Her go-to dynamic stretches are leg swings side to side and leg swings front to back. Kengor recommends a minimum of five minutes of dynamic stretches and muscle activation exercises before each run. Your weekly mileage on your five running days will rise and lower each week to help you gently get up to around marathon distance. Rest days (official permission to relax) are scheduled on Mondays and Fridays. Your training plan is organized by week from a Monday to Sunday perspective. If you’re already running often, you can skip the base weeks. This is what Kengor calls the “base weeks” of the plan, which will help you prevent injury if you’re in a couch-to-marathon situation. That means you’re regularly running around 18 to 20 miles per week at least three to four weeks before you start marathon training. It's not just running and every sweat sesh and rest day is there for a reason. Jewelyn Butron How To Use The Marathon Training Planīefore you hit the road on your first run, make sure you understand all the components of marathon training. Sure, there are many miles ahead, but you’ll also mix in different forms of cardio cross-training, strength sessions, and of course, rest days to keep things interesting. Annick Lamar is a USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach with New York Road Runners.Īnd remember: If you’re intimidated by marathon training, don’t stress. Meet the experts: Toni Kengor is a RRCA-certified running coach and the founder of Relentless Runners Training Club. Yep, if you’re tackling a couch-to-marathon situation or you’re a regular runner, you’ll be able to work with this flexible, easy-to-use guide. WH worked with running coach Toni Kengor to put together an 18-week marathon training guide packed with tricks and tips for runners of *all* levels. (Especially if you want to come out of it injury-free!) You’re going to need a solid training plan to rock race day. Getting to the start healthy, let alone crossing the finish line after 26.2, takes some hard work and planning. Perhaps you have your sights set on one of the majors (Boston, New York City, London, Berlin, or Chicago) or a local course. Yet, each year, millions of people participate in marathon races worldwide. Running a marathon can be a daunting feat.

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