Unstructured Marathon Training
A Program for Road Runners Wanting to Finish the Distance
You have started racing and want to test yourself by running a marathon race. If you don't like highly structured schedules, try this unstructured training program.
Running a Marathon
After running road races, many runners want increasingly challenging races. Despite the existence of ultramarathons, most runners view the marathon as the ultimate running challenge.
You need to be properly trained to finish a marathon. With proper training you will finish the race, have fun, and possibly avoid hitting the dreaded wall.
Training Schedules for the Marathon
For runners who like structure and schedules, there are many marathon training programs with detailed training schedules. Many runners however do not like detailed training schedules. Perhaps the rest of their life is overscheduled, or perhaps they just prefer to be spontaneous. These runners may prefer this unstructured training program.
Unstructured Training Program for the Marathon
This unstructured marathon training program applies the principles important to training for marathons. However rather than providing daily or weekly training schedules, this program allows individual runners the flexibility to work their training around the rest of their lives. The program is primarily for runners trying to finish the distance rather than elite runners.
Training Principles for Marathons
Increase mileage slowly. Neither the length of your longest run nor your total weekly mileage should increase by more than 10% a week. Work up to the point that you are running about 50 to 60 miles per week for a couple months. For an excellent time, you should run even more.
Don't run the same distance every day. Take a weekly long run. Run these longer distances when the rest of your life gives you time. They don't have to be on the same day every week. Complete at least one, and preferably a few, 20 mile runs before your marathon. Between long runs take shorter easy days.
Take a rest day each week. Rest on days when your schedule is most hectic. Many running programs recommend cross training, but if you are doing the miles needed to train for a marathon, your body probably needs rest more than it needs cross training.
Speed work is optional. If your only goal is to finish the distance and you don't care about the time, don't bother with speed work. Just run at a pace that allows comfortable conversation.
If you want a good or improved time, do some speed work. For unstructured speed work, run fast when you feel good. The fast runs should not be on your long run days. Instead run some of your shorter runs at a faster than normal speed. You can also do speed work by running short bursts, rather than an entire run, faster than normal. Do these fast intervals on days when you feel good. Running shorter races is also a good way to do speed work. No more than about 10% of your total mileage should be speed work or races.
Learn to listen to your body. Do long or fast runs when you feel good. If you feel listless, you may be overtraining or increasing your training too rapidly. Cut back a bit. If you have pain that signals an impending injury, cut back.
Taper. The last few weeks before the race cut back on your mileage. Rest the last two days before the race. Older runners need to taper more than younger runners - up to a month. The taper insures that you are ready to run hard on race day.
Enjoy the race. Congratulations when you cross the finish line. Take the time you need to recover afterwards.
