Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide: Novice Day-by-Day -- First 9 weeks

Copyright © 2002 by Hal Higdon. All rights reserved.

Hal Higdon has contributed to Runner's World for longer than any other writer, an article by Hal having appeared in that publication's second issue in 1966. Author of 34 books, including the best-selling Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, Hal also has written books on many subjects and for different age groups.

The following is the first half of an 18-week, day-by-day training guide for the Novice marathon runner.

18 weeks left

Monday: In this training schedule for novice marathoners, Monday is always a day of rest. Count on it! Rest is important for recovery after the weekend's workouts, particularly as the long runs progress from 6 to 20 miles. Your body needs time to recover. So take the day off. Friday is also a day of rest. In this program you will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Sunday is a day for cross-training. (If you want, you can reverse the order of the Saturday/Sunday workouts.) Let's begin this Monday, the first day of your marathon journey, by contemplating the training that will begin tomorrow.

Tuesday: An easy day. Run 3 miles at a comfortable pace. Over the next 18 weeks, you will add only a few miles to your Tuesday workouts. In Week 1, you'll move up to 4 miles. In week 14, you'll be up to 5 miles. By that time, you'll be so used to doing much longer runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays, that a run of that distance will seem easy. It's all part of the progressive buildup of total mileage designed to get you ready to run 26 miles. If even running 3 miles seems a strain for you, don't hesitate to mix in a walking break.

Wednesday: Three miles, same as yesterday. As the countdown continues, you will begin to run more miles midweek. Every second week (beginning in Week 3), you will add another mile to your Wednesday workout. By Week 15 (the same week in which you do your climactic 20-miler), you will be up to 10 miles this day. This midweek workout is what I call a "sorta long" run. What you will find most difficult as the mileage progresses from 3 to 10 is not going the distance, but finding time to squeeze a run taking more than an hour into a busy weekday. I'll offer some tips on that when the time comes. In the meantime, have a good run today.

Thursday: Run the same distance that you did on Tuesday: 3 miles at a comfortable pace. Again, remember the walking-break option I suggested for you on Tuesday. At 3 miles, you may want to run the full distance. But as the distance builds, and particularly on days when the weather is warm, you will appreciate a short break, particularly to stop for water. Since most novice runners will do some walking in the marathon--if only through the aid stations--you want to practice this as part of your strategy.

Friday: Friday in almost all of my training programs for different distances is a day of rest, to allow you to gather strength for the weekend. I ask even the Advanced runners to rest on Friday--although, being compulsive, not all of them listen to my advice! (Don't tell them I said that.) As a Novice runner, I know you won't hesitate to do exactly what I tell you. So take today off.

Saturday: Today is your "long run." Even for a novice or beginning runner, 6 miles (today's workout) may not seem that long. But over the 18 weeks of this program, the distance for your Saturday run will increase to 20 miles in Week 15 (allowing 3 weeks for you to taper before the marathon.) Don't worry too much about pace now; just run easily. If you want to do your long runs on Sunday rather than Saturday, simply flip-flop the two workouts.

Sunday: Use this second day of the weekend to recover from your weekly long run by doing some easy cross-training. What kind of cross-training? The exercise you choose should be aerobic: an hour or so of walking, biking, swimming or some such activity. Swimming is a particularly useful activity, because you can use it to loosen your muscles. If you run long Sundays, you can cross-train on Saturdays.

Tip of the Week: With the marathon 18 weeks away, plan the training now that will permit you success. Marathon training works best if you start easy and build gradually: A long run of 6 miles in June becomes 20 miles in September. Most important at this time is to establish a goal, whether that goal is to finish or to run fast. Once that goal is chosen, everything else will fall in place.

17 weeks left

Monday: Monday is a day of rest. It doesn't seem like you need to rest after only a 6-miler over the weekend, but you will be thankful for your Monday rest days as the program continues. While taking the day off, evaluate how you felt after your first week of marathon training. For some of you, it may have been your first serious week of training as a runner. There's a difference between "training" and simply "running" or "jogging." A lot of people play at running, going out for an occasional run on weekends, if the weather is good. Sometimes they'll run three or four days in a row--then skip several weeks before running again. But that's not training. Training is when you follow a schedule, such as this one, where each day has a purpose. If the weather is bad, you still run. If you have important business, you simply rise an hour early to run. Why? Because I told you to! And if Hal tells you to rest, you rest. Pay attention, follow my directions, and I'll get you to the finish line 17 weeks from today. That's a promise!

Tuesday: Today's workout is a run of 3 miles at a comfortable pace, the same as last week on Tuesday and the same as next week on Tuesday. This workout shouldn't take a great deal of your time: 30 minutes if you run at a 10:00-mile pace. But forget I said that! I don't want you to go out and time yourself for 3 miles. In fact, your course doesn't need to be precisely 3 miles. It can be about that distance. The easiest way to pick a course of 3 miles would be to get in your car and figure out how far you need to run to go about half that distance (1.5 miles), either from your home, from your office or from wherever you plan to run on Tuesdays. Then run this 1.5-mile course out and back. Don't wear a watch, at least for the time being.

Wednesday: Another 3-miler. This is your "hard" day of the week. If you want to run a bit faster than yesterday, do so. Today's 3-miler is also the same as last week's Tuesday workout, but next week you move up to 4 miles. As the program continues, the Wednesday mileage will increase 1 mile every second week until you reach a peak of 10 miles on Wednesday in Week 4. It's all part of my Grand Plan to get you in shape for the marathon. And trust me: You will succeed! 

Thursday: Still another 3-miler! It seems like we're in a rut, but don't worry: Next week the midweek workouts take a slight bump upwards in distance. Most of the mileage changes from week to week in this program are "slight." Slight changes will gradually get you in shape--and that's the best way. Slight changes will do it, but for the time being, be content with your third 3-miler in 3 days. The simplest and easiest way to accomplish a 3-mile workout is to run the same measured course each time. But consider having separate Tuesday and Thursday courses. Particularly as the program continues, you may want to bring some variety to your workouts.

Friday: This is a day of rest. Seemingly, you don't need a rest day now, but wait until your weekend runs start getting longer. I've been focusing on course measurement in some of my comments this week. You might even call this the "Theme for Week 2." So if you're looking for something to do with your extra time while not running today, jump in the car and go out and measure a series of courses from 3 miles up. You'll use them during the remaining weeks of this Marathon Training Program.

Saturday: Run 7 miles. In your second week, you now have gone from 6 to 7 miles for your long run. This doesn't seem like much of a jump, but steady increases in distance will help prepare you for the stress of running 26 miles. Don't worry too much about how fast you run in these early weeks. Just run at a pace that will allow you to cover the 7-mile distance easily. Feel free to take some walking breaks in the middle of your run. And remind yourself: You're doing great! Today you've finished your second week of marathon training.

Sunday: Take an hour and go for a walk, or bike ride, or do some swimming. This is your cross-training day, and it's here for two purposes. One, you want to train for about an hour to improve your aerobic base. Two, you want to exercise differently to both loosen your running muscles and allow them to recover. Don't underestimate the value of this second weekend workout. It's important!

Tip of the Week: Easy days are as important in your training plan as hard days. You won't get the full benefits of the progressive long-run buildup on the weekends, unless you rest before and after. Resting on Fridays and Mondays allows you to run harder on Saturdays and Sundays, when you will have more time to spend on your workouts. The marathon is 17 weeks away, but your success depends on the steady base that you are building now.

16 weeks left

Monday: Today being Monday, it's your rest day after two days of hard work over the weekend. This is an "easy" week in our training program, since you will only run 5 miles for your long run, instead of 8 (which would be the natural progression after 6 and 7). You will encounter these "stepback" weeks every third week at the beginning of my program, every other week as we near peak mileage. Most training programs are progressive, meaning you gradually increase mileage over a period of weeks and months. This program is no different, but the progression is not in a straight line, which is one of its unique features.

Tuesday: Run 3 miles at your normal pace. If your normal pace is 10:00 per mile, this workout should take you about a half hour. That being the case, you might spend another 15-30 minutes doing some stretching and strength training. Information on how to do these exercises is elsewhere on my web site. Olympic Trials qualifier Cathy Vasto offers Six Spectacular Strength Exercises; Physical Therapist Debbie Pitchford provides Five Fantastic Stretching Exercises.

Wednesday: Today is a 4-mile run, up from 3 the first two weeks. Your mileage on this midweek "hard" day will continue to build along with your weekend mileage. Olympic marathoner Julie Isphording refers to this type of workout as a "sorta long" run. This sorta long run is positioned in the middle of the week to be more or less equal distant from last Sunday's 7-mile run and next Sunday's 5-mile run. That gives you a chance to recuperate between and rest before.

Thursday: Run 3 miles. This should almost begin to seem like a short distance now. Don't forget to smile at other runners who pass you during your workouts. Most runners are friendly and don't care whether you've been running two weeks or two decades. You're one of a proud breed, signifying by your presence an appreciation of their and your favorite sport. If you bought into my idea Tuesday of doing 15-30 minutes of stretching and strength training after your run, today do the same.

Friday: Your day of rest. As this 18-week program continues, you will continue to rest two days each week, bracketing the weekend of harder training. If the schedule of Monday/Friday rest doesn't always fit your schedule, feel free to adjust the days. Review what you have accomplished so far. Does running seem any easier? Hopefully any sore muscles you may have suffered after your first-week workouts have begun to feel better--and stronger. It may be difficult for you to sense any change from the way you feel today and the way you felt before you began this program, but you gradually will get into marathon shape.

Saturday: Run 5 miles. As mentioned above, we drop back in distance every third week on our long runs to offer you extra rest. Keep an invisible "8" in your mind, since we jump ahead to 9 miles next week. Remember that the long runs--like most runs during the week--should be done at a conversational pace. You may run out of conversation by the last few miles, but not today since you stop early.

Sunday: Cross-training for an hour. Aerobic exercises work best: walking, cycling, swimming. If you were training for a marathon midwinter, we'd recommend snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Since your run yesterday was short, you might even consider doing some jogging as part of your workout. Pick a scenic area for this workout. You now have completed three weeks of my 18-week marathon program. You are one-sixth of the way toward completion. Having finished the first stepback week, we're now ready to crank the mileage up in Week 4. Hold onto your hat!

Tip of the Week: Be flexible with your training, particularly while traveling. Don't be afraid to modify workouts occasionally when it seems appropriate. The general pattern of the program--the steady buildup--is more important than what you do on any one day. Don't get so hung up on your training schedule that you are unwilling to make adjustments when an opportunity for an interesting run develops.

15 weeks left

Monday: This is your fourth week of marathon training, and you begin it with a day of rest. This is actually the first week of your second 3-week cycle, after the stepback Week 3 during which you cut mileage somewhat. Fifteen more weeks of training ahead of you, then the fun begins. And the marathon will be fun if you follow the program faithfully. It's always a good idea at the beginning of each workout week to take a few minutes to both evaluate Running Past and contemplate Running Future. This week your total running mileage will be 19 miles, the long run on the weekend 9 miles. In Week 15 (peak week before tapering begins), you will run 40 miles for the week, 20 on the weekend. That means in the next 11 weeks you will double your mileage. It's doable. A lot of people before you have been there, done that. I have no doubt in your ability to do the same!

Tuesday: An easy day: Three miles at a comfortable pace. There are several ways to judge "comfortable." If you are running with a partner, the two of you should be able to converse without getting significantly out of breath. Or, if you're running alone, you could even talk to yourself--although people will think you're crazy. If you train with a Heart Monitor, you would be running somewhere between 65 and 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. Particularly after a day's rest on Monday, you should finish this workout feeling better than when you started.

Wednesday: Four miles. A mile further than yesterday and tomorrow. The same distance you ran last Wednesday. If you're feeling good--and we hope you are after the stepback week--push the pace a bit today. Maybe for a mile or so toward the end of your run, increase your pace by about 15-30 seconds a mile. You still can converse, but you become more out-of-breath, and your training partner (if she isn't following this program) will say, "Hey, what's your hurry?" Smile and ease back. In terms of heart rate, you probably would be closer to 75 than 65 percent. If you examine the schedule you'll notice that Wednesday mileage remains the same for two weeks, then goes up a mile. As we continue, I will probably ask each second time you run the distance (odd-numbered weeks) to increase the pace a bit. If your answer is, "No, I don't want to," that's okay. I'm the coach, but you're the boss.

Thursday: Repeat Tuesday's workout. Three miles, comfortable pace. I forgot to remind you on Tuesday that you might want to do some stretching after you run. And if you're doing strength training, today is a good day to do it. Don't do too much of either. Moderation is the secret to success, both in running and in everything associated with running.

Friday: Friday, like Monday, is another day when the workout never changes. It's "rest." Take the day off. How can doing no running be considered a workout. I count it as such, because your day of rest is designed with a purpose. It's to get you ready for your weekend workouts, which generally are harder than weekday workouts. People who work 9-to-5 jobs--or have other obligations with children--often find it easier to find time to train over the weekend.

Saturday: Run long. Nine miles today. We're back into the mileage progression. The pace should remain comfortable, similar to the early miles of the marathon. Don't be afraid to walk occasionally to break the pace. (You may need to do so in the marathon.) Start teaching yourself to drink fluids before, during and after your runs. At the end of your 9-miler, listen to your body. How did it feel? Legs tired? Out of breath? Some fatigue is normal, but you don't want to finish exhausted, otherwise you are training too hard.

Sunday: A cross-training day. If you experience some fatigue after yesterday's 9-miler, that's natural. Use today's workout to relax and loosen your muscles. A college runner I trained once asked if it would be okay for her to roller-blade. I said okay, as long as she, (1) wears protective equipment so she won't get hurt if she falls down, and (2) skates at a recreational pace so she doesn't turn an "easy" day into a "hard" day. The same advice goes for you when you cross train.

Tip of the Week: If you are training through the summer, one way to avoid hot weather is to run early in the morning. The days are longer. Use these extra hours of daylight to get out before the sun rises too high. Temperatures are cooler, the air cleaner and the scenery prettier in the hours around dawn. If work schedules force you to run midday, be sure to wear a cap to protect against the sun--and drink plenty of water! If you are training through the winter, midday may be the best time for you to run.

14 weeks left

Monday: A day of rest. As marathon day draws near, you will need this rest day more and more. If you haven't already done so, now is the time to evaluate your equipment, beginning with your footwear. On this day of rest, consider how well you are being served by your running shoes. Are they worn? Are they comfortable? Will they carry you through 26 miles 385 yards of running? It may be time to purchase a new pair--in fact several pair so you can alternate shoes from day to day. This allows them to dry out and rebound, meaning they will offer more protection. If you are relatively new to the sport, you may simply have grabbed any soft pair of shoes you found in the closet when you started to run. That's not bad advice for someone who is not sure yet whether he or she wants to be a jogger or runner, but now you're a marathoner. Look in the mirror. "Oh yeah, that's a marathoner staring back at me!" If you haven't already done so, visit a running store and get a pair of shoes better suited for your purpose.

Tuesday: Run easy: 3 miles today at your usual comfortable pace. Don't be embarrassed to walk, even for this short a distance. I often walk in marathons, particularly when taking a drink. And I walk in training, particularly if it's an out-and-back course, even for a distance as "short" as 3 miles. That's the distance between my house and my son Kevin's house. So I'll run to Kevin's mainly as a point of reference, walk, turn around, then run back feeling refreshed after taking even this short a break. And this may sound silly to you, but you can injure yourself if you hit that 180-degree turn too fast running. Maybe not this early in the program, but as the mileage builds the stress levels build too. Don't take any chances. Make no quick moves, only slow and steady ones. Slow and steady guarantees a medal being hung around your neck after you exit the finishing chute.

Wednesday: Five miles, a jump of a mile from last week and the week before. Don't worry about the pace. Just cover the distance. This is the "tough" workout day in the middle of the week. But does this run of 5.0 miles still seem hard to you? Hopefully you're starting to get in shape so that running for 45-60 minutes is no longer quite the struggle it once seemed. You should feel confident. You're a Certified Marathoner--or will be in another 14 weeks. If people pass you on the jogging path, greet them a wave, a smile, a hearty "hello!" Say to yourself, "I'm a marathoner!"

Thursday: Three miles today, the same as Tuesday. Keeping the theme of running equipment begun on Monday, while shoes are the most important item of equipment a runner can own, comfortable clothing also is a must. If it's cold when you run, particularly in the early morning, you will want to layer on levels of clothing as the best approach to coping with varying temperature levels. And while you want to stay warm, the worst sin is to overdress so that you finish soaked with sweat. More a problem is coping with heat, since there is only so much clothing you can shed without getting arrested. Keep experimenting with different clothing variations. Wicking fabrics work better than the cotton T-shirt you might have won in a 5-K race. You'll figure it out.

Friday: Today being a rest day, maybe this is a day to head to that running store to purchase some of the items of clothing discussed earlier in the week. And make sure it is a running store. While you might be able to find better "bargains" at chain stores in the mall, it's better to shop in a specialty store owned by runners who understand our sport. (Please note the purposeful use of the word "our.")

Saturday: Run 10 miles. Your first single workout in double digits, thus somewhat of a milestone, particularly if you're new to running. Fourteen weeks from now in the marathon, you should be able to cruise past the 10-mile marker. "Ho hum. This is me the marathoner, floating on home to 26 miles 385!" Does this workout seem too easy for you in your advanced state of condition? You might want to consider picking up the pace a bit in the final mile just to see how you feel. But don't overdo it and launch an all-out sprint. Float beats sprint every time. Ten miles is the peak run in the second 3-week segment of your training. Next week is another "stepback" week.

Sunday: Cross-training. An hour of aerobic training. You want to exercise the body after your 10-mile peak run yesterday--but not too much. If you decide to flip-flop workouts and cross-train Saturday and run long Sunday, you won't want to overdo it on this day. An hour of cycling would be fine--as long as it's at an easy pace. An hour of walking would do you good too. If you choose to bike, you can ride past runners on the same bike path and still offer a cheery greeting, "Well, I'm up on my bike today, but I'm really training for a marathon." Okay, you probably won't have the nerve to say that, but think it!

Tip of the Week: Runners sometimes find it difficult doing the long runs, particularly on hot days. One secret is to stop frequently to walk, even if not forced to do so. Walk, grab something to drink, then resume running again. It will make the miles seem much easier plus you'll train yourself to go from running to walking to running during the race. Drinking is important too.

13 weeks left

Monday: This is another week of comparative "rest," since the weekend mileage drops as part of our second "stepback." Total miles this week are 18 with a 7-mile run on the weekend. No running today. If you are a new runner, I hope that you have begun to enjoy the good feeling that comes with being fit. Consider the fact that your marathon training program will be one-third complete at the end of this week.

Tuesday: Three miles at your normal pace. What is "normal?" You be the judge. Remember: Tuesdays and Thursdays are good days to include some extra stretching in your workout to loosen your muscles. Ten minutes or so will do. But don't stretch too hard. Stretching should never feel painful, otherwise you risk damaging the muscles you're trying to protect.

Wednesday: Despite this being a stepback week, your midweek workouts continue their distance progression. Run 5 miles today, the same as last week, but next week you go 6. How do you feel after the first six weeks of your marathon buildup? The answer to that question will partly dictate how hard you run today.

Thursday: Three miles at an easy pace, then do some strength training. Learn to breathe right when you do your lifts. The worst mistake you can make while lifting is to hold your breath, warns personal trainer Cathy Vasto. That simply tightens the muscles that you want to keep loose. Inhale while you prepare to lift the weight, then exhale while lifting it, inhaling again while lowering it. "The best way to breathe is naturally," says Vasto, "so that you’re not even aware you’re doing it."

Friday: Rest is always an important component of any training program. Sometimes rest is important for the mind as much as for the body. Although I love running and find that my day is not complete without a run or some sort of aerobic workout, I realize that not everybody feels the same way--yet! So Friday is the day when you don't have to think about what course you're going to run or how to fit your workout into a busy schedule. You can even skip taking a shower, but if you brush your teeth, don't forget to floss. Relax. Take a day off.

Saturday: Run 7 miles. In a logical arithmetic progression you would have done "11" miles today. In most of my training schedules, I don't program races, because it's not easy to know what race distances are available for runners in different areas of the country. But this might be a good weekend to do a test 5-K or 10-K race. It depends on what the local schedule has to offer. Run a mile or so to warm up and cool down by jogging a mile afterwards. Various charts and formulas allow you to use your 10-K time to predict your marathon time. One such formula is to multiply your 10-K time by the number 4.66. More accurate are some of the charts available on the internet. I most often use the one on McMillan Running.

Sunday: Do some easy cross-training: 30 to 60 minutes of an aerobic activity. You want to exercise the body, particularly if you raced yesterday--but not too much. Some cycling would be fine--as long as it's at an easy pace. Walking would do you good too. If you're combining a number of cross-training exercises, for example: cycling, swimming and strength training at a Health Club, some easy jogging also might be appropriate. Races are not always available on the days we want, so if you race today, you might want to adjust your schedule so you cross-train on Friday and rest on Saturday. In fact, if there's a particular race you want to run on another weekend, you can even flip-flop weeks, trading this stepback week with another week before or behind.

Tip(s) of the Week: Shoe care is important for success in the marathon, not only your racing shoes, but your training shoes. Here are some quick maintenance tips: 1) Always untie your shoes before removing them. 2) Never wash shoes in a washer, or dry them in a dryer. 3) Don't store them in a cold garage, or leave them in a hot car. 4) Don't use them for other sports. 5) Always wear clean and dry socks while running. 6) Have more than one pair of shoes, so you can alternate, allowing shoes to dry between workouts.

12 weeks left

Monday: With six weeks behind us, you now have completed one-third of this 18-week Marathon Training program. Twelve more weeks to go! This is a day of rest. You'll need it, because the mileage continues to build toward your marathon goal. The long run at the end of this week is 12 miles, meaning you're getting up in distance. Add to that 12 more miles run during the middle of the week, and you're up to 24 miles run for the week. You are definitely making progress!

Tuesday: Three miles at a comfortable pace. The mileage for the Tuesday workouts remains consistent, but will change too as we get further into the program. While running your 3-mile easy run today, evaluate how your training is going. Today's workout should feel real easy to you, particularly after diminished mileage the week before plus yesterday's rest day. Resist the temptation to do more or run faster. Tens of thousands of runners have followed my Novice marathon training programs with great success. You don't want to disappoint me by overtraining and getting injured. Certainly not! So relax and enjoy today's run. I'm going to ask you to run somewhat more tomorrow.

Wednesday: Six miles today, a step upward from last week. As these midweek workouts continue to climb, you may need to budget more time out of your busy schedule. Here's my final Wednesday instruction: Smile at everybody you see on the jogging path today. Give them a cheery "Good morning" or "Good afternoon." If someone offers you a similar greeting, it may be because they're following my training program too. :-)

Thursday: Three easy miles. Assuming you do some strength training in combination with this run, as you move from exercise to exercise, don’t rush and don’t waste time chitchatting with friends. Stay focused on your workout by stretching in between. "It’s very important while strength training to have a stretching routine," warns personal trainer Cathy Vasto. "You don’t want to lose your flexibility, which can happen if you forget to stretch. Eccentric contractions (which occur when lowering the weights) actually can tighten the muscles." Stretching while strength training provides a double dose of conditioning in a minimum of time.

Friday: Rest today will provide just that extra dose of recovery necessary for you to have a good weekend of workouts. While the focus on this Novice training program is increasing the quantity of your training, you can't achieve either quantity or quality in your workouts unless you come into the days you run hard well rested. And "hard" is what I have scheduled for you tomorrow, considering the distance. You'll be able to accomplish tomorrow's long run much more successfully if you are rested and ready. This means getting a good night's sleep tonight too. Social considerations aside, you probably don't want to hang out all night at the bars, then be forced to get up the next morning and train hard. What's important in life to you? Make that decision and follow up on it.

Saturday: Run long. Twelve miles. You have now doubled the distance of your longest run in the previous six weeks. Make certain you don't run this workout too hard. Running long workouts too fast is a major training error. Be conservative in your approach to training, and you're more likely to succeed. Don't be embarrassed to stop and walk briefly. You may need to do so in the marathon. The trick is to walk before being forced to.

Sunday: Cross-training today. Walk, bike, swim: your choice. But before we end this week of instructions, let's talk briefly about calorie burn. Running will help you maintain or lose weight. You burn the same number of calories (about 100) walking a mile as you do running a mile. That seems unfair, but calorie burn is related to foot-pounds: how many pounds you push over so many feet. Since you lose 1 pound for every 3,600 calories burned, theoretically by running 24 miles this week you will have lost the equivalent of 2/3 pound compared to if you hadn't run. That assumes your eating habits didn't change. You can lose weight faster by combining diet and exercise, which is the best way to lose weight as well as keep it off.

Running Tips: Marathoners need to learn the value of strength. If you plan to win the marathon, running is not enough. Most top runners head to the gym two or three times a week to pump iron. That's good advice for anybody. Machines and barbells work for the elite, but you can stay in shape with push-ups and sit-ups in your own front room. Then you can flex your muscles while crossing the finish line on marathon day.

11 weeks left

Monday: Rest day. You'll need it, because the mileage continues to climb this week--subtly, though inexorably. You have seven weeks behind you; you have 11 weeks ahead of you. Your total mileage this week is 25, just short of the distance you'll cover in the marathon itself. Your long run will be 13 miles, half the distance of the marathon. Looking ahead, you may wonder: Will I really be able to accomplish what I set out to do? Yes, you will. Look back at where you were when you started this program. Think of all the progress you've made so far.

Tuesday: Three miles at your usual comfortable pace. On these midweek workouts, run at a time convenient for you, a time when you will feel comfortable running. The majority of runners run in the morning, because that guarantees that nothing will interfere with their workout that day. Also, during warm-weather months, it is cooler during the early hours. Nevertheless, a fair number of runners run during their lunch hour. During the winter up north, I usually run midday because the sun is up, and it's usually somewhat warmer. A certain percentage prefer running late afternoon, using running to relax after a stressful business day. And a few run in the late evening after dinner. In families where both the husband and wife run, they often need to run separately, so one of them can mind the kids. Pick the time that is most convenient for you--and for others around you. There's also nothing that says you can't run at different times on different days depending on your schedule.

Wednesday: Six miles. If so, you might want to run a nudge faster this day. Don't push too hard at the start, but see if you can pick up the pace the last mile or two. The fact that you're moving at a slightly faster pace over a slightly longer distance doesn't mean you can't hold a conversation with a partner while running, but allow yourself the luxury of getting slightly out of breath. Important to success in any sport is a distance base, and that is one of the purposes for running a bit longer today. Melvin H. Williams, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at Old Dominion University and a top-ranked masters athlete, was never a distance runner in high school, but he ran to get in shape for other sports. "All of that background running helped to lay a groundwork of base training that I took advantage of immediately when I got serious about being a runner," says Dr. Williams.

Thursday: Another 3-miler. Comfortable pace. You may get a bit bored running the same, or near-same, distances day after day, week after week after week. There are a lot of short runs of 3 to 5 miles in this program, and I suspect a lot of runners will run the same courses with minor variations. If it's an out-and-back course, your options are limited, but if it's a so-called "loop" course that goes in a circle, running it in the opposite direction will result in a needed change of scenery. Use the opportunity to do something different, when it suits your purpose, and don't be afraid to jump in a car occasionally and pick some scenic route you never have run before as a mood booster.

Friday: Preparing for the weekend's double-pronged endurance activities, claim a day of rest. Friday is Date Night in the Higdon household. Rose and I usually like to go out for dinner and maybe take in a movie, or rent a video. Assuming you're going out for dinner tonight, do you pay attention to your diet? Frequently, when people become runners, they find that they begin to eat differently. This is partly conscious and partly subconscious and reflects the fact that carbohydrates are the most efficient form of energy. People who embrace fitness routines discover this through their reading, but often it happens naturally. Runners crave carbs; their bodies tell them that breads and grains and fruits and vegetables are the best foods for fitness and for good health. You'll often find us in an Italian restaurant the night before long workouts or marathons. I'm lucky in that I don't have to eat out to get spaghetti; Rose is of Italian-American descent.

Saturday: Run 13 miles, a significant distance, since it is half the distance you need to run in the marathon itself. You may finish this workout wondering how you'll ever be able to run twice as far. Trust me! You're not yet halfway through your training program. In another ten weeks, you'll be standing on the starting line well-trained and ready to roll. Use these long runs to practice your race strategy. If you haven't yet purchased the pair of shoes you plan to use in the marathon, you should begin to think about making that purchase, and deciding also what outfit to wear: shorts, singlet and a cap to keep the sun off your head. Don't leave anything to chance. And continue to practice drinking as well, both water and the replacement drink you plan to encounter in the marathon. Long runs often are best done with friends, one reason for the success of my marathon training class in Chicago. Camaraderie can keep you going at the end of the workout when the miles start seeming longer. But friends can get you in trouble, particularly if they force you to run faster or slower than you want. And some weekends, you will want to run faster or slower, because you feel good or bad. Don't be afraid to bid friends good-bye, either at the beginning or in the middle of your workout. Speed up or slow down, but be your own man--or woman.

Sunday: Cross-training. An hour of aerobic training. Don't push yourself too hard the day after your longest run so far. Go for a walk. Smell the flowers. Listen to the birds. Take a bike ride. Swimming is a particularly effective way of loosening your muscles after a long run the day before. Next week is another stepback week, a change to gather your strength. In cross-training, you don't need to limit yourself to a single activity. Think like a triathlete: Combine sports. Follow a half hour on a bike with a dip in the pool. Walk for 45 minutes, then stretch for 15. Innovate. The most important point of cross-training on Sundays is that you not only train easy to recover from the long run the day before, but also you prepare for more of the same in the coming week. If you cross-train on Saturday before a long run on Sunday, don't train so hard that you compromise your long run.

Tip of the Week: To improve your ability to concentrate, visualize your race during workouts, particularly during marathon pace runs. "Put yourself into an emotional marathon mode," says Bob Williams, a coach from Portland. Oregon. "Picture different parts of the course." One workout, practice cruising miles 8-12; the next, rehearse miles 12-14. If you're running a hometown marathon, run specific portions of the course during practice for familiarization. If it's an out-of-town course, and you've run it before, replay the memory. Running Boston: Is there a hill similar to Heartbreak Hill near where you live? "Training on terrain similar to that on which you plan to race is essential," emphasizes Williams.

10 weeks left

Monday: The beginning of our third stepback week featuring reduced weekend mileage. Today is a day of complete rest. Assess how you feel. If you feel overly sore from the weekend's 13-miler, today would have been a great day to schedule a sports massage. It's probably too late for you to do so, unless you peeked ahead on the schedule, but consider this option for future Mondays as mileage builds. Let's talk about running form this week. Usually I tell runners not to worry about form; just get out and run. But once runners attain a base level of fitness, how they run is worth some consideration. As you run this week, consider your posture. You should run upright. Your back should be straight, roughly at a 90-degree angle to the ground. Ignore anyone who tells you to "lean into it," even when running uphill.

Tuesday: Three miles at your normal pace. Hopefully, you are now recovered from the weekend's long run. If not, maybe you pushed too hard during that run, or on the days leading up to it. Here's a tip on form related to head carry that you can consider while running today. Look straight down the road. Your eyes should be focused right on a point moving about 10 meters in front of you. Try to run in a straight line and not wander back and forth.

Wednesday: Though a stepback week, the midweek mileage progression continues. Run 7 miles. These long weekday workouts may be increasingly difficult for those of you with busy work schedules, not because of the extra training load but because of the extra time required. Plan ahead. Make sure you allow yourself ample time for this workout.

Thursday: Four miles at your normal pace. This is a slight increase in distance from previous Thursday workouts. Feeling tired? Slow down, or do some walking. Writing training schedules that will be used by tens of thousands of runners with varying ability, it's hard for me to judge how any one runner will feel on any one day. You have to determine how hard or easy to train. When in doubt, be cautious. Continuing the discussion on running form, swing your arms naturally. The angle at the elbow between your upper and lower arms should be about 90 degrees. Your hands should be loosely cupped, about belly level. Let your arms swing in rhythm with your legs. The legs should control arm swing, not the other way around. Form is also important not only in strength training exercises, but also when you stretch. Don't be sloppy in anything you do connected with your running.

Friday: This is your usual end-of-week day of rest, and it's interesting how running often forces people to change their lifestyles. Last week, we talked briefly about the fact that runners usually modify their diets, eating more carbohydrates than they might have before. Typically, they change their drinking habits too, realizing that moderation is the key. Rarely do I see runners drinking alcoholic beverages other than wine or beer--and usually not much of that. That's because when you start to run, you quickly realize that it's no fun to run with a hangover. Thus does running create positive habits for those who pursue it.

Saturday: Run 10 miles. In a straight progression, you might have done 14 today (and you'll do 15 next week). Make this an easy run. Resist the temptation to run faster, because you're running shorter. You'll need the energy you save when we get back on schedule next week. One final word on form, and it concerns footplant. The most natural landing is mid-foot, the ball of the foot landing first, the heel contacting the ground a fraction of a second later. The toes push off a fraction after that. Some runners land further forward, or backward, than others, based on what feels natural to them. Attempt to modify this natural gait at your own risk.

Sunday: Cross-training for an hour. Don't push yourself too hard the day after any long run. Go for a walk. Smell the flowers. Listen to the birds. Take a bike ride. Swimming is a particularly effective way of loosening your muscles after a long run the day before. Consider the fact also that on this day you have finished nine weeks of marathon training. In this 18-week program, you are halfway to the marathon!

Running Tips: Stretching is important for marathoners, who risk losing flexibility because of their high-mileage training. Include some stretching in your daily running routine. The best time to stretch is not before you run. Pre-workout muscles may be tight; the risk of injury is increased. Instead, stretch during--or after--your run, when muscles are warmest. If you own a hot tub, do some stretching while you're soaking.

Posted by Editor at May 20, 2007 05:11 PM

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