Cookie Consent

By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.

MARATHON TRAINING PLAN
Menu
Close

Free Boston Marathon Training Plan

Matteo Laratta

Last Updated:

If you're here, you've probably set yourself the goal of qualifying for the prestigious Boston Marathon. Whether this is your first time running a marathon or your 100th, getting to Boston can be a goal that many runners spend years chasing. The difficulty of qualifying makes the achievement that much more meaningful. 

This article will give you all the information you need on how to qualify for the Boston Marathon as well as provide you with a training plan that can help you finish your best marathon yet.

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

To start this plan confidently you should at least be able to run continuously for at least 60 minutes, and be comfortable with running fast intervals.

If you’re starting from absolute scratch, check out this article that will help you learn to run, or check out the other training plans linked on this page that might work better for you.

MOTTIV app user Dr. Chad Hanson is all smiles as he heads for the finish line of his run.

In this post you will learn:

  • How long is a marathon
  • What’s an average finish time for a marathon
  • How to train for a marathon to qualify for the Boston Marathon
  • What’s a fast marathon finish time
  • How long you should train for a marathon
  • What is your marathon pace
  • What is a Boston Marathon qualification training plan
  • How to qualify for the Boston Marathon
  • The fitness required to reach the Boston Marathon
  • What is the Boston Marathon course

To train for this marathon, you can absolutely use the free training plan we'll provide below. But if you really want a personalized training program that’s designed for your abilities, your goals, and your schedule, you should check out the MOTTIV training app. You can use it for free and it includes much more detailed and personalized workouts and training plans than we can include in a blog post.

Training Tips for Successfully Tackling the Marathon Distance

Before diving into the training it is important to answer some common questions runners have. In this article, we will provide you with the tips and tricks necessary to help you achieve your best marathon preparation ahead of race day.

Qualifying for the Boston Marathon

Being able to run the Boston Marathon is a privilege earned through hard work and perseverance. In order to earn a spot in the race, the Boston Athletics Association provides criteria that runners must meet before they can apply for registration. Some of these requirements include qualifying times on officially recognized courses. 

Boston Marathon Qualifying Times 2025

Official qualifying times may vary year to year and are also different relative to age group and gender. Below, you can find your qualifying times and start planning your journey to Boston. To qualify for the 2025 Boston Marathon, a qualifying time from September 1st, 2023 and onward will count towards qualification.  

Your age group will be based on your age as of the race day for the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2025 or whatever year you are aiming to qualify for. 

Age Group Male Female Non-Binary
18-34 3:00:00 3:30:00 3:30:00
35-39 3:05.00 3:35.00 3:35.00
40-44 3:10.00 3:40.00 3:40.00
45-49 3:20.00 3:50.00 3:50.00
50-54 3:25.00 3:55.00 3:55.00
55-59 3:35.00 4:05.00 4:05.00
60-64 3:50.00 4:20.00 4:20.00
65-69 4:05.00 4:35.00 4:35.00
70-74 4:20.00 4:50.00 4:50.00
75-79 4:35.00 5:05.00 5:05.00
80+ 4:50.00 5:20.00 5:20.00

This information is simply a baseline for how to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Further information can be found here on the Boston Athletics Association website. 

Official Boston Marathon Qualifying Races

Given the rigorous nature of qualifying for the Boston Marathon, the Boston Athletics Association requires that runners submit qualifying times only from courses that have been officially certified to make sure times are not distorted by improperly measured courses (longer or shorter than 42.2km/26.2 miles).

Some qualification options include but are not limited to:

  • New-York Marathon
  • Chicago Marathon
  • Toronto Marathon
  • Ottawa Marathon
  • Berlin Marathon
  • London Marathon  

The Boston Athletics Association goes into great detail on official race certification and qualification options at this link.

How Long is a Marathon

We'll start by answering the simple question of, “How many miles is a marathon?” and “How many kilometres is a marathon?” for our metric friends around the world.

A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42.2 kilometres. Now that you know how long the marathon is, you can enter your age and gender into the calculator below to find out what a good finish time in the marathon is for your age group. 

How to Train for a Boston Marathon Qualification

In order to meet the qualification standards for the Boston Marathon, a runner must be able to hit the necessary pace for their age-group’s qualification time. For the fastest times, this means a 4:16 min/km pace (6:52 min/mile) for anyone who needs to run sub 3 hours. The qualifying minimums get slower into the older age-groups, going as low as a 7:35 min/km pace. 

Qualifying for Boston requires consistency and dedication to training and recovery; only the most genetically gifted runners could qualify without consistent improvements through a well structured training plan. 

Many factors will influence how long you will need to train including your athletic background and your goal finish time.

The training plan later in this article will follow a 6 month build in order to get you to Boston qualification fitness.  That said, you may require more or less time training depending on the fitness you're starting with. Use the calculator below to get a sense of how much training you can expect to reach your Boston qualification.

The Boston Marathon Course

When racing any endurance event, it's important to have a good sense of the course layout and any specifics that could affect your day; the Boston Marathon course is certainly a unique challenge for any runner, so it's critical to know the lay of the land.

The Boston course hosts a historic point-to-point route on a net downhill course which has the potential for fast finish times. But,  runners will be tested on rolling hills and the point-to-point nature of the course can be a big mental challenge without loops to break up the distance. 

Despite these challenges, this historic course is certainly manageable for those who are able to qualify. It offers the perfect opportunity to savour all 42.2 kilometres surrounded by like-minded individuals who have dedicated themselves to this goal and worked hard to reach the starting line. 

To take a more in-depth look at the course, check out the Boston Athletics Association official course information at this link.

A wide look at a part of the Boston Marathon course.

What Gear Do You Need to Train for a Marathon

There are two items we recommend all runners have to prepare for a marathon:

  1. Proper running shoes. Check out this article about what to look for in running shoes. 
  2. A chest-strap heart rate monitor. Here's an article on everything you need to know about heart rate training zones and why we use them. 

These items are essential. A good pair of shoes will protect your feet, providing the stability and cushioning you need in order to remain injury-free. A heart rate monitor will allow you to monitor how your body is responding to training as well as being a fantastic tool for measuring your effort during a run. 

Additional gear can be beneficial depending on where you live and where you're running, but you don't need anything else to do really good training. A headlamp can be a great option for training in the early morning before the sun comes up, and items like a handheld water bottle or running vest can be great options for carrying fuel on your longer training days. 

A running watch such as a Garmin or Wahoo can also be an excellent way to keep track of your workouts, giving you a live feed of your heart rate and pace as well as other valuable metrics to enhance your training. 

Women certainly need to consider more when choosing what gear they need for running. This article will help women on what they should have to make their running experience better than ever. 

MOTTIV app user Rebecca Foat wears a running hat and a hydration vest on a hot training day in Winnipeg, Canada.

How to Pace a Marathon

A marathon, unlike shorter distance races, requires a more technical approach to pacing. Given the duration of a marathon, it is paramount that you set off at a sustainable pace and remember that a properly paced marathon will feel relatively easy until you approach the final 10-15 kilometres. 

A good marathon training plan will include workouts which develop your ability to run longer at race pace without getting tired. You can use the calculator below to calculate your approximate marathon race pace for these intervals.

Heart Rate Training Zones

When training for a marathon, much of your training will be spent at a relatively low intensity. When training at these lower intensities, it is important to train based upon your own individual fitness levels. The best way to do this is by using training zones based on heart rate.

Training easy based on heart rate zones may have you training at slower paces than you might expect but this is perfectly normal. Training this way will allow you to build endurance without stressing your body more than it can handle.

Calculate your heart rate training zones with this calculator:

Marathon Training Pace Zones

As mentioned above, heart rate-based training is going to be used predominantly throughout a good marathon training plan. But as the intensity of your training sessions increase, pace will become the better benchmark to guide your training. 

While heart rate is a better identifier of what’s happening in your body during training, during shorter and more intense intervals, your heart rate will lag by 60-120 seconds which renders it useless for reaching the optimal intensity. Pace gives you an instantaneous readout of how fast you are running. 

Use this calculator to identify your running paces in min/km and/or min/mile: 

What to Eat When Training for a Marathon

Nutrition is truly overlooked by so many athletes, even though it can make or break any run training plan.

Simply put, if your body doesn’t have the fuel it needs, it won't allow you to be at your best in training or racing. Not only will you be unable to train to your potential, your ability to recover from and absorb the training will be greatly reduced if your nutrition is not ideal. 

Physiologists and nutritionists 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 this article explains what you should eat during running workouts and races in order to maximise your performance. 

Here are some of the biggest principles to know for a runner's nutrition plan:

  1. Eat as little processed food as possible
  2. Never under-fuel; it's just as dangerous as eating too much 
  3. Try not to limit calories; healthy foods and good training will take care of weight management on their own
  4. Always eat before and after workouts; fasted workouts may be popular on TikTok or Instagram, but it is the worst thing you can do when you're doing endurance sports like running
  5. Eat plenty of carbs before intense workouts to hit peak efforts in workouts
  6. Eat low-blood sugar foods (protein and fat!) before easier workouts to make your body efficient at producing energy

Use the calculator below to understand how many calories you should be consuming for a given workout or race.

Rest and Recovery

Arguably, the most important part of any training program is allowing your body to rest and absorb the training you have put it through. Rest comes in the form of the following:

  • REST DAYS: endurance athletes should take at least two days a week of either complete rest or very low-intensity training
  • REST WEEKS: our run training plans have a rest week scheduled every third or fourth week, where total training time is cut by roughly 40%, allowing the body to rest and get ready for the next several weeks
  • RECOVERY RUNS: Low-intensity, short runs, are a great way to enhance the effectiveness of your training while not adding too much to your training load. We'll discuss this further in the article.

While you might want to train hard all the time, thinking it'll make you faster, just remember that Workouts + Rest = Progress

Tapering for a Marathon

In addition to the recovery weeks and rest days, it is important to properly reduce training volume in the final week or two ahead of race day. Reducing training by 50-60% will allow your body to flush out any residual fatigue and absorb all of the training you’ve put in over the past several weeks. 

Now, while the taper process is aimed at resting your body for the upcoming effort of race day this does not mean that you will not be putting in any effort in your training. Training during the taper will include shorter bursts of speed to ensure your body is primed for race pace efforts so that you don’t end up feeling flat when you get to the start line. 

Take the taper process seriously, resting and sleeping as much as possible during taper week. This study outlines the importance of the taper process and different strategies for resting leading up to your target race.

Marathon Training Plan Workouts for the Boston Marathon Qualifier 

Out running training plans are expertly crafted by the coaches at Run Free Training who have a fantastic understanding of how to build training plans that are time efficient and enable runners to overcome the obstacles that many age group runners face in their training. The coaches are elite runners themselves who combine their experience and knowledge in the creation of effective run training plans that will help you achieve your running goals. 

Boston Marathon Training Plan Workouts

Our Boston Marathon qualifying training plan has four days per week of running, one strength workout, a mobility workout, and maxes out at roughly nine hours of training per week. 

This plan is for experienced runners who are one of the following:

  • Athletes who have very few limitations on their time availability
  • Athletes who have an extensive background in exercise and training
  • Experienced runners looking to finish as fast as they can possibly achieve 

Our Boston marathon training plan features six workouts each week. These key weekly workouts are:

  • One long run 
  • One interval run
  • One tempo run
  • One easy Run
  • One strength workout
  • One mobility workout

We'll explain the high-level points about each of these workouts below.

The Long Run in a Marathon Training Plan

The most important run in a run training plan is the weekly long run; most runners do this workout on the weekend when they have more time available. The long run is low intensity, building up gradually to eventually reach between 3 and 4 hours for a marathon training plan. 

This run will build endurance and teach your body to produce the energy necessary to complete the distance of your race. You can learn all about the details of the long run in this article.

This is snapshot of a Long Run from a Marathon Training Plan inside the MOTTIV training app.

The Interval Run in Marathon Training

The second most important run in a run training plan is a weekly interval run, which we call the Intense Run. Most athletes do this run on a weekday. The interval run will build your top-end speed and is based on your run pace determined in the calculator above. 

You can learn all about how to execute an interval run and what to eat before and during the workout to get the most out of it in this article.

This is a snapshot of an Interval Run from a Marathon Trainin Plan inside the MOTTIV training app.

The Tempo Run in a Marathon Training Program

The weekly Tempo Run (which we call the Steady Run in the training plans in our training app) bridges the gap between the endurance you build in the long run and the speed you build in the interval run. It teaches you how to run fast without getting tired. 

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.

A snapshot of a Tempo Run (aka Steady Run) from a Marathon Training Plan in the MOTTIV training app.

Recovery Run in a Marathon Training Plan

When it comes to running, the words recovery and run may not always go hand in hand, and this is true to some extent. The purpose of the recovery run is not to provide recovery but to supplement your training in a way that doesn't impact the key sessions in your training week. 

Recovery runs will always be very short and at a low intensity, giving you the running stimulus without excess fatigue. These runs are also best performed on tired legs, as easy running on tired legs can have a big impact on fatigue resistance. The training plan below will have you perform an easy run the day after your long run to achieve this benefit.

For an in-depth understanding of the recovery run, this article will give you all the info you need about the purpose and planning of this workout.

This is a snapshot of a Recovery Run from a personalized run training plan in the MOTTIV training app.

Strength Training for Running a Marathon

Cross-training with strength workouts is critical for athletes who don't want to simply finish their race but actually want to finish feeling strong. Strength training for runners has been proven in study after study to improve race performances. 

Just one strength workout per week is plenty for runners to have a great race.

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.

This is a snapshot of a video guided strength workout inside the MOTTIV training app.

Mobility for Runners

Yoga for runners hasn't been shown to improve race day performance, 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 that are based on Hatha and Yin yoga, which is slower and less intense than most yoga classes in a studio. You can read all about why we believe runners who have more time to spare, should include a mobility session in their training plan here.

MOTTIV yoga instructor Helen Faliveno guides MOTTIV athletes through specially designed video yoga sessions in the MOTTIV training app.

Marathon Training Plan

Below is a marathon training plan designed to get you qualified for Boston.

The plan will begin with a focus on developing baseline fitness with a reduced focus on intensity and a greater focus on strength and run durability. As the plan moves into its race preparation phase, you will spend more time at intensity as you dial in for race day. This plan will ensure you will reach your start line ready for the task ahead.

  • Week 1: 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 2: Build Endurance & Speed. (4:55-6:05hrs)
  •   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 Kneeling 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  (80-90mins): 
  •     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate 
  • Week 3: Build Endurance & Speed. (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 4: 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 5: 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 6: Build Endurance & Speed. (5:10-6:20hrs)
  •   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 14-16 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): 
  •     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes of light bodyweight activation 
  •     Workout Pattern: Repeat each exercise for 3 rounds total:
  •     Sequence 1: Tall Kneeling with Posterior Load - head twist (left, right), shoulder & head twist (alternating), 1 minute each (Heavy Kettlebell) Half Kneeling Holds - shoulders (no hips), shoulders/hips, Perform each exercise for 1 minute each side (Heavy Kettlebell) 
  •     Sequence 2: Half Kneeling Press, 5x each side (Light Kettlebell) bridge pullovers, 10x (Medium Kettlebell) straight arm bar , 3x each side 
  •     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: Child's Pose Scorpion 
  •   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. Repeat 6-7 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  (100-110mins): 
  • Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate
  • Week 7: Build Endurance & Speed. (5:30-6:40hrs)
  •   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: 1 minute 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, 3 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, 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): 
  •     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 (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 twice: 20 minutes running steady at tempo effort top of Zone 3, 2 minutes 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  (110-120mins):
  •     Warm Up. 30 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1 
  •     Main Set. Repeat 8 times: 1 mile at goal marathon pace 2 minutes easy jogging recovery
  •     Cooldown. 10-15 Minutes of easy jogging in Zone 1
  • Week 8: 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 9: Fitness Testing and 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. 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): 
  •     Main Set. Repeat each exercise for three rounds: Inchworm walkout, 5x Bear crawl twists, 10x each side, alternating sides Bear walk, 5x each direction Pointers, 10x each side Deadbugs, 10x each side 
  •     Rolling Patterns. Perform each twice on each side: 
  •     Leg Rollovers Upper Body Rollovers Whole Body Rollover 
  •   Thursday. Steady 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 twice: 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 (35-45mins): 
  •     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 kilometers (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. (5:35-6:45hrs)
  •   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. Repeat 8-10 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace:  800m at marathon goal pace, 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: 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. 35 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  (110-120mins): 
  •     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate
  • Week 11: Build Endurance & Speed. (5:55-7:10hrs)
  •   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  (120-135mins):
  •     Warm Up. 30 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 12: 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 13: 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 14: Build Endurance & Speed. (6:15-7:25hrs)
  •   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 16-18 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 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: 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 Kneeling 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 (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 times: 6 minutes 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  (150-160mins):
  •     Warm Up. 30 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2 
  •     Main Set. Repeat 4 times: 3 miles at goal marathon pace, 2.5 minutes easy jogging recovery 
  •     Cooldown. 10-15 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1
  • Week 15: 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 16: Build Endurance & Speed. (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 17: Build Endurance & Speed. (6:50-8:10hrs)
  •   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  (195-215mins):
  •     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 18: Recovery Week. (6:15-7:25hrs)
  •   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 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  (180-190mins): 
  •     Easy running at Zone 2 heart rate
  • Week 19: Build Endurance & Speed. (6:50-8:00hrs)
  •   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 14-16 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): 
  •     Warm Up. 5-10 Minutes of light bodyweight activation 
  •     Workout Pattern: Repeat each exercise for 3 rounds total:
  •     Sequence 1: Tall Kneeling with Posterior Load - head twist (left, right), shoulder & head twist (alternating), 1 minute each (Heavy Kettlebell) Half Kneeling Holds - shoulders (no hips), shoulders/hips, Perform each exercise for 1 minute each side (Heavy Kettlebell) 
  •     Sequence 2: Half Kneeling Press, 5x each side (Light Kettlebell) bridge pullovers, 10x (Medium Kettlebell) straight arm bar , 3x each side 
  •     Cool Down Stretches. Hold each stretch for 1 minute each side: Child's Pose Scorpion 
  •   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. Repeat 6-7 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  (200-210mins): 
  •     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate
  • Week 20: Build Endurance & Speed. (7:05-8:15hrs)
  •   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 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  (215-225mins): 
  •     Run easy in Zone 2 heart rate 
  • Week 21: Build Endurance & Speed. (7:35-8:45hrs)
  •   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 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  (220-230mins):
  •     Warm Up. 30 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 22: 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 23: Peak Marathon Training. (6:15-7:25hrs)
  •   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 16-18 times, ending when you feel like the next interval is the last you could possibly do at the same pace: 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: 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 Kneeling 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 (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 times: 6 minutes 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  (150-160mins):
  •     Warm Up. 30 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 2 
  •     Main Set. Repeat 4 times: 3 miles at goal marathon pace, 2.5 minutes easy jogging recovery 
  •     Cooldown. 10-15 Minutes: Easy jogging in Zone 1
  • Week 24: 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

Now that you’ve reached Boston it may be time to reevaluate your goals or even move on to your next challenge. Maybe you can dip your toes into the world of ultramarathon or take a crack at your first triathlon. No matter what your next challenge is, completing this marathon training plan will have built a large base of fitness that will carry over into your next challenge, whatever it may be.

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 possibly imagine.

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

Get a free run training plan

Sign Up for Free

Matteo Laratta

| Author

Matteo Laratta is a middle and long course age group triathlete, dedicated to the pursuit of peak performance. He has placed on the podium in his age group at both 70.3 World Championships he has raced in. Studying kinesiology at Mount Royal University, Matteo has set his sights on physiotherapy with the goal of specializing in bike fitting and running gait analysis to further advance his knowledge.

With Mottiv, you're ready

The only app with personalized training plans designed specifically for real people who want to accomplish something amazing in endurance sports.

Try free now