First, the basics.
Always check with your physician before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you have an existing health condition or have been inactive for a long time. Above all, do not ignore persistent pain.
Our guide is intended to help you train and complete your first marathon in about six months—if you’re healthy. During this training time, you’ll run 3-4 times per week, increasing your weekly volume as race day approaches.
We are defining a healthy marathon candidate as an individual with some existing level of fitness and endurance training. Simply put: you should be able to run nonstop for a minimum of 5 to 6 minutes. If your endurance is not quite there yet, we suggest logging some extra miles for a short time to get up to speed.
Once you can keep your pace for a minimum of 5 minutes, you will be ready to start!
Make a plan and stick to it.
Walk/Run Sessions [Week 1 – Week 9]
For several weeks, you will alternate Walk/Run to build up your endurance.
A Walk/Run session consists of running for one minute, then walking for one minute. This is repeated 10 times; ideally, a walk/run session should be completed in 30 minutes, including 5 minutes for both warm-up and cool-down. If you stick to your plan, you will be running more—and walking less—as the weeks pass.
Example Training Schedule:
Week – 1
✓Monday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Tuesday: Run one minute. Walk one minute. Repeat 10 times
✓Wednesday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Thursday: Run two minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat 10 times
✓Friday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Saturday: Run three minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat 10 times
✓Sunday: Rest
As you can see from the sample week, you will increase your walk/run session by one minute every other day. By the time you reach week 7, you should be able to run for half an hour without stopping.
Week – 7
✓Monday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Tuesday: Run 30 minutes.
✓Wednesday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Thursday: Run 25 minutes.
✓Friday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Saturday: Run 30 minutes.
✓Sunday: Rest
Slow/Steady Principle
Call it the 10-Percent Rule or 10PR—we just call it Slow/Steady.
The 10PR rule is simple: runners should not increase total weekly mileage by a maximum of 10 percent from one week to the next. Although not everyone adheres to this principle, we are recommending a slow progression that follows 10PR to reduce the risk of injury. Following this slow progression can be safer and prevents upping mileage too fast or too soon.
Endurance Sessions [Week 10 – Week 20]
Training Runs vs. Long Runs
Training runs vary in length from 3 to 6 miles, and these runs help add weekly volume while training. As for speed—aim for a comfortable, sustainable pace, especially when you have just graduated from the walk/run sessions. Allow your body to lock in a pace that you can maintain for 30 minutes and keep with it.
Long runs are key in endurance training—especially during marathon training. Long runs consist of extended, steady-state runs. The goal of these runs is to build your running endurance baseline. As for pace—stick to an easy, conversational pace. This means that you should be able to easily keep a conversation with a running partner. Rule of thumb: if you cannot recite a nursery rhyme such as Jack-Be-Nimble, without huffing and puffing, you are going too fast. Slow down a bit.
Example Training Schedule:
Week – 10
✓Monday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Tuesday: Run 30 minutes.
✓Wednesday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Thursday: Run 20 minutes.
✓Friday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Saturday: Run 30 minutes.
✓Sunday: Rest
Week – 20
✓Monday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Tuesday: Run 90 minutes
✓Wednesday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Thursday: Run 60 minutes
✓Friday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Saturday: Run 100 minutes
✓Sunday: Rest
As you can see from these sample weeks, you will increase your run time by ten minutes every week. By the time you reach week 20, you should be able to run for 100 minutes in a long run without stopping.
Easy does it-avoid overtraining.
If you are training for a marathon as a beginner—speed should not be the goal. Speed will come with time. By training with slow and steady progress as the rule, you can better avoid overtraining and injury. How can you be sure to not overdo it? Always leave something in the tank before you end your workout.
Include Cross-Training
Training isn’t just about the miles, and the right cross-training workouts will prepare you for your first marathon. On non-running days, aim for low-intensity, low-impact training to improve conditioning and overall core strength that does not stress leg muscles.
Post-run self-care
Hydrate, refuel and treat sore muscles. Read: How to ice an injury.
Endurance Sessions [Week 20 – Marathon Day]
Keep increasing run times and cross-training until Marathon Day.
Example Training Schedule:
Marathon Week
✓Monday: Make Marathon Checklist
✓Tuesday: Run 120 minutes
✓Wednesday: Rest or Cross-Train
✓Thursday: Run 60 minutes
✓Friday: Cross-Train and Mentally Prepare
✓Saturday: Marathon Day!
✓Sunday: Rest. Post your finish-line photos. Soak feet.
It will be hard, but you can do it.
Committing to a 6-month training plan and following through with the demands is hard, but you can do this if you stay committed physically and positive mentally.
Remember to start out slow and steady; don’t get discouraged. Support from friends, family, and fellow runners will keep you going. Get out there and run!
More tips to run with:
- Find the right running shoe. Invest in high-quality fitted running shoes and socks.
- Get both body and mind in shape. Eat and rest well; never run on an empty tank.
- Know the purpose of the workout, exercise accordingly. Focus on improving posture, foot strike, cadence, breathing, etc.
- Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Push yourself, but don’t push yourself out with an injury.
- If something hurts, then something needs attention. Listen to your body’s aches and pains.
- Make your last rep your best rep. This doesn’t always mean the fastest.
- 15 minutes of general strength movements after each run will do wonders. Core strength improvements are key.
