This is a longer plan to take you from running 5k through to 42k. If you have been doing a little bit of running, perhaps some park runs, but now have the goal of completing a marathon this is the plan for you. It will build gradually, with an emphasis on running technique, in order to reduce your risk of injury. You will do 4 runs each week, 3 mid week and one long run at the weekend. It is advisable to also include a cross training session on the other day at the weekend, such as going for a swim, cycling, or just going for a walk.

There is a planned 10k race at week 9, and a half marathon at week 12. You can either find a suitable race for you to do, or do your own benchmark test.

As the long weekend runs increase you will utilise a run-walk strategy, where you take a short walk break every mile. This short 'power walk' allows you to settle your heart rate and give your calves a rest. It also is a good time to take on a drink or gel in those longer runs, as you will do in the race going through an aid station. It has been shown that those who use this run-walk strategy do not fade towards the end of the run and thus finish in a quicker time compared to those who try and 'run' the whole way but fade and end up walking large sections towards the end.

Although nutrition is without doubt one of the most important aspects of race preparation, athletes typically spend far more time thinking about training than about nutrition. In a marathon, nutrition can mean the difference between winning a race and not even finishing a race. Athletes who did not have a great run often blame nutrition: they ran out of energy, became dehydrated or experienced stomach problems. They ingested too much, or ingested too little. They tried new products they had not used in training, and so on. Within this plan we link to guides produced by Asker Jeukendrup from CORE, which will give you the knowledge you need for a successful nutrition strategy.

Enjoy your training and the challenge ahead.