This week’s recommended running plan:
M | Tu | W | Th | F | Sa | Su |
Easy | Easy | Speed (intervals) | Easy / off | Easy | Long w/ tempo miles | Easy / off |
If there is one thing marathon running will teach you, sometimes the hard way, it is patience. Fitness gains in marathon training are like compound interest: they build slowly, quietly, and then suddenly you look up and realize you are in the best shape of your life. Unfortunately, you will not see that transformation in the first week. This is not crypto, there is no “get fit quick” scheme here.
The first few weeks are about setting the foundation. Most of your runs will be at an easy pace, lasting 40 to 60 minutes. The rookie mistake? Running the same pace every day. If every run feels the same, you are doing it wrong. Your slow days should be truly slow, and your fast days should actually feel fast.
What’s Slow and What’s Fast?
Start by figuring out your Goal Marathon Pace (GMP), the pace you want to hold on race day. Use a pace calculator if you need help. Once you have your GMP, here is how to set your other training paces:
Easy Pace: GMP plus 60 to 90 seconds per mile
Tempo Pace: Roughly your GMP
Progression Run: Start at GMP plus 30 seconds per mile, finish at GMP minus 10 to 30 seconds per mile
Speed Intervals: Depends on the workout (we will go deeper in future weeks)
Example: My last marathon goal was 2:45, which meant a GMP of 6:17 per mile. That translated to:
Easy = 7:17 to 7:57 per mile
Tempo = 6:17 per mile
Progression = Start at 6:47, finish near 5:50 per mile
Memorize your paces. You will use them constantly.
This Week’s Plan
Think of this week as your first lesson in pace discipline. If GMP feels tough now, that is normal…it is week one. Pull back if you have to, but revisit it in a week or two.
Easy Days: 40 to 60 minutes at a conversational pace. If you cannot chat with a friend without gasping, slow down.
Speed Session: Keep it simple. Head to a track or use your GPS watch and run 10 to 12 x 400m with a 1 to 2 minute jog between reps. Resist the urge to sprint the first few. The real win is if your last one is your fastest.
Long Run: Go 10 to 13 miles. Start with 2 to 4 miles easy, shift to 3 to 5 miles at GMP, then ease back to an easy pace for the remainder. This mix gets your body familiar with goal pace while you are tired, exactly the skill you will need on race day.
The Big Picture
The marathon is a long game. This week is just the first brushstroke on a 12 week masterpiece. You do not have to be fast yet, you just have to start. Every single PR, every Boston qualifier, every breakthrough begins the same way: one foot in front of the other.
So here is to week one, the beginning of the journey. Trust me, future you will be grateful you started today.