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Welcome to Mike & Steve's

Marathon Training Program

Week # 7

Steve:  veteran - 57 marathons

A weekly marathon training program and guide for marathon runners from the beginner to experienced levels.

Mike - marathon

runner & author

 

Are you currently training for a marathon? Download our free "Marathon Race Strategies" report and improve your performance!

 

Introduction

Our marathon training program covers an 18 week period, including the marathon week and the post race recovery week,  to help you prepare for your next marathon. Each week we will publish a new chapter. If you missed out earlier, previous chapters are available.

Click here if this is your first time to this page.

Click here for information about using the marathon training schedules

Click here for our Marathon Training Guide FAQ

Click here for stretching and cross training information

January 31, 2010     Mike's Training Notes

The long runs are the cornerstone of your marathon training program. They are also the hardest part of the training. Doing these runs with other runners is a great help. If I am by myself, I often start out slowly and take it easy for the first few miles and then pick up the pace slightly. I'll take a walking break if I'm feeling tired.

You don't have to do your long runs at your intended marathon pace either. It's best to vary the pace and the terrain. If you can include a few hills this will help build up your physical (and mental!) strength.

Safe running - see you next week!

Mike

 

 

 

 

Marathon Training Guide: Week 7

The theme of week 7 training is ramping up your workouts as we head into the peak part of the program. The training tips focus on the recovery process and things you can do to avoid injury.

[Previous Weeks]

Select Your Marathon Training Program Level: `

 Beginner  -  Intermediate - Experienced

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Beginner Program:                                          Week 7:

A 31 mile week is about to begin and we must point out that your body is quite busy trying to adapt to the increasing stress that you are putting on it. Therefore we would like to reiterate the importance of stretching regularly. It will go a long ways to helping you stay on the roads and completing this training program and ultimately meeting your goal.

 

Beginner Level: Week 7  Mileage Chart

 

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Mileage Goal:
5 T 5 E Rest 5 HD Rest 13 L 3 E 31

E = Easy Pace; HD=Hard Pace; HL = Hills; L=Long Slow Run; M = Marathon Pace; T=Tempo

Daily Training schedule

These schedules follow the hard day / easy day approach. if you have to modify this week's training for any reason, try to stick to this basic principle.

Day 1:

 Let us begin with a 5 mile tempo run. By now, you should have your chosen pace down pat and it may not be as much effort as it was in the beginning, right?

Day 2:
This day will be an easy paced 5 miler. Try concentrating on your running form and keep your body as relaxed as you can.

Day 3:
Rest day. See Stretching and Cross-Training Sections.

Day 4:
Today is a scheduled hard 5 miler on your favorite flat course. Warm-up and go anaerobic for the middle part of the run and then cool down. The effort should be such that you are just able to make it to the cool down part of the workout. Walk and jog to the finish and have a leisurely stretch while re-hydrating.

Day 5:
Rest day. See other rest days and/or walk to the store for an ice cream or hot chocolate.

Day 6:
Okay, today is your first half marathon distance (13 miles). You need to go easy and perhaps take regular walking breaks of 1 to 2 minutes every 20 minutes or so. During these breaks hydrate, stretch and evaluate how your body is reacting. Pay attention to what it is telling you.

Day 7:
A three mile recovery run. This is a good way to evaluate your long slow distance run of yesterday and do some thinking on how you felt during and after. Hope you had a nice hot bath and a treat of some sort later.

Marathon Guide's Training Tips:

  • Ice is a great remedy for muscular pains and sore joints. An ice pack on sore muscles or tendons for 10 to 15 minutes two or three times a day will help speed up the recovery process.

  • If you catch a cold, you have to be careful not to make things worse by continuing to train at your normal level. Don’t add stress to your body by trying to do your long run if you have a bad cold or ‘flu. Take a lot more care of yourself (e.g. a day off work) than you normally would, if you weren't training for a marathon.

 

 

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Intermediate Program

  Week 7:

 

 The base building period is over and now it is time to start building towards the peak. It is also time to think about things like getting enough rest and sort out the demands on your time from not only the running program, but work and family too. Do not neglect the importance of the aforementioned. Stress management in all its aspects, must be addressed.

Intermediate Level: Week 7 Mileage Chart

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Mileage Goal:
7 M 6 E 6 HL 5 E Rest 15 L 5 E 44

E = Easy Pace; HD=Hard Pace; HL = Hills; L=Long Slow Run; M = Marathon Pace; T=Tempo

Daily Training schedule

The intermediate training schedules follow the hard day / easy day approach. if you have to modify this week's training for any reason, try to stick to this basic principle.

Day 1:

Today you will start with a 7 mile marathon pace run. Warm-up first and slip into the pace you have chosen. It is important to be consistent with your pace because you will be doing a lot of training at your marathon pace.

Day 2:
Today’s 6 mile workout will be conducted at an easy aerobic pace followed by light stretching.

Day 3:
A Hill workout is scheduled, with a total distance of 6 miles. As usual, warm-up for the first mile and cool down for the final mile. Make your hills effort consistent, the equivalent of an easy/moderate pace.

Day 4:
This is an easy 5 miler. You will probably feel a bit wasted today so take it real easy.

Day 5:
Rest and Stretch today because tomorrow will test your endurance and willpower.

Day 6:
LSD of 15 miles (refer to long slow distance definition). This is definitely a hard day due to the length of the run. Drag a buddy or two out with you; try not to do this on your own.

Day 7:
This is a 5 mile recovery run to get some of the stiffness out of your body. Please take it easy and have a good light stretch afterwards. Congrats, a 44 mile week. Hope you are ready for more in the coming week.

 

Marathon Program Training Tips:
  • Listen to your Brain? The experts tell us “Listen to your body”. This is great advice, but if you are feeling well trained and ready for any challenge we say “Listen to your Brain” as well and take things a little easier. Lay off the extra hard workouts or too many races during your marathon training period.

  • Wearing worn-out shoes is a common way to get injured. Don’t wear your shoes until the soles wear out! When shoes have around 350 to 500 miles of wear throw them out or give them to a needy cause. They may still look OK, but they are worn out for any continued training miles.

 

Experienced Program

Week 7:

 

As you may be aware by now, this is a fairly structured marathon training program based on the hard/easy approach utilizing the elements of pacing like hill workouts and long slow runs to help with your endurance; tempo runs and speed/interval workouts to target your strength and commitment to pace at the level required to meet your marathon goal and easy paced workouts to help with recovery. Understanding these concepts and applying them are paramount for success at this level.

Experienced Level: Week 7 Mileage Chart

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Mileage Goal:
8 T 6 S 8 HL 10 E Rest 14 L 6 E 52

E = Easy Pace; HD=Hard Pace; HL = Hills; L=Long Slow Run;  M = Marathon Pace; S = Speed-work; T=Tempo

Daily Training schedule

If you have to modify this week's training for any reason, try to work in some quality workouts, especially the long run.

 

Day 1:
A tempo run of 8 miles to start a 52 mile week. Light stretch after you finish.

Day 2:
Today the workout will consist of 6 miles (9,700 meters) of speed. Stay focused and hit your times consistently for each distance. If you are with a group, please do NOT try and keep up with the faster ones. You have pre-set your pace for each distance, follow the program.

Day 3:
This is a hills workout of 8 miles. If you wish to switch with day four, please do so but do not forget to stretch after.

Day 4:
Wow, an easy 10 miler, now there is an oxymoron! Please see day three.

Day 5:
Rest day. Stretch lightly and an easy bike ride on trails would be a good plan.

Day 6:
Today is your Long Slow Distance workout scheduled for only 14 miles. Gentle pace please. Hope you have your water bottle and some replenishment products with you.

Day 7:
A recovery run of 6 miles to takes some of the stiffness out of your body. Finish off with a good light stretch, a large orange juice and a warm bath. You deserve it.

Marathon Guide's Training Tips:

  • Following hard training workouts the recovery process is very important. This means focusing on nutrition and rest. A nap after your weekly long run can help the recovery process.

  • Anti-inflammatory agents like Ibuprofen can also help a lot in your recovery. Try an aspirin before going to bed on your weekly long run day. This can help you sleep better. Like any drug though, be prudent about your consumption level.

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