Training for a Marathon
- Mondays. Mondays are rest days. Rest is critical to recovery and injury prevention
- Tuesdays/Thursdays. After a warm-up, run at a moderate pace for your chosen mileage, gradually building to 26 miles on Saturdays. Cool down and stretch after your run.
- Wednesdays/Fridays. Cross-training activity such biking, swimming, elliptical trainer at easy-to-moderate effort for 30-45 minutes.
- Saturdays. Run the 26 miles at an easy, conversational pace. If 26 miles is too much for you, adjust to a sensible level and gradually build up.
- Sundays. Active recovery day, a short run at a very easy, comfortable pace, which helps loosen sore muscles.
Weekly: Overall body strength training at least once a week.
Men age 17-25 should be able to complete a 26 mile marathon in around 4 hours 20 minutes. Men 25-35 should average about 4 hours 40 minutes. Women in the 17-21 age range, comfortably do it in 4 hours 50 minutes with Women 25-35 achieving 5 hours 0 minutes.
Step count can vary enormously once you go outside ‘the norm’. Tired runners take smaller steps, the more experienced take precise, planned strides. Over and under average height only goes so far. Someone under 4 foot or over 6 will need to actually check their stride length manually
Safety It goes without saying, consult your doctor before you embark on marathon training, especially as you get older or you are inexperienced or unfit or have health concerns / have not had a recent check up.
26.2 miles should take about 262 minutes on average.