In this article, you will learn the ins and out of what to expect for a beginner marathon training plan.
So you’ve decided to take on a beginner training plan for your first marathon. The first thing I’ll ask is, “are you sure?”
Then I’ll follow up:
Are you prepared to have all of your friends and family call you crazy?
Are you ready to hear bad jokes like, “I can’t even drive 26.2”?
Will you fight off the urge to stay out until 2 am (kudos if you can stay out that late in the first place) so that you can run long in the morning?
I mean, it sounds pretty sh*tty.
Just kidding.
I believe that ANYONE can run a full marathon, and not just because it is my job to push people toward goals.
In this article, you will learn how to prepare your body and your mind for your epic feat.
How much do I need to run?
The most important part of marathon training is running.
That is dynamite expert advice, right there. You are welcome.
But for real. You need to give yourself adequate time to build a proper base of miles to run a marathon. The pace of a marathon is not fast. In fact, it’s kind of slow. You can run the pace right now. But your body needs time to adapt to training. Your feet and bones need time to get stronger to hold up to the long duration of race day. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
How often should I run?
Marathon training does not have to be all-consuming. For your first marathon, you don’t need to run more than 3 times a week. Some people can even get away with two with proper cross-training. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
How long should I run?
You should have one designated “long” run each week. These long runs are the keystone of your training program. If nothing else, make sure you hit your long runs. I recommend getting up to a 20 mile run during your training. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
Some runners want to stretch their long run to a 22 after they have run already completed a 20. I’ve found it helps an athlete feel confidence. But a 22 miler is overkill when it comes to training. If you prefer a longer run, then I suggest skipping the 20 miler even and replace it with a 21 or 22. However, I promise you 20 miles is a long enough training run. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
How many weeks should I train?
The more you train, the better. If I had my way, I would want everyone to run all year. But, of course, this is not realistic.
When training for your first marathon 18 weeks is fine, 20 weeks is better. As you build your miles, you take “down” weeks to rest and recover. A down week is where you drop your volume and intensity. Be
ginner Marathon Training Plan
Building in a linear fashion makes sense but is mentally and physically crushing. The more weeks you give yourself, the more time you have to recover and improve. Also, throughout four to five months is you’ll have many social obligations. Even, if you think you are a recluse, I promise something pops up.
A longer training commitment means more flexibility. When you do a 14-16 week plan, everything gets condensed, and it makes every run crucial. You won’t give yourself the liberty to take a weekend to get turnt at a wedding or to travel for a long weekend. Then you’ll hate training.
How should I build my miles?
For your long runs pick one day a week where you have a large chunk of time to run. It doesn’t have to be on a Sunday, but for most people, the weekend works best.
Build up adding 1-2 miles each week. As a rule of thumb do not add more than 25 minutes in duration to your long run in one week. The best way is to add a mile at a time and on the fourth week drop your miles down by 30-40 percent as your “down” week. Then add a mile to the following week or start back where you left off.
Ex)
Week 1: 5 miles
Week 2: 6 miles
Week 3: 7 miles
Week 4: 5 miles
Week 5: 8 miles
etc etc
Get it?!?!
Your first long run should not be longer than your longest run in the past 6 weeks. If you are starting from scratch than 5-6 miles is an excellent, challenging distance to begin your base. 
**Sidebar*** Training for a marathon sounds impossible when you begin.
Now, this might sounds dumb, but bear with me.
An 8 miles run is harder than an 18-mile run. After several weeks of training, you’ll learn that you adapt to your training physically and mentally. Your perceived effort will expand, and your long runs seem much more doable. You need to keep your head during the early pieces of training because things get better. STICK WITH IT!! Beginner Marathon Training Plan
The other days add moderate effort and easy runs between 30-60 minutes. For your first marathon, you want to focus on getting on your feet. Don’t worry about speed work, get out and learn to enjoy your running time. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
So, that’s the running part. You got it locked down. Having a plan is important but completing the plan is where the magic happens. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
A coach can offer the crucial element of accountability to your training plan. It is easy to hang it up when you don’t feel like running or when you social plans bleed into your athletic endeavors. A coach won’t let it happen. Oh, and conveniently enough I offer coaching Beginner Marathon Training Plan
If you are interested in learning more click here.
How to stay healthy
Your plan to do the training is in the books, but it means nothing if you do not stay healthy. There are steps you can take to ensure you make it to the start line. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
Midweek miles
The long-run is your bread and butter of training, but your mid-week miles keep your long run ratio in order. It has been recommended to keep your long run as 25-35% of your weekly mileage. If you are new to running miles, your long run is probably WAY longer than the prescribed percentage. Being new to marathon training I do not recommend you get your miles up to 60 miles per week to stay within the allotted percentage for your 20-mile long run. With proper recovery and mobility, you can accelerate your recovery without needing to put on access miles. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
However, you need to make sure you are bumping up your mid-week miles. These easy to moderate runs help you get stronger in your bones, ligaments, and muscles. Running long only one time a week is a recipe for injury. Running for 80 minutes on a Thursday is annoying. But do you want to be a fucking champion or not?!?! NM. Do you want to be able to cross the finish line on race day or not?
Mobility
Mobility is soft tissue work and static stretching. Most adult humans live similar lives. They sit and type on their computers all day and then come home and sit and on their phones.
Best Book on Soft Tissue Mobility
Beginner Marathon Training Plan
For this reason is it fair to assume you have some common problem areas that come along with the lifestyle.
Running can exacerbate a pre-existing condition. So you need to be diligent with stretching and soft tissue. Below are the top moves for runners to do while training for a marathon. Beginner Marathon Training Plan
Soft tissue work
Foot Roll
Calf Roll
Upper Back Roll
Top stretches for runners
Couch stretch
Pigeon Pose
Neck and back
Do a routine of three of the above exercises 3 times a week. Take 2 minutes on each body part before you move on (very important). Do not cut it short.
Math time
Three moves done on two body parts for two minutes equals 12 minutes. You have that in your day. If your day is packed to the gills and you are one of those people that swears you don’t have one minute in your day then wake up 12 minutes earlier and stretch. It is worth it.
Read more about mobility here.
Your Nutrition
It is essential to keep your nutrition dialed in for life and longevity, but that is an entirely different article. For the scope of this article, we are going to talk about nutrition during your run. Beginner Marathon Training Plan During your long run, keep the energy coming in. Your body has a finite amount of glycogen (your bodies energy derived from carbs) stored in your muscles and liver. Once you run dry on your glycogen, you hit the proverbial wall aka bonking. Bonking is actually worse than running into a real wall. So read closely! Beginner Marathon Training Plan GuideBeginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
Eating simple carbs like gels give you immediate access to glucose from food. The gels preserve the stored glycogen for later portions of the race. So you need to eat while you run. Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
Eat gels or your fuel of choice on your runs that are 80-90 minutes. Be mindful fiber content if you choose whole foods. Even sugary fruits like bananas and dates can cause a back up in your guts from too much fiber. Fruit juice is a good compromise as much of the fiber is stripped during the process. Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
The standard rule of thumb is to eat a gel every 45-60 minutes during your run. Stick with this, and you are safe. I like to practice eating a gel around 50 minutes then the second gel ten minutes earlier than the previous gel to make sure I have plenty of fuel.
My favorite race gel. Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
Ex) Gel one at 50 mins. Gel two at 1:30. Gel three at 2:00’s
For some, this can feel too frequent. You may begin to have that sloshy feeling in your gut which can happen if you introduce too much sugar or salt content. The water that is needed to accompany the sugar and salt to your bloodstream remains in your gut to act as a buffer for the minerals. Ingesting your fuel slow to help absorption. Products like Tailwind or Maurten are popular as you drink them slowly throughout the run. You get smaller doses throughout the run to regulate the minerals going to the bloodstream. Play around with different fueling methods to determine your preference. Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
Make sure you practice whatever method of fueling you decide on during your training. Try different gel brands and play around with the use of homemade fuels before you head out on race day. Different people respond to different things, so go into the race with peace of mind about your race day fueling.
How to dress
How to dress is complicated and personal, but to make it simple let’s talk about two key pieces for each gender. One of the pieces is the same for both.
Socks.
Your race day socks are the most underrated piece of gear you put on for your race. Get a good pair of running socks made from synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, and spandex. These materials are considered “hydrophobic” meaning they don’t like water. Water moves across the material and dries much quicker. Cotton is hydrophilic meaning it holds water. Wet cotton bunches up as it gets heavy which causes friction and blisters. A blister on your feet can knock you out of a marathon, so get a good pair of socks. They cost about $15-20 and is well worth it.
Guys – Get a good pair of shorts. Yes, running shorts that are short! They don’t have to be 3 in inseam split shorts that you see on pro runners but get a pair that is lightweight and comfy.
Try a pair that has a built-in liner. The liner helps with support and reduces bunching and chaffing. The liner eliminates the need to find a good compression short or “runderwear” which can be hard to come across. Do yourself a favor and grab a pair of running shorts. Aim for a 5 – 7 in inseam. I recommend the Brooks sherpa short. They are banging!
Ladies – Before becoming a full time running coach I worked for as a rep for a running shoe and apparel brand. The brand had a “sister” company that designed and distributed sports bras. During my tenure at the company, we absorbed the bra manufacturer and became one happy family.
Long story short, I know what I am talking about when it comes to sports bras.
Convinced? Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
Either way, your most important piece is the sports bra. Most women have never been properly fit and wear the wrong size. Often women runners feel like they are bound to the racer back style that leaves little support and are easily stretched out. Getting in the right sports bra can be life-changing (so I am told), so if you have not yet been fit, I suggest going to a running specialty store and trying on several styles to see what works best. I suggest brands like Moving Comfort and New Balance.
Your gear is the same as your nutrition. Try it before race day.
Get some nice gear and feel confident on race day. If nothing else at least you look good and feel comfortable.
Race day. Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
On race day you need one thing.
A plan.
Your race day plan mostly consists of your miles splits. Determining your race day splits is relatively easy.
Begin by evaluating your training. Then, pick a pace you know you can hold. Once the gun goes off, hold that pace as long as you can.
Your pace feels easy in the early mile. If you feel like you can go faster, I suggest you pump the breaks and tell yourself not go any faster until mile 18.
At mile 18 you can pick up the pace and kick it in strong.
Most marathons fall apart because runners start WAY to fast. Again, your marathon pace is not hard for the first mile or even thirteenth. However, it is VERY hard for the last 6.2.
Your why and your mantra Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
The last piece you should consider may be the most important. A mantra is a simple sentence or saying that you can repeat to yourself during your race and training.
Podcast Episode on Mindset with Dr. Tim Silvestri
Why is it important? Beginner Marathon Training Plan Guide
Because running is a mental sport. Once you feel like you can not do something, you are correct. When you let a negative thought creep into your mind, it can sit there and fester. Eventually, you convince yourself to slow down or stop.
Having a mantra is a way to combat negative thoughts. When a poor thought arrives, you should acknowledge it and replace it with your positive mantra.
Your positive mantra can be personal or general. Think about the reason you are training and running this race. It could be for a family member or to prove it to yourself. Anything works as long as it is positive.
You can also use training and running cues to help you during a tough piece of the race and training. I like to say things like “stay relaxed” or “you’re smooth” and “this feels easy.”- focus on your running form, like breath to your diaphragm and landing under your hips is another excellent way to change your focus from negative to positive.
Now What?
Put all of this to work. I am not going to leave you with a cookie cutter program to follow. Why? Because although training for a marathon is not complicated it is also not static.
You are an individual, so you need to learn what works for you OR use the help from a coach to guide you through the process.
So, follow my advice in this article to finish the race with black toenails, sore calves, and a medal around your neck!
Use this link t apply for my Performance Coaching program, and I’ll be in touch.