12-Week Training Guide printable pdf download

Marathon

YOUR 12-WEEK TRAINING GUIDE

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Each week of our 12-week training guide, you’ll run on six days and rest on one (should you feel you need an extra rest day in your training

week, use Saturday as that day). Nothing in the guide is set in stone — you can reduce the distance or number of times a week you run if it

becomes too hard or if you’re sore. The long run each Sunday, which builds to 32km in Week 6, improves your endurance — pick a route

that offers a variety of terrain and run at a relaxed pace. The training tapers from Week 8 to leave you rested and fresh for your race.

WEEK

Monday

TuEsday

WEdnEsday

Thursday

Friday

saTurday

sunday

3 x 1km with

6 x 400m with 200m

Rest

10km easy

6km easy

13km easy

2min recovery

jog recovery

3 x 1.6km with

6 x 300m hill with

Rest

12km easy

8km easy

16km easy

3min recovery

jog-back recovery

2 x 2km with

Moneghetti fartlek

Rest

14km easy

8km easy

20km easy

3min recovery

(see below)

4 x 800m with

6km tempo run at

Rest

16km easy

10km easy

24km easy

2min recovery

goal race pace or faster

5 x 1km with

8 x 400m with 200m

Rest

18km easy

10km easy

28km easy

2min recovery

jog recovery

3 x 2km with

8 x 300m hill with

Rest

20km easy

12km easy

32km easy

3min recovery

jog-back recovery

5 x 1.6km with

Moneghetti fartlek

Rest

20km easy

12km easy

32km easy

3min recovery

(see below)

4 x 800m with

8km tempo run at

Rest

18km easy

10km easy

28km easy

2min recovery

goal race pace or faster

5 x 1km with

6 x 300m hill with

Rest

16km easy

10km easy

24km easy

2min recovery

jog-back recovery

2 x 2km with

6 x 400m with 2min

Rest

14km easy

8km easy

20km easy

3min recovery

jog recovery

4 x 800m with

6km tempo run at race

Rest

12km easy

8km easy

16km easy

pace or faster

2min recovery

3 x 1km with

4 x 60 seconds with

Rest

10km easy

5km easy

Rest

RACE DAY!

2min recovery

60 seconds recovery

hoW To do ThE KEy TraininG sEssions

Tuesdays and Fridays

Thursdays

Tempo run

Warming up

l These are quality speed

l These are “easy” days with

l The “tempo run” in weeks 4,

l Before the Tuesday and Friday

sessions where you’ll run out of

shorter distances. Alternatively,

8 and 11 should be completed at

sessions, jog for 10 minutes,

your comfort zone. Run these

you can use them as extra

your goal race pace or faster.

then do some light stretching.

quicker than your goal race

recovery days or days to do

Follow this with three to four

Moneghetti fartlek

pace. For example, if your goal

cross-training such as bike

“run-throughs”, also called

is to finish the marathon in four

riding, swimming or walking.

l This “speed-play” workout in

“strides”, of about 100m, with

hours (5:41 per kilometre), run

weeks 3 and 7 was pioneered by

a walk-back recovery. Do the

Sundays

at 5:15 to 5:30 per km or faster.

retired Aussie marathon legend

first run-through at 70 percent,

gradually getting faster with

l Do the weekly long run at a

Steve Moneghetti and takes

Wednesdays

relaxed pace 45-60 seconds

20 minutes in total. Without a

each effort until the last is at

l These are medium-distance

slower per kilometre than your

break, run hard for 90 seconds,

100 percent.

runs at a pace 45-60 seconds

goal race pace. You should be

then jog for 90 seconds. Repeat

Cooling down

slower per kilometre than your

able to hold a conversation

the 90 seconds hard, 90 seconds

goal race pace. So if you’re

throughout the run. If you

jog. Run hard for 60 seconds and

l At the completion of the

targeting a four-hour finishing

can’t, your pace is too fast.

jog for 60 seconds four times.

Tuesday and Friday sessions,

time (5:41 per km), run at 6:20-

Run hard for 30 seconds and

jog for 10 minutes to warm

6:40 per km. You should be able

jog for 30 seconds four times.

down, followed by some

to talk comfortably. If you can’t,

Run hard for 15 seconds and jog

light stretching.

you’re running too quickly.

for 15 seconds four times.

Running expert Lee Troop can also help you achieve your goal online with his intuitive online training program, Marathon Guru, which runs for

16 weeks and adjusts according to how you cope with the prescribed training. The training program also provides information on diet, injury

prevention, stretching and motivation. Access to the program, .au/tools/marathon-guru, is free when you

62 | MF | JULY

12-Week Training Guide

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