Are looking for ongoing support and video-based strength training to complement their running.