12 Week Marathon Training Schedule: Intermediate Plan

Many people mistakenly believe that a half marathon is half as challenging as a marathon. When you’re only thinking about how long the race is, it’ll be a really tough experience.

Almost everything you would do to prepare for a full marathon is also necessary to prepare for a half marathon. If you want to compete in a race, you will need to follow a training plan to build up your endurance and avoid injury. You will also need to know what to eat to fuel your runs and what type of gear to wear.

We’ve put together all the information you need to need to know to run a half marathon.

HALF MARATHON TRAINING PLANS

Picking a training plan that is tailored to your goals and fitness level is the most important part of preparing for a half marathon. There is no use in trying to follow an advanced plan that asks for six runs a week when you are only running once a month; you will most likely just end up getting injured. If you’ve already run several half marathons and are looking to set a personal best, you’ll need a more challenging plan than someone who is just starting out.

If you’re able to commit 10-16 weeks to training, it will be worth it regardless of your current level of fitness. While training for a half marathon, it is beneficial to mix up the types of runs you do, including some shorter, faster runs, as well as some easy long runs that gradually build up to the half marathon distance.

HOW TO TRAIN FOR A HALF MARATHON

Mark Stanton, strength and conditioning coach at Transition Zone, suggests that if you want to improve your running from 10K, then running efficiency is key.

CAN YOU TRAIN FOR A MARATHON IN 12 WEEKS?

Absolutely!

There will be certain factors that will make it easier for you to be able to run a marathon within 3 months.

THIS PLAN IS THE BEST FIT FOR YOU TO TRAIN FOR A MARATHON IN 3 MONTHS IF YOU:

have already previously run a marathon or are comfortable doing long endurance runs
can run at least 4 miles and preferably 6 miles, (or 6 to 10 kilometers) comfortably
have the time – any form of marathon training is a huge time commitment
you want to have a faster build-up in your long run mileage days. (e.g. this plan takes you from a long run of 6 miles (10 kilometers) to a long run of 20 miles (32 kilometers) in just 12 weeks time)

ANATOMY OF YOUR TRAINING WEEKS IN THIS 3 MONTH MARATHON TRAINING SCHEDULE

WEEKS 1-4: BASE BUILDING + STRENGTH PHASE

YOUR MARATHON TRAINIGN GOAL DURING WEEKS 1-4:

You have two main goals during the first four weeks of this 12 week marathon training schedule:

Build your running base in order to handle the future weeks of increased weekly mileage and higher mileage long runs.
Strengthen your muscles through hill workouts to get you ready for speed workouts that will be coming in the following weeks.

Building your running base during the first four weeks:

You should be able to run 4 to 6 miles (or 6 to 10 kilometers) before starting this training plan. This will allow you to build from your current level.

Since your first scheduled long run is 6 miles (10 kilometers), you should be able to run about 6 miles. However, if you are comfortable with running shorter distances, 4-5 miles would suffice.

If you’re not comfortable running 4-6 miles (6 to 7 kilometers), you may have trouble following the plan as your long-run mileage progresses quickly.

If you need more time to build a solid running base, pause this program and come back when you feel ready.

YOUR TOTAL WEEKLY MILEAGE DURING WEEKS 1-4

You will start by running 16 miles in the first week and then increase your mileage by 9 miles in the next 3 weeks so that you are up to 25 miles by the fourth week.

Here is the exact breakdown of your weekly mileage:

Week 1: 16 miles (26 kilometers)

Week 2: 19 miles (31 kilometers)

Week 3: 22 miles (35 kilometers)

Week 4: 25 miles (40 kilometers)

THE WORKOUTS SCHEDULED DURING WEEKS 1-4

The majority of your workouts in Weeks 1-4 will be short, base runs.
You will have long runs progressing from 6 miles up to 12 miles. (or 10 to approximately 20 kilometers)
You will be performing hill intervalson Thursdays, increasing your hill reps each week from 7 to 10 repetitions. This will allow you to gain strength and stamina and set you up for your speed training that will occur during weeks 5-10.

WEEKS 5-10: INCREASING ENDURANCE + SPEED TRAINING PHASE

YOUR GOAL DURING WEEKS 5-10:

Continue to build your endurance through your weekly base training runs and your long run on the weekend.
Build speed through interval workouts

The most crucial long runs for your marathon race success will occur during weeks 5-10 of training.

YOUR TOTAL WEEKLY MILEAGE BREAKDOWN FOR WEEKS 5-10:

Between weeks 5 and 10, you will gradually increase the amount of miles you run each week, going from 29 miles in week 5 to 42 miles in week 10.

Here is the exact breakdown of your weekly mileage:

Week 5: 29 miles (43.5 kilometers)

Week 6: 32 miles (47 kilometers)

Week 7: 35 miles (50 kilometers)

Week 8: 38 miles (53 kilometers)

This is a reduced week, only running 25 miles total, in order to recover from the previous 20 mile run and to prepare for another 20 mile run in the following week. (31 kilometers)

Week 10: 41-42 miles (56.5 kilometers)

YOUR TRAINING WORKOUTS DURING WEEKS 5-10

The majority of your runs will continue to be base runs.
You will complete a long run each weekend which will include two 20 mile long runs (32 kilometers) before you reach the starting line of the marathon (during weeks 8 and 10).
You will also be adding in interval workouts on Thursdays, in place of your strengthening hill repeat workouts that you did during the first 4 weeks of this marathon training schedule.

WEEKS 11-12: TAPERING + CARBO-LOADING

YOUR GOAL DURING WEEKS 11-12:

Reduce your mileage and add in a bit more extra rest and recovery before your big day. This is also known as tapering!
Heavily focus on getting your body nutritionally ready to run a marathon (mainly through implementing some sort of carbo-loading plan.

YOUR WEEKLY MILEAGE DURING WEEKS 11-12:

Your weekly mileage will be lower during the final two weeks of your training plan as you taper. You are coming in towards the finish line!

Week 11: 23 miles (30.5 kilometers)

This week, your runs should be based on time rather than mileage so that you can focus on your pace and how long you spend running.

YOUR TRAINING WORKOUTS DURING WEEKS 11-12:

Again, the majority of your runs will be base runs.
Your long run during Week 11 is cut in half from the previous week as we are in our taper phase.
There are no hill or speed workouts scheduled as we are focusing on more moderate paced runs leading into your marathon race day!

What’s the most important session?

The answer to this question depends on your current training status, competition history, and goals. The most important thing for someone running their first race is to do longer steady runs; this will help them get better at running overall. Interval and tempo runs will become the focus for advanced runners who have a good training base and can cover the distance easily. These runs will help develop speed.

How many sessions should you do?

This is entirely down to the individual athlete. You should try to do three runs and one strength exercise each week. If you are a first-time runner, you should try to gradually increase your distance at a steady pace. For one of your runs, you should focus on running at a tempo pace. As you improve, one of your distance workouts could be replaced by a tempo session. More advanced runners mix up their training by adding interval sessions and tempo runs to help them improve in different areas. A good rule of thumb for distance runners is to run around 30 miles per week in order to stay in shape. If you are doing quality work, you shouldn’t need to run any more than this.

What do elite runners do that everyone can learn from?

Rest and recovery is huge. Although we may not all have access to fancy recovery methods like pools, ice baths, or massage, we can still take care of ourselves. You don’t have to be a professional athlete to make time for things like stretching or foam rolling before bed, or to try to eliminate unnecessary stress from your life.

How do you get faster?

How efficiently you run is especially important to consider if you’re running a half marathon. You want to make sure you’re not wasting energy by decelerating on each step or that you’re too stiff to extend through a stride. If you can get your body working efficiently, you will use less energy and be able to walk or run faster with less effort. This can be improved through technique coaching, as well as mobility and strength programmes.

Where do most people go wrong?

The main issue runners face is with taking breaks and gradually increasing the intensity of their runs. beginners who try to do too much too soon often get injured because their bodies are not used to the stress. My best advice is to listen to your body: rest when it needs it and prioritize training quality over quantity. If you’re not feeling well, substitute an easier training session or take a day off to recover.

THE RUNNING GEAR YOU NEED FOR A HALF MARATHON

It’s always a good idea to stick with the running shoe that you’re comfortable with. If you are unsure about what you like, gait analysis is a good place to start.

Gait analysis can help determine if you have a problem with overpronation (rolling your foot inwards when landing), underpronation (rolling your foot outwards), or if you have no problem (neutral). If you have a problem with the way your foot hits the ground when you run, it is a good idea to buy a shoe that will correct the problem. Analyses of your gait, such as the one at Saucony’s Stride Lab, can reveal more than just your pronation and help you understand which muscles around your body need to be strengthened.

Your shoes are the most important part of your equipment, but you’ll also want a favourite T-shirt and pair of shorts that you’ve worn on several long runs beforehand. You should buy yourself some nice running socks because you deserve it.

A belt specifically designed for running can be a helpful addition to your gear. You won’t need to refuel as much as when training for a marathon, but you might want to carry a gel or some food during the race and your longer training runs.

HOW TO FUEL YOUR RUNNING

To support your training, you need to have a diet that is designed to do so. This means that you would need to eat enough carbohydrates to help you during your workout, and enough protein to help your muscles heal and grow back stronger.

It is important to carb-load before runs that will last longer than 90 minutes, in order to prevent your body from running out of energy. You should also consider eating something during the run. Many people who are running long-distance events now choose to use running gels because they provide a quick and easy way to get carbohydrates.

Staying hydrated is also important on longer runs. Instead of just drinking water, you should consume beverages that will replenish your electrolytes, such as sodium. Electrolytes can be found in sports drinks, or in tablet form to be dissolved in water.