This 22-week training plan is intended for novice athletes who have prior running experience, but have never completed a marathon. The general overview of this particular season plan can be found [HERE]. The specific workouts, below, have all been developed from the season plan.
This season plan includes 8 weeks of strength work, broken into two different phases. The Adaptation Phase is intended to prepare the joints and soft-tissue for the upcoming load of the Max Strength Phase, through very, very light weight work, and is not intended to build strength. The Max Strength Phase is intended to build lean muscle mass through exercises that use very heavy weights. Once completing the formal strength work, during the first 8 weeks of the training program, core work is assigned to help maintain the new lean muscle mass. More detailed descriptions of the strength work recommended for each of the two strength phases, as well as the core routine, can be found [HERE] with our 1-1 Coaching, Mission Plan, or FREE programs.
Each workout in this training plan has a purpose. There are no junk miles! The purpose of each run is described by its intensity. The intensities of the workouts are either recovery (ZR), endurance (Z1), tempo (Z2), or best sustainable efforts of hill bounding and track work. Heart rate zones are very specific to the individual athlete. Your specific heart rate zones can be calculated based upon your past race data, using our [Heart Rate Calculator]. You can expect that these heart rate zones will probably call for you to run at a lower intensity and perceived exertion than you are accustomed to. This is a very common occurrence, when switching over to a The Run Formula training plan. Though these initial training paces may seem very slow, and too easy, they will improve and become more difficult pretty quickly.
Hill work is typically completed through hill bounding repeats. Hill bounding repeats are intended to develop very specific run strength. Track work is used to develop the anaerobic system of energy production, only once the aerobic system has been adequately developed. Specific track intervals have been outlined within the training program. To read how The Run Formula recommends that you execute the specific hill bounding workout, track repeats, as well as ZR, Z1, and Z2 runs, click [HERE] to access with our 1-1 Coaching, Mission Plan or FREE programs.
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| Week # | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lift: Adaptation Strength | Run: 42 min @Z1 | Lift: Adaptation Strength | Run: 42 min @Z1 | Lift: Adaptation Strength | Run: 44 min @Z1 | Long Run: 55 min @Z1 |
2 | Lift: Adaptation Strength | Run: 47 min @Z1 | Lift: Adaptation Strength | Run: 47 min @Z1 | Lift: Adaptation Strength | Run: 49 min @Z1 | Long Run: 61 min @Z1 |
3 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 44 min @Z1 | Run: 30 min @Z1 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 44 min @Z1 | Run: 61 min @Z1 | Long Run: 76 min @Z1 |
4 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 25 min @Z1 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 33 min @Z1 | OFF | Run: 20 min @ZR | Race: 5k |
5 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 44 min @Z1 | Run: 30 min @Z1 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 44 min @Z1 | Run: 61 min @Z1 | Long Run: 76 min @Z1 |
6 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 46 min @Z1 | Run: 35 min @Z1 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 46 min @Z1 | Run: 66 min @Z1 | Long Run: 83 min @Z1 |
7 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 51 min @Z1 | Run: 35 min @Z1 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 51 min @Z1 | Run: 71 min @Z1 | Long Run: 89 min @Z1 |
8 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 30 min @Z1 | Lift: Max Strength | Run: 44 min @Z1 | OFF | Run: 25 min @ZR | Race: 5k |
9 | Core Work | Run: 50 min @Z1 | Run: 21 min @ZR | Hill Work: 55 min 3xBounding | Core Work | Run: 81 min @Z1 | Long Run: 102 min 85@Z1/17@Z2 |
| 10 | Core Work | Tempo: 50 min 2x7@Z2 | Run: 28 min @ZR | Hill Work: 60 min 4xBounding | Core Work | Run: 83 min @Z1 | Long Run: 108 min 89@Z1/19@Z2 |
| 11 | Core Work | Tempo: 55 min 2x9@Z2 | Run: 27 min @ZR | Hill Work: 65 min 5xBounding | Core Work | Run: 86 min @Z1 | Split Run: 24@Z1/21@Z2 30 min @Z1 |
| 12 | Run: 34 min @ZR/Z1 | Core Work | Run: 45 min @Z1/Z2 | Run: 30 min @ZR/Z1 | OFF | Run: 25 min @ZR | Race: 10k Core Work |
13 | Core Work | Run: 50 min @Z1 | Run: 23 min @ZR | Speed Work: 65 min 8x400 | Core Work | Run: 80 min @Z1 | Long Run: 108 min 85@Z1/23@Z2 |
14 | Core Work | Tempo Run: 60 min 2x13@Z2 | Run: 21 min @ZR | Speed Work: 70 min 2x800,6x400 | Run: 30min@ZR Core Work | Run: 85 min @Z1 | Long Run: 114 min 88@Z1/26@Z2 |
15 | Core Work | Tempo Run: 60 min 2x16@Z2 | Run: 24 min @ZR | Speed Work: 65 min 4x800,4x400 | Core Work | Run: 85 min @Z1 | Long Run: 120 min 91@Z1/29@Z2 |
| 16 | Core Work | Tempo: 60 min 2x16@Z2 | Run: 24 min @ZR | Speed Work: 70 min 2xMile,3x800 | Core Work | Run: 80 min @Z1 | Split Run: 33@Z1/32@Z2 65 min @Z1 |
17 | Run: 22 min @ZR/Z1 | Core Work | Run: 35 min @Z1/Z2 | Run: 25 min @ZR/Z1 | Run: 20 min @ZR | OFF | Race: Half-Marathon Core Work |
18 | Run: 20 min @ZR | Run: 30 min @ZR/Z1 | Run: 35 min @ZR/Z1 | Run: 50 min @Z1 | Run: 21 min @ZR | Run: 85 min @Z1 | Split Run: 80 min @Z1 80 min @Z1 |
19 | Run: 24min@ZR Core Work | Tempo Run: 65 min 2x16@Z2 | Run: 25min@ZR Core Work | Speed Work: 70 min 1x5k,2xMile | Run: 25 min @ZR | Run: 80 min @Z1 | Long Run: 130 min 90@Z1/40@Z2 |
20 | Core Work | Run: 30 min @Z1 | Run: 40 min @Z1/Z2 | OFF | Run: 25min@ZR Core Work | Race Sim: 105 min 80@Z1/25@Z2 | Run: 30 min @ZR |
21 | Run: 30 min @ZR | Tempo Run: 60 min 2x10@Z2 | Run: 35min@ZR Core Work | Over/Under: 60 min 2x1 Mile | Run: 30 min @ZR | Run: 50 min @Z1 | Split Run: 35 min@Z1/Z2 35 min@Z1/Z2 |
22 | Run: 26 min @ZR/Z1 | OFF | Tempo Run: 50 min 3xMile @Z2 | Run: 30 min @ZR/Z1 | Run: 20 min @ZR | OFF | Race: Marathon |