Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide: Novice Day-by-Day -- Second 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 second half of an 18-week, day-by-day training guide for the Novice marathon runner.

9 weeks left

Monday: Half way home. You have nine weeks of marathon training behind you and nine more to go. After a stepback week, this is the beginning of another three-week cycle. I have long runs of 15 and 16 miles planned for you over the next two weekends. Your weekly mileage will also increase to 32 miles during this next cycle. As you rest today, contemplate the training behind and the training ahead. Are you well-positioned for the next push upward in distance? I certainly hope so.

Tuesday: Three miles followed by strength training if you choose. And don't forget to stretch after you run and stretch also between lifts. Warm up is important. Research shows that warm tissues stretch better than cold tissues. Many runners interpret this to mean that you jog 5-10 minutes before stopping to stretch. Robert Forster, however, offers another opinion. "Nobody said you can't stretch cold muscles," says the California physiotherapist, who included Jackie Joyner-Kersee among his clients. "When people are prone to injuries--or if they've been sitting down all day--they need to stretch before exercise as well." Forster recommends that runners develop a routine that begins with some simple pre-workout stretches, then continues after a short jog warms the muscles. Stretching after the workout also is a good time to increase flexibility. "There is no best time to stretch," he concludes. "You need to continually work on your flexibility to achieve success as a runner." 

Wednesday: Seven miles today. Our midweek, sorta long run. Do you know what pace you plan to run in the marathon? This might be a good time to practice it--at least in the middle miles. Running 7 miles on a weekday is not easy, and it does take time. These longish 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 easy miles. Make this an even easier workout than usual. While I sometimes suggest that runners move a bit further on some of the easy days, today is not one of those days. Consider the fact that you have a 15-miler coming at you this weekend. That's a lot of running. By running easy today and resting tomorrow, you are loading the gun so you are assured of running well on the weekend.

Friday: On this day of rest before a weekend during which you have your longest run so far scheduled, pause and consider how far you have come since starting your marathon training nine-plus weeks ago. Have you begun to notice any improvements? Improvements are not always easy to measure day by day or even week by week, but think back to nine weeks ago. Or think back to nine months before then. You may not have lost nine pounds in the past nine-plus weeks. You may not have discovered muscles you didn't know you had. But you should begin to notice some improvements in your fitness level and some improvement in your overall ability to run. This training program is designed to help you to finish a marathon. Hopefully, your confidence has begun to grow.

Saturday: Run long. Fifteen miles. That's three-fourths of the longest distance (20) we'll ask you to run in this marathon training program. By now, you should begin to adapt to the rhythm of these long runs. Don't do them too fast. Take walking breaks if necessary. And remember: unless you're a speed demon, you're going to be running for a relatively long period of time, close to three hours or more. If the weather is warm, you will dehydrate. Take a good swig of water just before you start to run and if there are any water fountains on the course you choose, don't run past them. You might even consider carrying a water bottle. Dehydration becomes more of a factor the longer you run and the higher the temperature. If you can't find water fountains along your route, consider purchasing a belt for carrying fluids. Yes, you have a right to finish a 15-miler feeling tired, but you should not finish exhausted. Running steady pace is the secret to marathon success.

Sunday: Cross-training today. By now you probably have determined the cross-training routine that works best for you. But don't be afraid to vary it. Is rollerblading okay? Yes, if you're used to doing it and wear proper equipment so you don't get hurt if you fall down. But if you're new to the activity, or inexperienced, don't start now. What about soccer? Or tennis? Basketball? Runners frequently ask me about these sports. While they may be fun, sports that feature sideways or up-and-down movements are risky, particularly as the mileage builds. Choose your cross-training sport carefully. Remember that the day after a long run is a good time to do some extra stretching. Even a 5- or 10-minute swim at the end of a cross-training workout will help loosen you up.

Tip of the Week: Practice makes perfect. Practice not only running, but everything else related to race day. That includes equipment. Do you know what shoes you'll wear on race day? Buy a new pair now! How about shorts and singlet? Test your clothing in training to make sure nothing chafes or causes a blister. Do you expect hot or cold weather race day? Weather can be unpredictable. Will you be prepared if the temperature suddenly drops (or rises) 30 degrees on race day? Consider every scenario you might encounter.

8 weeks left

Monday: Rest day. As mileage in our training program builds, you'll need this day of rest more and more. This is a high-mileage week (32 total), so don't overdo today's workout, regardless of which cross-training discipline you select. You had a long run of 15 miles yesterday; you'll have a longer run of 16 miles at the end of this week. You are now into the 11th week of my 18-week Marathon Training Program with five weeks left to go before the taper begins. Hopefully, you have begun to see some improvements in fitness since when you began a long, long time ago in a distant galaxy. Maybe you've lost some weight. If not that, you probably have built some muscle and lowered your percentage of body fat. You look better and feel better. Congratulate yourself on your perseverance so far.

Tuesday: Your easy run today is 4 miles, up a mile from previous Tuesdays. The mileage buildup continues. You will burn an extra 100 or so calories because of this extra mile. If you're trying to lose weight, you may consider this an advantage--but losing too much weight can get you in trouble! Be sure to watch your diet. In fact, you probably need to increase your carbohydrate intake on all days of the week to compensate for the extra miles you’re starting to run. You can’t train well while glycogen-depleted.

Wednesday: Eight miles. The mileage of this midweek "sorta" long run will continue to build gradually over the next five weeks. This is an essential part of your training program. Be sure to take it seriously. By now, you are running farther during your Wednesday workouts than you did during your weekend workouts during the first three weeks of the program. That's quite a step up in distance. Hopefully, your body has begun to accommodate to this extra level of stress. 

Thursday: The purpose of this 4-miler is partly to loosen up after yesterday's run. Remember to keep this at a comfortable pace. By now, this should be a workout that you could run with your hands tied behind your back, humming the your favorite P. Diddy tune and cheerfully greeting everybody you meet on the jogging path. Don't push the pace too hard today, because you have a tough run coming up on the weekend.

Friday: Today is a day of rest. If tonight is "Date Night" and you go out for dinner, as I often do with my wife Rose at the end of the week, pick from the menu well. A well-balanced diet for runners is to obtain 55 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fats and 15 percent from proteins. Complex carbohydrates found in pasta, rice and fruit are the best. Forget those high-protein and low-carbohydrate diets. They simply don't work for endurance athletes.

Saturday: Run 16 miles, another landmark of sorts. When you pass this point in the marathon, you'll get a psychological lift in that only 10 miles remain and you'll be facing single digits (9, 8, 7, etc.) as you cruise toward the finish line. Next week you'll run a shorter distance as part of a stepback week, so tough this out. As a mind game, visualize yourself running over the first 16 miles of the marathon course. 

Sunday: Don't overdo the cross-training today. Particularly as the mileage continues to build, keep the effort level low. If you're out on a bike, for example, you don't want your head down and your legs pumping at high revolutions or in low gears. As for strength training, you probably need to begin to cut back on the heavy weights as mileage builds. Next week is another stepback week and also the end of our fourth three-week cycle. For the rest of the program, as the mileage continues its upward spiral, we will provide you with a stepback week every other week to make certain you don't become stressed out.

Tip of the Week: Occasional racing may be important for marathon success. Particularly this is true for Novice runners who have raced infrequently--or not at all--before catching the Marathon Bug. One reason for racing is to test your fitness: to get an idea of how fast a pace you will be able to carry in the marathon. Another is to test all your strategies from the shoes you'll wear to grabbing fluids at water stations. Leave nothing to chance. Too much racing, however, can lead to overtraining, so don't overdo it.

7 weeks left

Monday: This is our fourth stepback week featuring reduced mileage. It is also the end of our fourth three-week cycle, featuring two "hard" weeks followed by one "easy" one. Next week, with the mileage continuing to climb, we will shift to two-week cycles to make certain not to push you too far too fast. The weekend past featured the longest run so far in the program: 16 miles. That's a bit of distance. That's serious training. That's why this day of complete rest will come in handy.

Tuesday: Four miles at your normal pace followed by strength training--and don't forget to stretch. "There is little doubt that some form of resistance training is beneficial to all runners," says exercise physiologist and Olympic champion Peter Snell, Ph.D. "Weight training is not likely to produce further increases in maximum oxygen uptake in runners, but may improve muscle endurance." Nevertheless, with the mileage now up there in the stratosphere, consider cutting back somewhat on your strength training. Less weight, fewer repetitions will allow you to conserve energy and also reduce the risk of an overuse injury.

Wednesday: The midweek mini long run remains at 8 miles, same as last week. Whether you run this in the morning before work, or after, be sure to budget enough time so you don't have to cut the workout short. Make this a "listen-to-your-body" workout. Run as you feel. If you feel like running a little faster (no particular pace), do it. If you feel like really taking it easy (even including some walking breaks or stops for water), do that. Training schedules should not be inflexible. This is the week where I count on you to strike a sensible balance between undertraining and overtraining.

Thursday: Five miles at your normal pace. This is an increase of a mile from last week. To avoid getting in a rut, select a different 5-mile course rather than simply adding a mile to the 4-mile course you have been using for several weeks. Success in running is often as much mental as physical. And as I suggest above, changing paces is also a good strategy. Note that I also have suggested as an option this weekend a race to test your fitness. Maybe even a half marathon, if you can find one. If you choose that option, and the race is Saturday rather than Sunday, you might want to cut back several miles on the distance today, or even take an additional full day off.

Friday: Savor this day of rest. Once this stepback week is past, we move forward to the peak part of your training. Are you suffering any aches and pains? This is not an easy training program. No marathon training program is, because of the necessity to log lots of miles to get runners ready to finish 26 miles 385 yards. If you have any nagging injuries, but have been postponing seeing a sports medicine professional, maybe now is the time to schedule an appointment. Prevention is sometimes the best therapy.

Saturday: Run 12 miles. This is in place of the 17-miler you might have expected in a straight progression. If you want a test race, this might be a good weekend for it. A half marathon would fit perfectly into the training plan, particularly coming at the end of the fourth of our three-week cycles. You also have the leeway to juggle weeks to accommodate the local racing calendar. But do not overplay the racing card: Doing so can compromise your ability to do the necessary long runs in this program. In fact, Tom Moran, who works with me in the CARA Chixcago Marathon Training Class, feels that runners in the Novice program should not even consider racing. Like: never! "I just want to get them to the starting line healthy," worried Mother Hen Moran. Good point, Tom, but a certain amount of racing can help motivate you--as long as you don't overdo it. If Tom tells you "no," come talk to me. (In raising our family, my wife Rose and I noticed that our kids would sometimes play one off against the other in getting permission to do something we might not otherwise approve.)

Sunday: An hour's cross-training. Since you didn't run as far yesterday, you might even want to include some running today. By "running," I really mean some easy jogging--and not for the full hour. Otherwise, do whatever appeals to you in the way of walking, cycling, swimming or other exercises.

Tip of the Week: There is no such thing as "bad food," only bad choices. There's even a place for burgers, fries and shakes in your diet. You just need to balance everything you eat. If you eat a well-balanced diet, that includes ample fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, you can avoid expensive supplements. Tape these words to your refrigerator: "Eat a wide variety of lightly processed foods."

6 weeks left

Monday: Following the stepback week, get ready to rumble again. These next three weeks are the ones where you achieve the peak training toward which you've been building. You'll end Week 13 with an 18-miler and Week 15 with a 20-miler (with another stepback week between).

Tuesday: Four miles run comfortably. The pace for a "comfortable" run this day may be faster than the pace you did a "comfortable" run a dozen weeks ago when you began your marathon training. Or it may not. Everybody reacts differently to training. At peak training, fatigue can set in. You may need to remove some of the other stresses from your life. For instance, strength training normally is good for runners, but not toward the end of a marathon buildup. So save your time pumping iron and devote the extra minutes you save to stretching.

Wednesday: Nine miles. Your most difficult task will remain not going the distance--since you can handle this many miles easily now--but rather fitting a run that may last well past an hour into your work week. Can you juggle your work schedule to allow some time off, perhaps a day's vacation the weeks you do these midweek sorta long runs? The same with your social life. Get some more sleep. You really don't need to stay up late to watch that David Letterman rerun, do you?

Thursday: Five easy miles. Eighteen miles in the last three days. After resting tomorrow, you'll face an 18-miler over the weekend to cap the week at 36 total miles. Whew! As we approach the peak of your training, those days when I do allow you to rest (such as tomorrow) become increasingly important.

Friday: A day of rest preparatory to some tough training on the weekend. Get some extra sleep tonight, so you're ready to run long. This is particularly important if you're training through the summer for a fall marathon, since so many of your runs begin in the early morning to avoid the heat that begins to build late-morning. How is your nutrition? This is probably not a day to go out for burgers and beer.

Saturday: Eighteen miles. That's almost 30 kilometers, close to three-fourths of the full marathon distance. (Remember that when you sail past 18 in the race.) But for now, it's the longest run so far in your training program. Do you need to walk a bit to finish this run comfortably. Do so while taking fluids. That's good practice for the race, since you can take more water if you walk through water stops. Experiment also with replacement gels (such as Reload) for extra energy. When you finish today's workout, congratulate yourself for what may be a Personal Best in distance.

Sunday: Cross-training remains an important part of your training. An hour-long spin on a bike might work well today. Notice that we said "spin." Don't train too hard, regardless of which cross-training discipline you select. When you finish today's workout, congratulate yourself for all the training it took to get you this far.

Tip of the Week: 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. Stretching on the off days also makes sense.

5 weeks left

Monday: No running today. This is another stepback week, giving you a break between Weeks 13 and 15 with their long runs of 18 and 20 miles. In order to train hard, you need to be well rested. While resting, congratulate yourself on the amount of training you have done so far. You are almost at the end of the tunnel. It is getting brighter ahead. You have one more hard week ahead of you (Week 15), then it is time to taper and get ready to race.

Tuesday: Despite this being a stepback week, today's mileage is one mile further than last Tuesday. Take five, but at an easy pace. You may still be feeling some residual fatigue as a result of the 18-miler you did over the weekend. For that reason, this might be a good day on which to schedule a massage. For maddages, I visit Harbor Country Day Spa in New Buffalo, Michigan. Usually I schedule a massage every other weekend, but when the training gets toughest, I sometimes get a massage once a week. If I were a professional runner, I probably would get three or four massages a week. That's how important I believe massage therapy can be for runners.

Wednesday: Nine miles today. Depending on how you feel, you might want to pick up the pace slightly for a few of the middle miles. Try stretching out a bit between Miles 5 and 7, then come in at a gentler pace. Remember that stretching remains important for marathoners, who risk losing flexibility because of their high-mileage training. This is particularly important now that you are approaching 20 miles for your longest run with accompanying high mileage for the full week. 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. Admittedly, with a 9-miler taking so much time out of your work week, you may feel that you don't have time to stretch. But think of it this way: You don't have time not to stretch.

Thursday: Five miles today, the same as Tuesday's workout. Remember what I told you two weeks ago about selecting different courses for workouts run over the same distances. Since it will take you less time to run 5 miles than the 9-miler yesterday, maybe you can afford to go to a particularly scenic location for today's run. My favorite training area is Indiana Dunes State Park, despite having to drive 20-30 minutes to get there. I park at Wilson Shelter and do a figure-eight loop on Trails 2, 9 and 10 to get a 5-mile workout. A single loop gives me 3 miles. If you see me running in the park some day--maybe even today--be sure to say hello.

Friday: Total rest. The long run mileage is up. The weekly mileage is up. What is the best thing you can do to insure that you training properly and get maximum advantage out of all the training you're doing? It's a variation of the old Real Estate Agent response about what is important in selling a house: "Location! Location! Location!" For runners interested in getting maximum advantage out of their long runs--or any other hard training--it's: "Rest! Rest! Rest!"

Saturday: Run 14 miles. Did you believe when you started this program there would come a day when we would tell you to go that distance, and you'd think, "Oh, an easy day." It all depends on your point of view. You're now looking down on 14, rather than up at it. Next Saturday's run will not be easy. That's a promise.

Sunday: An hour of cross-training today. Don't overlook this important part of your training. Since yesterday's workout was so "easy," you might consider doing some jogging today. If so, keep the pace at a very, very low stress level--and walk more than usual. Next week is a big one, because you will climax the week--and your training--by running 20 miles, the longest distance in this marathon training program.

Tip of the Week: Too much racing can compromise your marathon training. In the marathon training class in Chicago, we used to recommend that students race no more than three out of the 18 weekends at distances between 10-K and 25-K. Now we don't recommend any racing out of fear of injury. Races, nevertheless, can help you determine your fitness level and help you determine your marathon pace. Here's a handy formula for predicting marathon time. Multiply your 10-K time by 4.66. (For instance, 40:00 for 10-K predicts 3:06:40 for the marathon.) First-timers, however, should take a more conservative approach and multiply 10-K time by a factor of 5. (For instance, 50:00 for 10-K predicts 4:10 for the marathon.) By choosing the more conservative formula, and starting more slowly, you're less likely to hit the wall.

4 weeks left

Monday: This is the infamous Week 15, the peak week of your training with 40 miles total for the week and a 20-miler on the weekend. (Check below and you'll see that I suggest moving your long run to Sunday rather than Saturday for this one climactic week.) Rather than fear this 20-miler, you should greet it with near the same enthusiasm you will greet the marathon one month from now. But, for the time being, take it easy.

Tuesday: Five miles at your normal pace. If you're running with a friend, the talk test prevails. You should be able to hold a conversation without getting greatly out of breath while moving along at a comfortable pace. If running alone, visualize running the marathon to motivate yourself. If you're familiar with the course, rehearse how you're going to run miles 1 through 5. Try to stay smooth. Concentrate on maintaining an efficient form.

Wednesday: Ten miles at a steady and comfortable pace. This is peak mileage for the midweek run. The combination of this 10-mile sorta long run and the 20 mile long run over the weekend brings you to near the top of the mountain. This will give you the confidence to reach your goal: finishing 26 miles 385 yards. Given the time it will take you to do this workout in the middle of a work week, consider taking a vacation day, or half day off.

Thursday: Five miles at your normal pace. You are entitled to feel a bit tired today. It's normal. That's what training is all about. As a visualization drill today, picture yourself running the last 5 miles of the marathon course. How are you going to feel walking through the finish chute. If you followed this program faithfully, I'm hoping that you will feel great!

Friday: No running today. Get to bed early tonight. This is important advice for two nights before the marathon. Why? Because a lot of runners get very nervous the night before and find it difficult to sleep. And in order to make it to the starting line in time, they oftentimes have to rise earlier than normal. "The night before the night before" is the time to stoke up on sleep. So get your sleep on Friday as much as on Saturday to make sure you're well rested on Sunday. Please note that I am recommending that you shift your long run (the "feared" 20-miler) to Sunday rather than Saturday. If you choose to stick with Saturdays (no problem), you may want to shift everything forward a day, making Thursday a rest day.

Saturday: Although you may have been doing your long runs on Saturdays, we suggest you flip-flop days and do the climactic long run on Sunday. Today, do an hour of cross-training. And it should be an easy hour, because you don't want to start tomorrow's run fatigued. An hour of walking sounds about right. Tonight, skip the lamb chops and go for spaghetti. In fact, eat a similar meal to that planned for the night before the marathon: pasta with a marinara sauce, bread, salad and a non-caffeine, high-carbohydrate beverage.

Sunday: The Big Twenty! Next to the actual marathon itself, you will find finishing today's workout to be the most important achievement of the 18-week training program. Not merely will you have run 20 miles, but you will do it at the climax of a 40-mile training week! It doesn't get much better, nor much tougher than this. Well, yes it does. Wait three more weeks. (Remember to practice drinking fluids and ingesting gels today, same as you will do in the race.)

Tip of the Week: What you do in any one workout doesn't matter. The most important point of any training program is the totality of that program, and the results it brings. A flash speed workout with quick splits may look good in your training diary, but it could bring you to the edge of overtraining. The same with running the long runs too hard. Your time in the final 20-miler won't count three weeks later. Your success will be measured by, 1) finishing the marathon, if you're a beginner, or 2) finishing it in a time that reflects your current capabilities, if you're an experienced runner. What you did while getting there doesn't count.

3 weeks left

Monday: With the 20-miler now history, the taper begins. The entire purpose of training over the next three weeks is to allow you to rest your body after the previous 15 weeks of progressively tougher training. This means gradually reducing the training load, thus the term "taper." My taper philosophy is that you cut mileage to 75% in Week 16, 50% in Week 17 and 25% (not including the marathon itself) in Week 18. The numbers don't work out exactly--going from 40 to 29 to 21 to 9--but they're close. Rest today.

Tuesday: Five miles easy. While total miles for the week drop, some workouts remain about the same. That is true today. You've begun your taper, but the decline is shallow for these first few days. Maintain your usual pace for this distance. During the taper, quality (meaning how fast you run) should remain about the same. Quantity (or how far you run) is the element that declines.

Wednesday: Eight miles. You had reached a peak of 10 last Tuesday. The drop in mileage will be subtle at first, then more pronounced. The serious training is done. You now focus on getting to the starting line well rested. In Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, I quote David L. Costill, Ph.D. of Ball State University, who says that runners sometimes train too hard in the weeks immediately preceding a marathon: "They feel they need one last butt-busting workout and end up tearing themselves down." In research with swimmers, Dr. Costill noted that they often set PRs by tapering as much as three to six weeks before an event. Research with runners suggested a three-week taper might work best. The better your preparation (the 15 weeks just past), the more you can afford to take time off, and the more likely you will achieve success.

Thursday: Four easy miles, compared to the 5 you did last Thursday. Research suggests that you need to continue to train at, or near, race pace on the hard days. Duncan MacDougall, Ph.D. of McMaster University also studied tapering. "We still don't know what the optimal tapering plan is," he finally concluded, "but we do know that if you're going to be tapering for a week or so, it's important to keep the intensity of your workouts fairly high as you cut back drastically on your mileage." Dr. MacDougall was working with 10-K runners, who would necessarily taper a shorter time, but the message for marathoners remains the same. Reduce quantity, but maintain quality.

Friday: Rest day. Continuing the thread begun two days ago quoting Dr. Costill's research, he found the main problem with tapering runners was that, psychologically, they worried about losing conditioning by running less, so became anxious. Also, at least in early time trials following a taper, they were so well rested and felt so good they ran the first few laps of a 5,000-meter test run too fast and faded in the final laps. (They got the message the next time tested and did better.) Rest is essential. Believe me when I tell you, you won't lose conditioning when you taper. On race day, however, you're going to need to control any impulses to run the first few miles too fast.

Saturday: Today's run is 12 miles, long by standards of three months ago, but hopefully an easy stroll in the park following all the training you've done. Maintain the same pace as your usual weekend runs. One of the reasons for these long runs is to get your body used to moving for a long period of time, as well as distance. If you cut the time length of your workouts short by running too fast, you spoil the effect of the taper and don't get full benefit. Marathon running is a psychological, as well as physical, game.

Sunday: Similar to your run training, don't do anything in the area of cross-training that will push you too hard. Keep the bike ride gentle. Swim more to loosen your muscles, not strengthen them. And if you've been doing strength training, you might want to stop, or do very little, with the marathon almost in sight. Walking remains a good off-day exercise for runners.

Tip of the Week: Research suggests that runners often catch a cold or the flu the final week before the marathon, or the week after the marathon. That's because in building to a mileage peak, they often overdo it and temporarily suppress their immune systems. Marathoners thus are more vulnerable to any viruses they might encounter. To avoid colds, try to avoid people who have them. And get plenty of rest.

2 weeks left

Monday: No running today. You're into your final taper now. This rest day takes on more significance as you try to store energy. "Knowing precisely how to modify your training during the last two to three weeks before a marathon takes experience," I write in Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide. "Even for seasoned marathoners, it may take a few bad starts before finding a specific routine that works. There are too many variables in the equation. How long you may have prepared for any one specific long race, how effective your training has been, whether you enter the closing stages undertrained or overtrained, and how confident you are." I like to feel that you should be very confident after following my 18-week program!

Tuesday: Four easy miles for today's run. In Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, I discuss the psychological implications of doing less: "You may not know what to do with the extra time. And you don't want to give up your long Sunday run with friends, even in the last weekend before the marathon. Then there's the problem of diet. If you cut down on the number of miles you run, you'll also need to cut the number of calories you eat if you don't want to gain weight. And while many marathoners might believe that rest could benefit their performance in this marathon, they're afraid of the effect of two or three weeks' rest on their overall conditioning." Trust me: The rest will do you good!

Wednesday: Six miles today. The decreased mileage on this key, midweek workout should make it easier for you to manage your busy schedule. Are you running on a course today where there is an accurately measured mile, regardless of where it comes in the run? Pick up the pace and see how close you can come to the precise pace you will run in the race two weekends from today. No handy measured mile? Increase your pace for the precise length of time it would take you to cover a mile at marathon pace. You'd be surprised how close you can come to hitting the exact distance.

Thursday: Go only three miles. A continued drop in distance. Here's another reason why to taper from Owen Anderson, Ph.D., editor of Running Research News: "Scientific evidence suggests that temporary training reductions bolster leg muscle power, reduce lactic acid production, and carve precious minutes off race times. In contrast, hard workouts just before a race can produce nagging injuries and deplete leg muscles of their key fuel for running--glycogen."

Friday: Total rest. Don't stay out too late tonight. You want to catch up on any sleep you might have lost during the hard weeks of your training. Sleep loss is cumulative, and it's time to catch up. Here's some advice on eating habits during the taper period from Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide: "Watch what you eat. If you're running less, you're also burning fewer calories. This could mean you gain a pound or so--no big deal, unless you also fill in your spare time by making extra trips to the fridge.... To keep from piling on extra pounds, you could eliminate junk food from your diet during your taper week(s). Get rid of the soft drinks and sugar sweets that you may have used to boost your calorie intake during regular training."

Saturday: Run 8 miles. This would be a good day for a final test run of your equipment: the shoes you plan to wear and your "race" uniform (conceding that you can't always predict next weekend's weather). You want to avoid, as much as possible, any blisters or chafing that might make next weekend's run uncomfortable. Incidentally, there are some excellent anti-chafing products. Body Glide is one, but there are a number of others. Check at your local running store.

Sunday: An hour of cross-training today. Keeping with the spirit of this second tapering week, whatever you do today should not be done with high intensity. If you decide to do some biking, swimming or hiking (depending on your cross-workout of choice), let's limit it to a half hour in keeping with my tapering recommendation that you cut your regular training in half two weeks before the marathon. Stay away from pick-up basketball games. Don't throw away the work of the last three months by doing something foolish.

Tip of the Week: As you get into the final weeks of your marathon preparation, the most important thing you can do is rest, rest and rest. The hard work is over. You need to do some training, but not too much. My approach has always been to cut mileage, but maintain intensity. Continue to run somewhat fast on the "hard" days, but not so far. For inspiration, rent a video of the classic English movie, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.

1 week left

Monday: Your whole final week leading up to the marathon should be devoted to rest, rest, rest! According to Tom Grogon, a coach from Cincinnati: "One problem that often develops is that people in training sometimes use these easy/lower mileage weeks to do something else equally stressful." Grogon recalls one tapering runner who rebuilt his barn and another who spent his "rest" time swimming and biking--and none of these activities exactly qualify as resting. Grogon recommends using the extra time to catch up on family and work responsibilities.

Tuesday: Three miles at your normal pace. And mind what you eat this week, as I write in Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide: "Begin carbo-loading seven days in advance. Forget what you read years ago about depletion and three days of a low-carbohydrate diet before switching to a diet high in carbohydrates. (The theory was that the depleted muscles--'starved' for carbohydrates--would then be able to suck up even more carbos than normal and thus provide the marathoner with even more energy on race day.) Stick with a high-carbohydrate diet throughout the week. You don't need to eat spaghetti all seven days: Focusing on fruits, vegetables, and grains will keep you above 60 percent carbos even if you have lean meat as a main course. If you haven't eliminated between-meal junk snacks, do it now.".

Wednesday: Four miles easy. More on diet, a very important subject this last week because of the necessity to stock your muscles with fuel-efficient glycogen. Robert Eslick, a coach from Nashville says, "I tell my runners to watch their intake for the first three days of the marathon week to avoid weight gain and then to eat a little more than their normal intake, with the emphasis on carbohydrates, the last three days." Sound advice.

Thursday: The last three days are critical to the final taper. Usually, I rest two days and do some light jogging on the third. In this schedule for Novice runners, I advise that you do 2 easy miles today, then rest Friday and Saturday. Carbo-loading begins in earnest today. Pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals, fruits. Don't make radical changes in your regular diet, but now is not the time for filet mignon. Cut back slightly on your intake of calories, since you will be burning fewer calories in this final tapering week.

Friday: Get a good night's sleep tonight. You may have more difficulty sleeping tomorrow night because of nervous anticipation. Also, you may need to get up early Sunday to get to the start on time. For this reason, your Friday night's sleep is even more important than your Saturday night's sleep. I say "Sunday" and "Saturday" assuming that your marathon race is on the former day. But some marathons are held on Saturdays. "Rocket City" in Huntsville, Alabama and "Grandma's" in Duluth, Minnesota come to mind. If you're running a Saturday marathon, move everything up one day.

Saturday: Many runners like to do some light jogging the day before the marathon, particularly to loosen up after traveling to the race. I prescribed an easy 2-mile run on Thursday for Novice runners, but if you want to rest Thursday and do your 2-miler today, that's not a bad option. I suggest to runners following the intermediate and advanced programs to do some easy strides the day before the race to both loosen up and relieve nervousness. If you decide to do the same, simply flip-flop your Thursday and Saturday workouts. Quoting again from Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide: "There's no longer any room in your training plan for hard, fast, or long runs. Forget them. If you run anything at or near race pace, don't run far."

Sunday: St. Paul once said, "Do you not know that those who run in a race, all indeed run, but only one receives the prize? So run as to obtain it." (St. Paul, 9:24) I don't know, Pauly, that message might have been accurate 2,000 years ago, but if you were around today and had an opportunity to experience today's mass-participation marathons, you might agree that more than one runner receives the prize, or benefits from their participation. (That might make a good sermon subject for my former teammate at Carleton College, Bill Hendren, who is now a minister in Ventura, California.) Regardless of whether you expect to win a prize in today's race, take St. Paul's advice and run so as to obtain it. There's not much more we can say other than this is the day and the moment for which you have spent 18 weeks. Remember everything you learned over those weeks. And have a very good day!

Tip of the Week: Smile as you cross the finish line. More important: Don't punch your stopwatch until a few seconds later, while you're in the chute. You want to look good for the finish-line photo.

Recovery Time

Running a marathon is not easy. Generally, it takes a minimum of two to three weeks for the body to recover from the strain of running 26 miles 385 yards. Return too quickly and you increase your risk of injury. Some experts suggest resting one day for every mile you ran in the marathon, thus 26 days of no hard running or racing. Others suggest one day for every kilometer, thus 42 days rest. Often the determining factor is not how quickly your body recovers, but how quickly your mind recovers, since you temporarily will have lost your main training goal. Olympic champion Frank Shorter says: "You're not ready to run another marathon until you've forgotten the last one."

The training you do in the three weeks following a marathon should be a near mirror of what you did the last three weeks before: in other words, a reverse taper. Your eating after also should mirror your eating before, since a diet high in carbohydrates can help refuel your muscles as well as fuel them. Here is what to do in Week "0", the week after your marathon.

Sunday: Recovery begins the minute you step into the finishing chute. Keep moving and start drinking, preferably a replacement drink such as Gatorade. Research suggests that refueling works best if done immediately after exercise, when the body is eager to absorb energy. As soon as your stomach can tolerate food, start eating. Most marathons provide bananas, yogurt and other easily digested high-carbohydrate foods. These are good for you. A long walk to your car or hotel room won't hurt you. After that, get off your feet and rest an hour or two. By then, you should be ready for more solid food. It too should be high in carbohydrates.

Monday: During the 18 weeks you followed this program, Monday was always a day of relative rest (including cross-training) to help your body recuperate from weekend workouts. The same principle applies. No running today! No exercise of any kind! Take it easy.

Tuesday: No running! Today's a good day for a massage. (Schedule one before the marathon.) Although getting a quick rubdown at the finish-line massage tent may have felt good, a massage 24 to 48 hours after the marathon works best. If you have any post-race blisters or foot problems, have a podiatrist treat them.

Wednesday: No running! And don't substitute cross-training in a mistaken belief that it will help you maintain fitness. You may be able to swim or cycle more easily than run because you'll be using somewhat different muscles, but you still need rest-rest-rest to allow all your muscles to recover. Starting to train too soon can delay that recovery. You earned this period of rest. Take it!

Thursday: Okay, you're cleared to run again, but don't overdo it. The final workout for before the marathon was an easy 2-miler. This seems like a good distance for your first day back as well.

Friday: Now is the time to cross-train. Swim or bike if that is your pleasure, but it's probably not a good idea to start some new exercise you haven't been doing the previous 18 weeks. The best cross-training discipline for a recovering marathoner is simple walking. Don't underestimate the value of this activity. Go at most 2-3 miles.

Saturday: By now, most of the muscle soreness should be gone. You're probably ready to resume your regular running routine, but don't rush things. Stick with the 2- to 3-mile routine today. Or maybe take today off entirely.

Sunday: Quite often marathoners who did their long runs together in the months leading up to a marathon like to get together to rehash how they did. So call your friends and schedule a run of about an hour, 6 to 8 miles max. But don't get competitive and push the pace too hard. Your body may feel better again, but it's still in recovery mode.

TIP OF THE WEEK: There is no exact formula for marathon recovery. Too many factors are involved from the condition of the athlete going into the race to the conditions of the race itself. Hilly courses, particularly those with downhills near the end such as Boston, do more muscle damage than flat courses like Chicago. Extremes of heat or cold slow the recovery process. And runners who go out too fast and crash usually have more difficulty recovering than those who run an even pace. "Nature takes care of us," says David L. Costill, Ph.D. of the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University. "Time heals most of the damage done in the marathon." Through careful attention to recovery, most of us will be back on the road again, looking forward to our next trip to the starting line.

Posted by Editor at May 21, 2007 03:59 PM

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