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If you’re running in a marathon in the coming months, it’s time to start training. Whether you’re an elite runner or running with a group of friends or coworkers for fun, conditioning is a must.

The timeline and benchmarks for each training phase depends on which race you are running and your initial abilities.

Here are a few tips to help you get in shape and make it across the finish line.

 

What Is a Good Schedule for Marathon Training? 

When it comes to marathon training, establishing a schedule is challenging, especially for first-time runners.

In addition to running, you will need to focus on proper nutrition and hydration, warm-up and cool-down stretching, cross training, proper footwear, and mental training.

Here we break down the seven phases of the training cycle for full or half marathons.

 

1. Offseason/base-building phase

Offseason is a period of reduced mileage. Continue running, but do not push yourself with intense workouts or long runs. The base-building phase is the process of slowly building mileage with low-intensity runs and following the 10% rule: Never increase your mileage more than 10% week over week.

 

2. Endurance phase

Next up: Accumulate time on your feet and aerobic capacity. This includes an increase in weekly mileage and adding one or two miles per week to your long runs. Continue to apply the 10% rule as you increase mileage. This phase typically lasts four to eight weeks.

 

3. Strength/speed phase

The third phase is about building aerobic capacity. Start focusing on cross-training and strength training.

To build strength, consider adding hill workouts, incorporating uphill segments at a faster pace during a 45- to 75-minute easy run.

To increase your speed, begin to add tempo and fartlek runs into your training schedule. A fartlek run is a 45- to 75-minute easy run with fast segments intermixed.

Similarly, a tempo run is a fast-paced workout where you increase your speed to run faster than your goal race pace. Try doing a 45- to 90-minute easy run and intermixing 15 to 45 minutes of tempo running.

 

4: Race preparation phase

At a little more than a month out from the race you’re competing in, you will work toward meeting your goal race pace. Begin running a portion of your runs at goal pace. For example, marathon runners should run eight to 14 miles of their long runs at their goal pace.

Marathon runners can also incorporate a tune-up race into their training schedule. Tune-up races are races you enter to have fun with your long runs and practice your race-day routine. Full marathon runners should plan to incorporate a half-marathon tune-up race and run the first 10 miles at goal pace. The final 3.1 miles is the time to increase your speed.

 

5: Taper phase

The taper phase of your training is key as you approach race day. You’ll begin to reduce your weekly mileage and distance of long runs. Starting three weeks out, reduce weekly mileage by about 25% from the highest mileage you’ve run. At two weeks, reduce mileage by 40%, and finally, on the week of the race, reduce mileage by 60%.

While you should reduce your mileage to give your body the rest it needs to be ready for race day, it is important to maintain intensity during these runs. During your final week, incorporate dress-rehearsal runs where you do a 15-minute warm up, followed by a 20-minute run at your goal race day pace, and finish with a 15-minute cool-down run.

Also, remember that not working out during your final week of training will improve your race-day preparedness. Listen to your body and structure your runs based on how you’re feeling.

 

Continue to focus on:

• Eating a proper diet.
• Staying hydrated.
• Stretching

 

6: Race day

You’ve finally arrived at the big day! Today it’s important to properly fuel and hydrate your body. Stick with the same food and drinks you’ve been eating throughout training.

Eat breakfast at least two hours prior to the race. Plan to start hydrating when you wake up with at least 20 ounces of fluids, and finish by one hour prior to the start. If you’re a regular coffee drinker, you can have a cup or two in addition to your water or sports drink.

You also will want to warm up. Begin your warmup 45 to 60 minutes before your start.

To ease any prerace jitters, plan ahead by looking at parking instructions and starting line maps, as well as knowing how to check your gear.

 

7: Post-race recovery

Congratulations, you completed your race! After accomplishing such a feat, it’s natural to feel exhausted and head toward the couch. Experts recommend the first thing you do before celebrating with friends is to keep moving.

After running for hours, your body will recover faster if the muscles have a chance to cool down.

While you’re moving around, remember to hydrate. The race left your body dehydrated, and you must first replace the lost electrolytes and carbohydrates. You can do this by consuming water or a sports drink and a small snack.

After a race of this length, it’s important to limit your alcohol consumption. Drinking too much will further dehydrate you and make it more difficult for your body to recover from the race.

In the days following the race, try to get outside for a short run and consider getting a sports massage to treat your muscles.

Contact UPMC Sports Medicine at 1-855-93-SPORT (77678) to learn more or schedule an appointment.