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:

1. Got a running schedule.
2. Followed the running schedule.
3. Kept in mind that its not about me and what I think I need, its about sticking to the running schedule.
4. 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.
5. 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.