This marathon training schedule will tell you how to go from beginner runner to marathon finisher. If you’re an absolute beginner and can't run continuously for 30 minutes, then first follow one of our get started schedules before embarking on the marathon schedule:
How to Move From Walking to Running
Run Your First Race in Six Weeks
Tips for following the schedule:
• Before you start our walk-run marathon schedule make sure you can run continuously for 30 minutes.
• The same principles apply to your walk-run programme as to any other marathon training schedule. The plan includes runs of varying intensities, a tempo run, an interval session and a long walk-run.
• This schedule is written with flexibility in mind. We’re not setting hard rules, just giving you guidance. Don’t worry about a time, just aim to get round the marathon. Ideally you’ll be able to run for 10 minutes and walk for one minute on race day, but if it’s less, that’s okay.
• Make sure you have a recovery day after the speed, tempo and long run.
• The schedule is planned as follows, weeks one to three are build weeks, week four a maintenance week, weeks five and six are build weeks, week seven a race week, week eight a maintenance week and week nine is the hardest week in terms of volume. Weeks 10 and 11 are taper weeks and finally, week 12 is race week!
12 week schedule – start on January 30th for London 2012 on April 22nd
WEEK ONE – FOUNDATION OF THE SCHEDULE
Day one: EASY RUN: 30 minutes to 75 minutes
Day two: SPEED: 40 to 50 minutes walk/run – Warm up jog for 5 minutes, then walk/run intervals at a ratio of 30 seconds to 2 minutes walking (depending on your level) to 3 minutes running with 5 minutes cool down.
For example, 30 minutes of 5 x 3 minutes running (15) with 5 x 2 minute recoveries (10) (total time 25 plus 10 minutes warm up and cool down = 45 minutes)
OR 28 minutes of 8 x 3 minutes running (24 minutes) with 8 x 30 second recovery (4 minutes)
For more information see Speed, Interval and Fartlek Training Explained
Day three: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 20 minutes run comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down.
For more information see Tempo or Threshold Run Training Explained
Day four: LONG WALK-RUN: Walk run for 1 hour 30 minutes – aim to build up to 10 minutes running one minute walking, but you can start off at a ratio of 3 minutes running to one minute walking and increase the running element over the 12 week period, easing off in the maintenance and race weeks. For example if you start with 3 minutes running in week one, you could go to 5 in week two, seven in week three, and keep it at seven for maintenance week four and race week five, then build to 10 by week eight and nine (keep it at 10 minutes running as the overall time on your feet will increase), ready for tapering down in week 10.
For more information see Long Run Training Explained
FROM THIS BUILD UP AS FOLLOWS…
WEEK TWO
DAY ONE: EASY RUN: 35 minutes
DAY TWO: SPEED: 50 to 55 minutes walk/run
DAY THREE: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 25 minutes run comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down
DAY FOUR: LONG WALK-RUN: for 1 hour 30 minutes
WEEK THREE:
DAY ONE: EASY RUN: 40 minutes
DAY TWO: SPEED: 60 minutes walk/run
DAY THREE: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 30 minutes run comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down
DAY FOUR: LONG: Walk run for 1 hour 45 minutes
WEEK FOUR: MAINTENANCE WEEK
DAY THREE: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 20 TO 30 minutes run comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down
DAY FOUR: LONG WALK-RUN: for 1 hour 45 minutes
WEEK FIVE:
DAY ONE: EASY RUN: 45 minutes
DAY TWO: SPEED: 60 minutes walk/run – start to make intervals longer, faster and recovery less (eg 8 x 3 minutes with 1 minute recovery)
DAY THREE: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 35 minutes run comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down
DAY FOUR: LONG WALK-RUN: for 2 hours TO 2:15
WEEK SIX:
DAY ONE: EASY RUN: 50 minutes
DAY TWO: SPEED: 60 minutes walk/run – start to make intervals longer, faster and recovery less (eg 5 x 6 minutes with 1 minute walk recovery)
DAY THREE: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 40 minutes run comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down
DAY FOUR: LONG WALK-RUN: for 2:30
WEEK SEVEN: RACE WEEK
DAY THREE: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 20 minutes run comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down
DAY FOUR: LONG: HALF MARATHON – WALK RUN
WEEK EIGHT: MAINTENANCE
DAY TWO: SPEED: 60 minutes walk/run - try fartlek <<link>> on a hilly course
DAY FOUR: LONG: Walk run for 2:30
WEEK NINE:
DAY ONE: EASY RUN: 60 minutes
DAY TWO: SPEED: 5k Try a parkrun
DAY FOUR: LONG WALK-RUN: for 3 hours
WEEK 10: TAPER ONE
DAY TWO: SPEED: 10 x short hills and walk/run
DAY THREE: TEMPO: 10 minutes walk 30 minutes at goal marathon run pace (eg 10 minute mile pace with walking recoveries) comfortably hard 10 minutes cool down
DAY FOUR: LONG WALK-RUN: for 3 hours – more walking!
WEEK 11: TAPER TWO
DAY TWO: SPEED: 10 x 1 minute bursts
DAY THREE: EASY RUN: 60 minutes
DAY FOUR: LONG WALK-RUN: for 2:45 hours – more walking!
WEEK 12: RACE WEEK
DAY ONE: EASY RUN: 30 minutes
DAY TWO: SPEED: 8 x 90 second bursts
DAY THREE: EASY RUN: 30 minutes in kit
DAY FOUR: MARATHON: WALK/RUN TO SUCCESS!
Aim to run for 15 minutes walk for 1 minute and in the second part of the race you can reduce the running to 10 minutes.