ARTICLES, TIPS, TRAINING & GENERAL ADVICE
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Please be safe, consult with your
physician before beginning any
new fitness plan.
Training Plans: Advanced Runner
As an advanced you'’ve been running for several years. Your weekly mileage averages 35 to 60 miles a week. You regularly include interval training in your regimen. You’ve raced every distance from 5-K to the full marathon. Now you want to set a personal best in the marathon. You are ready to train hard to reach your goal.
Your mileage will increase each week. The increased mileage is necessary to meet the demands of making your time goal, as an advanced runner. Your goal is be able to maintain a strong, solid pace for several hours. You will do your standard long runs, but you’ll also work on developing stamina from tempo runs, which are run at 20-30 seconds slower than your 10K time. You will run mile repeats at your marathon goal pace, i.e. if you are shooting for a 3:30 marathon, you’ll run your mile repeats at 7:30 pace, 6:25 pace for a 3 hour marathon etc. Warm Up with 1 mile, run your repeats, cool down with another easy mile. Walk to recover between repeats. Long runs are crucial for finishing the marathon. The pace work will get you to the finish line faster.
Schedule:
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thur | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rest | 9 Miles | 9 Miles | 8 Total 4 Tempo |
8 Miles | 8 Miles | 12 Miles |
| 2 | Rest | 9 Miles | 9 Miles | 8 EZ Miles | 8 Miles | 8 Miles | 14 Miles |
| 3 | Rest | 9 Miles | 9 Miles | 8 Total 5 Tempo |
9 Miles | 8 Miles | 16 Miles |
| 4 | Rest | 8 Miles | 7 Miles | 8 EZ Miles | 7 Miles | 8 Miles | 10 Miles |
| 5 | Rest | 9 Miles | 9 Miles | 8 Total 6 Tempo |
8 Miles | 8 Miles | 16 Miles |
| 6 | Rest | 10 Miles | 10 Miles | 9 EZ Miles | 10 Miles | 10 Miles | 4x1 Mile |
| 7 | Rest | 10 Miles | 9 Miles | 9 Total 7 Tempo |
9 Miles | 9 Miles | 18 Miles |
| 8 | Rest | 9 Miles | 9 Miles | 9 EZ Miles | 8 Miles | 8 Miles | 6x1 Mile |
| 9 | Rest | 10 Miles | 10 Miles | 10 Total 7 Tempo |
10 Miles | 10 Miles | 20 Miles |
| 10 | Rest | 11 Miles | 11 Miles | 10 EZ | 11 Miles | 11 Miles | 8x1 Mile |
| 11 | Rest | 12 Miles | 11 Miles | 10 Total 8 Tempo |
11 Miles | 11 Miles | 20 Miles |
| 12 | Rest | 9 Miles | 10 Miles | 9 EZ Miles | 10 Miles | 9 Miles | 10x1 Miles |
| 13 | Rest | 11 Miles | 11 Miles | 10 Total 8 Tempo |
11 Miles | 10 Miles | 22 Miles |
| 14 | Rest | 8 Miles | 8 Miles | 9 EZ Miles | 8 Miles | 8 Miles | 12 Miles |
| 15 | Rest | 6 Miles | 6 Miles | 8 Total 5 Tempo |
5 Miles | 5 Miles | 8 Miles |
| 16 | Rest | 5 Miles | Rest | 7 Total 4 Tempo |
4 Miles | 2 Miles | Race! |
Remember to stretch major muscle groups after running. Include: calves, hamstrings and quadracep muscles.
Race Day Tips:
One of the biggest mistakes runners make is going out too fast. Start slow, gradually increase the pace. Get into race pace and stay controlled. Remember to stay hydrated and fueled. Increase gradually to discomfort in the last mile, and try to pick it up for the last 200-300 meters.