APPENDIX C

Beginner’s Marathon-Training Plan

The following is a twenty-six-week training plan for first-time marathoners. It’s appropriate for healthy individuals who are currently not running at all. If you’re already running, you can still use the plan, but you may want to begin at some point after week one. I recommend that you begin with the first week in the schedule whose Sunday run is equal in distance to the longest run you’ve done within the past couple of weeks.

MON.TUE.WED.THURS.FRI.SAT.SUN.
Week 1RestWalk 20 min.RestWalk 20 min.RestWalk 20 min.Walk 20 min.
Week 2Rest10x: walk 1 min., run 1 min.Optional: Walk 20 min.10x: walk 1 min.,run 1 min.Rest10x: walk 1 min., run 1 min.10x: walk 1 min., run 1 min.
Week 3Rest7x: walk 1 min., run 2 min.Optional: Walk 20 min.7x: walk 1 min., run 2 min.Optional: Walk 20 min.7x: walk 1 min., run 2 min.7x: walk 1 min., run 2 min.
Week 4Rest5x: walk 1 min., run 3 min.Optional: 10x, walk 1 min., run 1 min.5x: walk 1 min., run 3 min.Optional: 10x, walk 1 min., run 1 min.5x: walk 1 min., run 3 min.5x: walk 1 min., run 3 min.
Week 5Rest4x: walk 1 min., run 4 min.Optional: 10x, walk 1 min., run 1 min.4x: walk 1 min., run 4 min.Optional: 10x, walk 1 min., run 1 min.4x: walk 1 min., run 4 min.4x: walk 1 min., run 5 min.
Week 6RestRun 2 miles Optional: 7x, walk 1 min., run 2 min.Run 2 milesRun 2 miles RestRun 3 miles
Week 7RestRun 3 miles Optional: Run 2 milesRun 2 milesRun 3 milesOptional: Run 2 milesRun 4 miles
Week 8RestRun 3 milesOptional: Run 3 milesRun 3 milesRun 3 milesOptional: Run 3 milesRun 5 miles
Week 9RestRun 4 milesOptional: Run 3 milesRun 4 milesRun 3 milesOptional: Run 3 milesRun 6 miles
Week 10RestRun 3 milesOptional: Run 3 milesRun 3 milesRun 3 milesRestRun 8 miles
Week 11RestRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 4 milesRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 9 miles
Week 12RestRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 4 milesRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 8 miles
Week 13RestRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 4 milesRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 10 miles
Week 14RestRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 5 milesRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 11 miles
Week 15RestRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 4 milesRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 9 miles
Week 16RestRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 6 milesRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 12 miles
Week 17RestRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 4 milesRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 13 miles
Week 18RestRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 6 milesRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 14 miles
Week 19RestRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 5 milesRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 9 miles
Week 20RestRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 6 milesRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 15 miles
Week 21RestRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 6 milesRun 6 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 16 miles
Week 22RestRun 4 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 5 milesRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 miles Run 10 miles
Week 23RestRun 6 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 6 miles Run 6 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 18 miles
Week 24RestRun 6 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 8 milesRun 6 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 20 miles
Week 25RestRun 5 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 6 milesRun 6 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 12 miles
Week 26Rest Run 7 milesOptional: Run 4 milesRun 5 milesRun 4 milesRestMarathon!