Training for your first marathon.
I remember starting out training for my first marathon not long just over 8 months ago now, never ran long distance before that, never thought I could but was fortunate to have some people around me who helped me with some words of wisdom. I followed the LSD style of running to prepare for the marathon (see “LSD Running Schedule”), did core workouts once a week on easy runs usually Mon or Wed (see “Sparta Run”).
This is what I did to prepare:
- Got a running schedule.
- Followed the running schedule.
- Kept in mind that its not about me and what I think I need, its about sticking to the running schedule.
- Listened to my body and rested when needed did not play catchup with schedule, if i missed a session I just did the next one when it was due.
- Joined a running group its free and gave me lots of opportunity to gauge my ability and helped me to run with other people. (crosbiecrew.net)
Without any further ado…
LSD Running Schedule
Paste this into Excel for better viewing…
| TYPE OF WEEK | WEEK STARTS | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Weekly total | Runs per week | % of week in long run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Mon 4 Jan | 3 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 35 | 5 | 34.3 | ||
| race | tempo | easy | track | lsd | |||||||
| Medium | Mon 11 Jan | 6 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 40 | 4 | 35 | |||
| easy | medium | track | lsd | ||||||||
| Hard | Mon 18 Jan | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 50 | 5 | 32 | ||
| easy | tempo | track | medium | lsd | |||||||
| Easy | Mon 25 Jan | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 44 | 5 | 31.8 | ||
| easy | tempo | track | medium | lsd | |||||||
| Medium | Mon 1 Feb | 6 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 50 | 5 | 32 | ||
| easy | tempo | track | medium | lsd | |||||||
| Medium | Mon 8 Feb | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 52 | 5 | 30.8 | ||
| easy | tempo | hard | easy | lsd | |||||||
| Hard | Mon 15 Feb | 8 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 20 | 60 | 5 | 33.3 | ||
| easy | tempo | hard/track | easy | lsd | |||||||
| Easy | Mon 22 Feb | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 54 | 6 | 29.6 | |
| easy | tempo | medium | easy | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Medium | Mon 1 Mar | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 60 | 6 | 30 | |
| easy | tempo | hard | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Medium | Mon 8 Mar | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 62 | 6 | 29 | |
| easy | tempo | hard | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Hard | Mon 15 Mar | 8 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 70 | 6 | 34.3 | |
| easy | tempo | hard | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Easy | Mon 22 Mar | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 62 | 6 | 29 | |
| easy | tempo | easy | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Medium | Mon 29 Mar | 8 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 21 | 70 | 6 | 30 | |
| easy | tempo | medium | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Medium | Mon 5 Apr | 8 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 21 | 73 | 7 | 28.8 |
| easy | tempo | track | easy | medium | easy | lsd | |||||
| Hard | Mon 12 Apr | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 28 | 80 | 6 | 35 | |
| easy | tempo | easy | hard | medium | lsd | ||||||
| Easy | Mon 19 Apr | 8 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 20 | 72 | 6 | 27.8 | |
| easy | tempo | easy | easy | medium | lsd | ||||||
| Medium | Mon 26 Apr | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 80 | 7 | 30 |
| easy | tempo | easy | medium | medium | easy | lsd | |||||
| Medium | Mon 3 May | 8 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 83 | 7 | 28.9 |
| easy | tempo | easy | medium | medium | easy | lsd | |||||
| Hard | Mon 10 May | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 32 | 92 | 7 | 34.8 |
| easy | tempo | hard | easy | hard | easy | lsd | |||||
| Easy | Mon 17 May | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 22 | 84 | 7 | 26.2 |
| easy | tempo | easy | easy | medium | easy | lsd | |||||
| Medium | Mon 24 May | 8 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 27 | 95 | 7 | 28.4 |
| easy | medium | easy | medium | medium | easy | lsd | |||||
| Medium | Mon 31 May | 8 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 27 | 97 | 7 | 27.8 |
| easy | medium | easy | medium | medium | easy | lsd | |||||
| Hard | Mon 7 Jun | 8 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 34 | 106 | 7 | 32.1 |
| easy | hard | easy | medium | easy | easy | lsd | |||||
| Easy | Mon 14 Jun | 8 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 24 | 86 | 6 | 27.9 | |
| easy | easy | easy | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Medium | Mon 21 Jun | 8 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 28 | 98 | 7 | 28.6 |
| easy | medium | easy | medium | medium | easy | lsd | |||||
| Hard | Mon 28 Jun | 8 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 8 | 36 | 112 | 8 | 32.1 | |
| 10 | 10 | ||||||||||
| easy | hard | easy | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Easy | Mon 5 Jul | 8 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 24 | 88 | 6 | 27.3 | |
| very easy | easy | easy | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Race week | Mon 12 Jul | 8 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 21.1 | 67.1 | 6 | 31.4 | |
| easy | medium | easy | medium | very easy | lsd | ||||||
| Taper | Mon 19 Jul | 8 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 24 | 80 | 6 | 30 | |
| very easy | medium | easy | medium | easy | lsd | ||||||
| Taper | Mon 26 Jul | 12 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 60 | 5 | 30 | ||
| medium | easy | medium | easy | lsd | |||||||
| Taper | Mon 2 Aug | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 50 | 4 | 28 | |||
| medium | easy | easy | lsd | ||||||||
| Race week | Mon 9 Aug | 6 | 8 | 10 | 42 | 66 | 4 | 63.6 | |||
| easy | easy | very easy | marathon |
Sparta Run
| Stage | Exercise Area | Exercise | Beginner | Advanced | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sets x Reps | Sets x Reps | ||||
| Warm-up | Aerobic | Run | 1000m | 1000m | |
| Warm-up | Stretches | side stretch | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec | |
| Warm-up | Stretches | standing calf | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec | |
| Warm-up | Stretches | standing hamstring | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec | |
| Warm-up | Stretches | itb | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec | |
| Warm-up | Stretches | standing shoulder | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec | |
| Warm-up | Stretches | kneeling quadriceps | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec | |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 100m | 100m | |
| Stop 1 | Upper | Dips | 3x5 | 3x10 | |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 200m | 200m | |
| Stop 2 | Mid | Elephant Abs-crunches | 1x10 | 1x20 | legs raised on bench 90 degree, tucking tailbone, raise your head and chest to ceiling, hands on side of your head |
| Stop 2 | Mid | Leg-raises | 1x10 | 1x20 | palm on your forehead, elbows pointing to ceiling |
| Stop 2 | Mid | Abs-crunches | 1x20 | 1x30 | raise your head and chest to ceiling, hands on side of your head |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 200m | 200m | |
| Stop 3 | Mid | Hand stand | 1 min | 1 min | |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 1000m | 1000m | |
| Stop 4 | Upper | Pull ups and Chin ups | 5x5 | 5x5 | Start with pull ups and alternate 5 pull ups then 5 chin ups. Don’t do full arm extend until you can do all the reps, bring arm to 90 degree only. |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 200m | 200m | |
| Stop 5 | Upper | Push ups | 3x8 | 3x8 | |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 250m | 250m | |
| Stop 6 | Abdominal | Full body curls | 1x10 | 1x10 | can progress to dragon flag |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 400m | 400m | |
| Stop 7 | Abdominal | Right Side Hold | 30 sec | 90sec | 40 sec hold, 20 sec left leg raise up and down |
| Stop 7 | Abdominal | Prone Hold | 30 sec | 90sec | 40 sec hold, 20 sec bicycle touching knees to ground |
| Stop 7 | Abdominal | Left Side Hold | 30 sec | 90sec | 40 sec hold, 20 sec right leg raise up and down |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 700m | 700m | |
| Stop 8 | Lower | Lunges | 3x15 | 3x15 | no break |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Run | 700m | 700m | |
| Recovery | Aerobic | Sprint | 100m | 100m | |
| Cool-down | Stretches | standing hamstring | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec | |
| Cool-down | Stretches | itb | 1 min | 1 min 30 sec |
Have fun and let me know how you go.