The Traveling Runner

THE BEST WAY TO SUCCEED…..

Is to follow a marathon training plan! When I first started running marathons, it was tough to find a training plan that worked well for me. I tried multiple methods, asked my running club community at the time and sought advice online. 

Ultimately, I came up with my own plan (based off of the advice of others) that has successfully helped me finish 9 marathons and hopefully 10 real soon!

REAL TALK: My running plan goal is to finish the race. I love running and don’t like to put pressure on myself to finish in a certain time (had enough of that when I was a competitive swimmer). I focus on heart rate zone training. This allows me to stay connected to my body to understand what is happening. So many factors can affect your heart rate – this includes but not limited to hydration, nutrition, amount of sleep 1-2 nights prior to your run, stress, and anxiety. Your heart rate does not lie so being in tune with it improves your training. 

MONDAY: 4-6 miles ➡️ zone 3

TUESDAY: 45 mins strength training ➡️ zone 2

WEDNESDAY: 4-6 miles ➡️ zone 4

THURSDAY: 45 minutes cross training of biking or swimming ➡️ zone 3 OR COMPLETE REST DAY

FRIDAY: 3-4 miles ➡️ zone 2 (easy)

SATURDAY: long run ➡️ zone 2 or 3. Long runs should start approximately 14-16 weeks before the marathon at roughly 8 miles. Increase the long run mileage .5 miles-1 mile per week. DO NOT do more than this or else your risk for injury will increase 

SUNDAY: REST & stretch 

See, you can do that!! It doesn’t look too bad on paper! WARNING ⚠️ I am not a running coach. This is the plan I follow and it works for me. Keep in mind everyone is different with unique goals.