Check out this 16-week training plan if you’re running a spring marathon and aiming for a time of around three hours

Background

Club member, runs regularly and competes in all local events including cross country and road races ranging from 5km to half-marathon
Trains six to seven times per week and runs for 70-90min on a Sunday
Been running for five years or longer
Aims for PBs and positional finishes as well as a valuable team member

Overview

Targeting to complete the marathon distance in around 3hr – 3hr 30min
Aiming to run the whole distance and hit pace targets en-route
Training with a group of four similar ability runners on club nights and with a partner who is also targeting the same marathon as you on other days

Training

Most runs are based on ‘time-on-feet with sessions at slower than marathon pace, marathon pace and half-marathon pace plus some 10km speedier runs to improve running efficiency
Commencing with a 16 week plan and backed-up with a solid year of training for shorter distances and targeting a 12 week specific block of work prior to race
Fastest race pace target (3hr) is around 6min 52sec per mile which is around 8 miles in an hour
Pacing and drinking on the run strategies should be practiced (find a 4-5 mile fairly accurate loop and try and hit your marathon target pace

Advice

Set training goals and try to stick to them unless injury or illness dictates otherwise
Wear the right footwear for your biomechanics in training and also what will be best for race day (get professional help)
Aches and pains will be encountered make sure you differentiate between these and a potential injury
If too tired or achy, don t be afraid to miss a training day or two or even deviate from the training plan (better to get to race day 95% fit than injured and unable to run)
Try some cross-training at a gym (elliptical machine) if you feel too achy for a few days or if the winter weather becomes too dangerous
Try varied routes and some softer surfaces in daylight hours to alleviate the stresses and strains on muscles and joints
Keep focussed and cut down on alcohol and eat healthily. You will burn many more calories in your training these need to be replaced correctly
When trying to run marathon pace in training select a flat route as hills will play havoc with your target speed
Respect the marathon distance good pacing is vital to make it an enjoyable day and poor pacing will inevitably make your day a painful one!
Look for some build-up races as part of your training. A half-marathon or longer (not a marathon) around 7-10 weeks before your marathon would be perfect, plus some 10km races to hone your speed and act as fitness tests and break the tedium of the plan
Training plans rarely run smoothly and the 16 week plan is negotiable with tiredness, niggles and sniffles to be taken account of a couple of days off here and there can have more benefit than hard work
If you can get a massage once a week it will help enormously to alleviate injuries and keep those all-important legs fresh

Note:
STMP = slower than marathon pace
MP = marathon pace
HMP = half-marathon pace
In sessions where reps are stated, include at least a 10min warm-up and 10min cool-down

You can find a beginner marathon training plan here and an intermediate plan here

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