Whether you're aiming for a personal best or hoping to finish your first marathon, having a good training plan will help you maximize the benefit of your training runs and set you up for success. This article details an Advanced Marathon Training Plan, a structured training schedule that will get you ready to cross the line safely and comfortably.

The training plan we will discuss in this article has been developed for advanced runners.

Specifically, this plan is appropriate for athletes who are experienced as runners and have been running at least two to three times a week for several months. If you've been running for a while and fall into one of the following categories, this is the best training plan for you:

• You have very few limitations on your time availability
• You have an extensive background in exercise and training
• You have experience with running races
• You are hoping to finish a marathon as fast as you can

If you're a newer runner looking to complete your first marathon race or are not yet able to run for 45 minutes without stopping, it's best to start with our Beginner Marathon Training Plan. If you're a brand new runner, we'd suggest starting with our Couch to 5k / Learn to Run plan.

Similarly, if you're an experienced runner looking to improve your marathon time but don't have quite as much time for training, we have a marathon training plan for intermediate runners.

This Advanced Marathon training program is adapted from the training plans in our app that are written by coaches who know what it takes for amateur age group runners to overcome challenges and reach their endurance race goals.

Before describing the plan, let's go through a few basic questions, which we'll address in this article:

• How long is a marathon?
• What's an average finish time for a marathon?
• How do you train for a marathon?
• What's a good marathon finish time?
• How long should you train for a marathon?
• What is your marathon pace?
• What is an advanced marathon training program?

Also, keep in mind that while the training plan below is absolutely sufficient to prepare you for a fast marathon race, if you really want a personalized training program designed for your abilities, goals, and schedule, you should check out the MOTTIV training app. The app is free, and it includes much more detailed and personalized plans than we can include in a blog post.

TRAINING PLAN OVERVIEW

• Plan length: 18 weeks
• Hours per week: 4:00 – 8:30
• Longest workout: 3:15
• Gear required: Heart rate monitor

Tips to Successfully Train for a Marathon

Before diving into the training plan, we'll provide some basic information about the marathon running distance, as well as a few training tips. These will help you prepare for your marathon race successfully while avoiding some of the pitfalls that many runners encounter.

How Long is a Marathon?

Before starting a marathon training program, make sure you understand what you're preparing for. A marathon is 42 kilometers. For non-metric folks, that's equal to 26.2 miles.

What is an Average Marathon Finish Time?

Enter your age and gender into the calculator below to find out what a good marathon finish time for your age group is.

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How Much Do You Need to Train for a Marathon?

Knowing your weekly mileage (how many miles per week you should run in training) depends on your race distance, your athletic background, and your goals.

For example, say you're a newer athlete without an endurance sports background but aim to be very competitive in a marathon race. To do this, you'll need to build up your training for much longer and run many more miles per week than, for example, an elite endurance athlete from another sport who just wants to finish a 5k.

Use the calculator below to get a sense of our recommended training time and miles a week required to meet your goals.

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What Gear Do You Need to Train for a Marathon?

We recommend two items for all runners to prepare for a marathon: proper running shoes and a strap-based heart rate monitor. Here's a video about what to look for in running shoes, and here's an article on everything you need to know about heart rate training zones and why we use them.

If you'd like to dial in your training and racing even more, a running watch with GPS is a great investment.

Heart Rate Training Zones for Running

One of the first steps in training using our Advanced Marathon Plan is determining your heart rate zones. Heart rate zones provide ranges of heart rate for different levels of running intensity. The lowest heart rate zones - Zones 1 and 2 - are the proper zones to use for easy running.

You can use this calculator to determine your heart rate training zones:

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In any run training plan, you'll find that a lot of the running you'll be doing is easy, low-intensity running. Low-intensity running should always be guided by heart rate, not pace.

When you follow your heart rate, you'll likely find that your easy run training is quite slow. This is okay! Low-intensity, easy running allows you to build endurance without as much physical stress.

Marathon Training Paces

Interval running workouts, also known as "speed work," should be done using pace as opposed to heart rate. Pace is better than heart rate for intense runs because heart rate will lag by 60-120 seconds - which means you'll often be done with the interval before your heart rate stabilizes. On the other hand, your running pace, which you can track using a GPS watch, is instant.

Use this calculator to calculate your run training pace per mile and kilometer.

Low-Intensity Running

Our training plans are based on the pyramidal model (similar to polarized training, 80/20 running, and the Maffetone Method, but with improvements) of training where 70-80% of the training is done at low intensity or in Zones 1 and 2.

Studies have shown that all athletes will perform better when completing the bulk of their training at a low intensity. If you are a newer runner, you may initially find it tough to keep your heart rate in Zone 2. Stick with it! You'll perform much better in the long run if you do the bulk of your training at a low intensity.

What To Eat When Training for a Marathon

Making good decisions about what you eat and drink before running, during your training runs, and during your marathon race can have a major impact on your performance. In fact, physiologists we've worked with believe that proper nutrition and hydration can generate the same race results with half the training!

This article discusses what to eat before your runs and explains what you should eat during running workouts and races.

BONUS: Check out the example workout below from one of our marathon training plans. You can see that every workout in our app comes with personalized nutrition guidance for before and during your run to maximize the workout's effectiveness.

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Rest & Recovery

Your marathon training plan will have complete rest days. Also, every third or fourth week will be a rest week with reduced training hours. It's critical that you take these days to rest and recover. If you do a bunch of heavy yard work or spend the recovery days on your feet walking around a mall, your body won't have the chance to recover and improve from the training.

Remember this formula:

WORKOUTS + REST = PROGRESS

Take your rest days seriously to make sure you avoid overtraining and actually progress in your training.

Taper Week

The Advanced Marathon training plan includes a taper period in the weeks before race day. During this period, training volumes will be reduced by roughly 50% while some intense bursts of speed will be maintained. This process will allow your body to flush out all the training fatigue and have lots of energy in the race. Take the taper process seriously, resting and sleeping as much as possible during taper week.

Marathon Race Pace

A good training plan will include workouts with race-pace intervals, which will help you develop the ability to run fast without getting tired. You can use the calculator below to calculate your approximate marathon race pace for these intervals.

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The Best Marathon Training Plan for Every Runner

Our run training plans are written by the excellent coaches at Run Free Training, who know what it takes to help amateur athletes reach their goals. While the coaches are elite runners themselves, they have a great understanding of how to create training plans that are time efficient and overcome the obstacles most age group runners face in their training.

Advanced Marathon Training Plan Workouts

The Advanced Marathon plan has runs on four days a week, one day of strength training per week, and one day of mobility work. The plan maxes out at around 8.5 hours of training per week.

Here are the types of workouts you'll find in the Advanced Marathon program:

Long Run (60 Minutes to 3 Hours, 15 Minutes)

The most important run in a run training plan is the weekly long run, which most runners do on the weekend when they have more time available. The long run is low intensity and builds up gradually to eventually reach three hours and 15 minutes for the Advanced Marathon training program.

This run will build endurance and teach your body to produce the energy necessary to complete the distance of your race. This article explains the long run, how to execute it well, and what to eat before and during it.

Here is an example of what a long run looks like from our Advanced Marathon Training Plan:

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Interval Run (40 to 100 Minutes)

In the Advanced Marathon plan, you'll see a weekly interval run, which we call the "Intense Run." The interval run will build your top end speed and be based on your goal run pace determined in the calculator above.

This article explains how to execute an interval run and what to eat before and during the workout to get the most out of it.

Here is an example of what an interval run looks like from our Advanced Marathon Training Plan:

Tempo Run (40 to 90 minutes)

The weekly tempo run (which we call the steady run) bridges the gap between the endurance you'll build in your long runs and the speed you build in the interval runs. It teaches you how to maintain a strong speed over increasingly longer distances.

Tempo runs have been proven to be a key component of a successful run training plan. You can learn all about tempo runs in this article.

Here is an example of what a tempo run looks like from our Advanced Marathon Training Plan:

Recovery Run (30 to 60 minutes)

A recovery run is a very low-intensity run meant to be a low-stress way to add a little additional run fitness without risking overtraining or injury. Recovery runs have been proven to not actually enhance recovery, which is why we call them General or Easy Runs. You can read more about recovery runs in this article here.

Here is an example of what a recovery run looks like from our Advanced Marathon training plan:

Strength Workout (30 minutes)

Cross-training with strength workouts is critical for athletes who don't want to simply finish their race and want to finish feeling strong. Strength training for runners has been proven to improve race performances, and athletes tend to feel much better physically. We believe so strongly in strength training that our app has 25 hours of guided strength workouts designed specifically for the needs and imbalances of endurance athletes. You can read all about strength training for runners here.

Our Advanced Marathon training plan includes one day of strength training a week.

Mobility Workout (30 minutes)

Yoga hasn't been shown to improve race day performance for runners, but most athletes feel much better if they include some light stretching at least once per week. Our app has nearly 15 hours of guided mobility workouts based on Hatha and Yin yoga, which is slower and less intense than most yoga classes you'd do in a studio. You can read all about why we believe runners with more time available should include a mobility session in their training plan here.

The Advanced Marathon training plan includes one day each week that is devoted to yoga.

Advanced Marathon Training Program

• Week 1: Fitness Testing & Zone Development. (3:55-4:15hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (40-60mins): 
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 5 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort 1 minute easy jogging recovery 4 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery, 3 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery, 2 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery, 1 minute at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Main Set: 5 minutes of Crocodile Breathing Rib Cage Pull, 5 breathes each side Brettzel, 5 each side Toe Touch Progression - Toes Elevated, Heels down, 10x each exercise Tibialis Anterior Activation, 3x each side, hold for 5 sec each time, Bootstrappers 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (50-70mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set 1. 20 Minutes: Run steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 
•     Rest Set. 3 Minutes: Easy walking/jogging 
•     Main Set 2. Repeat twice: 5 minutes at tempo effort 1 minute walking/jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run 30-40 Minutes: 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Run Time Trial Workout (60mins):
•     Warm Up. 10 Minutes: 5 minute easy jogging warm up, 5 minutes of running drills & dynamic stretching, include 5x50m strides building to zone 4 effort 
•     Running time trial. 3 kilometres (1.86 miles): Run this distance as fast as possible 
•     Cool Down: Run the remainder of the run in Zone 2 until you reach 60 minutes total running
• Week 2: Adapt to New Training Zones. (4:40-5:50hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (60-80mins): 
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 6-8 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 800m at marathon goal time, 2.5 minutes easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. (10-20mins): Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation     Workout Pattern: 2 rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set: straight arm bar to Turkish get up with Windmill, 1x each side (Light Kettlebell) Side Saddle Sit, switch & lift, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell) Low Squat Hold, 1 minute (Light Kettlebell) Tall Kneeing halo, 8x each direction (Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cooldown Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: Scorpion, Hip Flexor Stretch, Figure 4 & Thread the Needle 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (55-75mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 12 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (45-55mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (65-75mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate 
• Week 3: Build Endurance & Speed. (4:45-5:55hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (45-65mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 10-12 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 minute effort uphill at moderate effort zone 4 effort, easy downhill jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: 2 rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set: Active Leg Lifts with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Active Leg Lower with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling Twists with 1 KB - Head, Trunk, 1 minute each rotation, do both sides (Medium Kettlebell) Side squats, 2 sec holds, alternate sides, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell) Turkish get up Transitions, 3x per side (Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: 
•     Tactical Frog, Spine Lumbar Twist Stretch 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (65-85mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 15 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3, 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (50-60mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate 
•   Sunday. Long Run  (70-80mins):
•     Warm Up. 30 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 12 minutes at goal marathon pace, 3 minutes easy jogging recovery 
•     Cooldown. 15-25 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1 
• Week 4: Recovery Week. (4:35-5:45hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (60-80mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 5-6 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 mile (1600m) at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up: 5-10 minutes of light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: Repeat each exercise for 2 more rounds, 5x each side / 1 minute / 3x each leg with 2x each side 
•     Main Set: Half Kneeling - Twist THEN Press, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling - Twist WITH Press, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling - 2 Kettlebell Turns, 30 seconds per side (Medium Kettlebell) Half Kneeling to Standing Rotation, 1x each leg with 1x each side (Medium Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down: 3-5 minutes of light stretching 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (50-70mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 30 Minutes: Run steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (45-55mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (65-75mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate 
• Week 5: Build Baseline Endurance & Speed (5:05-6:15hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (60-80mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 8-9 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 3 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 2 minutes easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: 2 rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set: Active Leg Lifts with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Active Leg Lower with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling Twists with 1 KB - Head, Trunk, 1 minute each rotation, do both sides (Medium Kettlebell) Side squats, 2 sec holds, alternate sides, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell) Turkish get up Transitions, 3x per side (Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: 
•     Tactical Frog, Spine Lumbar Twist Stretch 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (70-90mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 7-8 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 mile at fast tempo effort 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (50-60mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate 
•   Sunday. Long Run  (70-80mins):
•     Warm Up. 15 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1 
•     Main Set. Repeat 10-11 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 mile at goal marathon pace, 2 minutes easy jogging recovery 
•     Cooldown. 10-15 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1
• Week 6: Build Baseline Endurance & Speed. (5:00-6:10hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (70-90mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 1 mile at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery, 2 miles at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery, 2 miles at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery, 1 mile at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation     Workout Pattern: Three rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set. Turkish get up , 2x each side (Light Kettlebell) Windmill, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell, hold with arm facing up) Side squats, 5x each side (Light Kettlebell) Halos, 5x each direction (Light Kettlebell) Bent arm bar, 5x each side(Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: 
•     Spine Lumbar Twist Stretch, Scorpion, Hip Flexor with back foot turned in 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (60-80mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 40 Minutes: Run steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga. 
•   Saturday. Easy Run (45-55mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (70-80mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate
• Week 7: Recovery Week. (4:20-5:20hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (50-60mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 10-12 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 30 second zone 5 effort uphill, easy downhill jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Round 1: Tactical Frog, 1min Scorpion, 5x each direction Side Saddle Sit, 1 minute each side 
•     Round 2: Tactical Frog with Rotation, 5x per side Scorpion, 30 seconds each side Side Saddle Sit with Lift, 5 lifts each side 
•     Round 3: Tactical Frog, 1min Scorpion, 30 seconds each side Side Saddle Sit with Lift, 5 lifts each side                      
•     Stretches: Bridge with palms together, hold 1-1.5min Bridge with palms together, hold 30sec Child's Pose, 1min Pigeon Stretch, 1 minute each side 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (55-75mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 10 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3, 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga. 
•   Saturday. Easy Run (30-40mins):
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate 
•   Sunday. Long Run  (70-80mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
• Week 8: Build Endurance & Speed. (4:20-5:30hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (50-70mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 12-16 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 200m at the fast end of 5k race pace with 1.5 minutes easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up: 5-10 minutes of light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: Repeat each exercise for 2 more rounds, 5x each side / 1 minute / 3x each leg with 2x each side 
•     Main Set: Half Kneeling - Twist THEN Press, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling - Twist WITH Press, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling - 2 Kettlebell Turns, 30 seconds per side (Medium Kettlebell) Half Kneeling to Standing Rotation, 1x each leg with 1x each side (Medium Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down: 3-5 minutes of light stretching
•   Thursday. Steady Run (50-70mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat twice: 15 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2  
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (35-45mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (70-80mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate
• Week 9: Fitness Testing & Zone Development. (3:55-4:55hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (40-60mins): 
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 5 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort 1 minute easy jogging recovery 4 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery, 3 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery, 2 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery, 1 minute at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Main Set: 5 minutes of Crocodile Breathing Rib Cage Pull, 5 breathes each side Brettzel, 5 each side Toe Touch Progression - Toes Elevated, Heels down, 10x each exercise Tibialis Anterior Activation, 3x each side, hold for 5 sec each time, Bootstrappers 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (50-70mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set 1. 20 Minutes: Run steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 
•     Rest Set. 3 Minutes: Easy walking/jogging 
•     Main Set 2. Repeat twice: 5 minutes at tempo effort 1 minute walking/jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (30-40mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Run Time Trial Workout (60mins):
•     Warm Up. 10 Minutes: 5 minute easy jogging warm up, 5 minutes of running drills & dynamic stretching, include 5x50m strides building to zone 4 effort 
•     Running time trial. 3 kilometres (1.86 miles): Run this distance as fast as possible 
•     Cool Down: Run the remainder of the run in Zone 2 until you reach 60 minutes total running
• Week 10: Adapt to New Training Zones. (5:05-6:15hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (45-65mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 10-12 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 minute effort uphill at moderate effort zone 4 effort, easy downhill jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: 2 rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set: Active Leg Lifts with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Active Leg Lower with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling Twists with 1 KB - Head, Trunk, 1 minute each rotation, do both sides (Medium Kettlebell) Side squats, 2 sec holds, alternate sides, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell) Turkish get up Transitions, 3x per side (Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: 
•     Tactical Frog, Spine Lumbar Twist Stretch 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (65-85mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 15 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3, 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (50-60mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate 
•   Sunday. Long Run  (90-100mins):
•     Warm Up. 30 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 12 minutes at goal marathon pace, 3 minutes easy jogging recovery 
•     Cooldown. 15-25 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1 
• Week 11: Build Endurance & Speed. (5:15-6:25hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (55-75mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 8-10 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 2 minutes at the fast end of 10k race effort, 1 minute easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins):
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: Three rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set. Turkish get up , 2x each side (Light Kettlebell) Windmill, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell, hold with arm facing up) Side squats, 5x each side (Light Kettlebell) Halos, 5x each direction (Light Kettlebell) Bent arm bar, 5x each side(Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: 
• Spine Lumbar Twist Stretch, Scorpion, Hip Flexor with back foot turned in 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (50-70mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 4-5 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 mile (1600m) at fast tempo effort, 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (45-55mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate 
•   Sunday. Long Run  (110-120mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate
• Week 12: Recovery Week. (4:15-5:35hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (55-75mins): 
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 5-6 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 kilometre at 10k race pace 2 minutes easy jogging recovery
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Round 1: Tactical Frog, 1min Scorpion, 5x each direction Side Saddle Sit, 1 minute each side 
•     Round 2: Tactical Frog with Rotation, 5x per side Scorpion, 30 seconds each side Side Saddle Sit with Lift, 5 lifts each side 
•     Round 3: Tactical Frog, 1min Scorpion, 30 seconds each side Side Saddle Sit with Lift, 5 lifts each side 
•     Stretches: Bridge with palms together, hold 1-1.5min Bridge with palms together, hold 30sec Child's Pose, 1min Pigeon Stretch, 1 minute each side 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (55-75mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 4 times: 8 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3, 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga. 
•   Saturday. Easy Run (30-40mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (60-80mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
• Week 13: Build Endurance & Speed. (5:00-6:45hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (60-80mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 5-6 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 1 mile (1600m) at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up: 5-10 minutes of light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: Repeat each exercise for 2 more rounds, 5x each side / 1 minute / 3x each leg with 2x each side 
•     Main Set: Half Kneeling - Twist THEN Press, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling - Twist WITH Press, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling - 2 Kettlebell Turns, 30 seconds per side (Medium Kettlebell) Half Kneeling to Standing Rotation, 1x each leg with 1x each side (Medium Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down: 3-5 minutes of light stretching 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (50-70mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 30 Minutes: Run steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (45-55mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (120-135mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate 
• Week 14: Build Endurance & Speed. (6:20-7:35hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (70-90mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 1 mile at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery, 2 miles at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery, 2 miles at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery, 1 mile at 10k race pace, 3.5 minutes easy walking/jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation     Workout Pattern: Three rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set. Turkish get up , 2x each side (Light Kettlebell) Windmill, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell, hold with arm facing up) Side squats, 5x each side (Light Kettlebell) Halos, 5x each direction (Light Kettlebell) Bent arm bar, 5x each side(Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: 
•     Spine Lumbar Twist Stretch, Scorpion, Hip Flexor with back foot turned in 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (60-80mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 40 Minutes: Run steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga. 
•   Saturday. Easy Run (45-55mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (150-165mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate
• Week 15: Recovery Week. (4:30-5:30hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (50-60mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 10-12 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 30 second zone 5 effort uphill, easy downhill jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Round 1: Tactical Frog, 1min Scorpion, 5x each direction Side Saddle Sit, 1 minute each side 
•     Round 2: Tactical Frog with Rotation, 5x per side Scorpion, 30 seconds each side Side Saddle Sit with Lift, 5 lifts each side 
•     Round 3: Tactical Frog, 1min Scorpion, 30 seconds each side Side Saddle Sit with Lift, 5 lifts each side 
•     Stretches: Bridge with palms together, hold 1-1.5min Bridge with palms together, hold 30sec Child's Pose, 1min Pigeon Stretch, 1 minute each side 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (55-75mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 10 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3, 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga. 
•   Saturday. Easy Run (30-40mins):
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate 
•   Sunday. Long Run  (80-90mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
• Week 16: Build Endurance & Speed. (7:15-8:30hrs)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (80-100mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 10-12 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 800m at marathon goal time, 2.5 minutes easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes: Light bodyweight activation 
•     Workout Pattern: 2 rounds with 1 minute rest between rounds 
•     Main Set: Active Leg Lifts with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Active Leg Lower with KB Bottoms Up, 10x each side (Light Kettlebell) Half Kneeling Twists with 1 KB - Head, Trunk, 1 minute each rotation, do both sides (Medium Kettlebell) Side squats, 2 sec holds, alternate sides, 5x each side (Medium Kettlebell) Turkish get up Transitions, 3x per side (Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: 
•     Tactical Frog, Spine Lumbar Twist Stretch 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (70-90mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. 6-8 Miles: Run steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3, ending when you feel like the next mile is the last you could possibly do at the same pace 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (50-60mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
•   Sunday. Long Run  (180-195mins): 
•     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate 
• Week 17: Peak Marathon Training Week. (6:05-7:15mins)
•   Monday. Rest Day
•   Tuesday. Intense Run (40-60mins):
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 10 times: 1 minute at the fast end of 10k race effort 1 minute easy jogging recovery 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2 
•   Wednesday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up: 5-10 minutes of light bodyweight activation 
•     Main Set: Side squats with halo, alternating sides, 2 round of 1 minute each side (Light Kettlebell) Toe Touch Progressions - Toes Elevated, Heels down, 10x each exercise Weighted Hamstring Stretch, 2 rounds of 30 seconds holds (Light Kettlebell) 2 Kettlebell Windmill, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell, 1 per hand) Loaded Low Squat, hold for 1 minute (Light Kettlebell) Bottoms Up Turkish get up , 1x each side (Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down: 3-5 minutes of light stretching 
•   Thursday. Steady Run (50-70mins): 
•     Warm Up. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2, 5 minutes of running drills including 5x15 seconds strides at zone 4 effort 
•     Main Set. Repeat 3 times: 8 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3 1 minute easy walking/jogging 
•     Cool Down. 10-20 Minutes: Easy jogging in zone 2
•   Friday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Saturday. Easy Run (30-40mins): 
•     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate 
•   Sunday. Long Run  (190-200 Minutes):     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate 
• Week 18: Taper Week. (105-115mins) 
•   Monday. Strength workout (25-35mins): 
•     Warm Up: 5-10 minutes of light bodyweight activation 
•     Main Set: Side squats with halo, alternating sides, 2 round of 1 minute each side (Light Kettlebell) Toe Touch Progressions - Toes Elevated, Heels down, 10x each exercise Weighted Hamstring Stretch, 2 rounds of 30 seconds holds (Light Kettlebell) 2 Kettlebell Windmill, 3x each side (Light Kettlebell, 1 per hand) Loaded Low Squat, hold for 1 minute (Light Kettlebell) Bottoms Up Turkish get up , 1x each side (Light Kettlebell) 
•     Cool Down: 3-5 minutes of light stretching 
•   Tuesday. Intense Run. (25mins)
•     25min easy run with heart rate in Zone 2, include 8x30sec fast pick ups at Zone 4 pace spread throughout.
•   Wednesday. Mobility Workout: 30 minutes of light yoga.
•   Thursday. Rest Day
•   Friday. Easy Run (15mins):
•     Run this entire run easy, including 3x1min at marathon race pace. Take as much time as needed between these intervals. 
•   Saturday. Shakeout Run (10mins)
•     Easy jogging to keep the legs fresh for race day
•   Sunday. Race Day:
•     You’re ready to nail this marathon!!

Wrap-Up

Once you've achieved your marathon race goal, it might be time to move on and start training for your first ultramarathon. You may also want to try another marathon and see if you can finish in a faster time.

If you're looking to set big personal goals and you want the best for your body, check out our app with unlimited options for marathon training. You can choose a training plan setup that's personalized specifically for you and will get you training as well as you could imagine.

You're ready to take on that big challenge, and when you train with MOTTIV, you're ready for race day!