A Comparison of Marathon Training Plans

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There are a vast number of training plans for the marathon distance, and choosing one can be daunting. This page gives an overview of several popular, proven plans. I have given a short textual description of the plan, then a list of the key attributes and a high level summary of each level of the plan. For the long runs, I start listing the lengths with the first run of 16 miles or longer and do not include the taper period. I've put the plans loosely in order of preference.

1 Suitability Comparison

The table below gives some high level guidance as to the suitability for the different plans for different types of runner. In the table, the number 1-5 indicate suitability with 5 being more suitable. As always, I'd like to hear from anyone that disagrees ;}

First Jack Daniels SmartCoach Advanced Marathoning Jeff Galloway Hal Higdon Runners World
Novice 2 3 3 1 4 3 2
Maintenance 2 2 3 1 3 4 2
Improver 4 4 3 2 1 2 3
Enthusiast 5 5 3 4 1 2 2
Elite 5 5 2 4 1 1 2
  • Novice: A first time marathon runner, or someone who not run a marathon for some time.
  • Maintenance: A regular marathon runner who is looking to keep their performance, but not intending to work hard on improving their time.
  • Improver: A runner who has run several marathons and is hoping to improve their performance. An improver will have not trained hard in the past, so may have the ability to improve significantly.
  • Enthusiast: This is a runner who has trained hard for marathons in the past and is looking for ways of optimizing their performance.
  • Elite: A runner who is prepared to work 'as hard as it takes' to improve performance.

2 FIRST (Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training)

The FIRST plan is my preferred training approach and is available in the book Run Less, Run Faster. The FIRST plan builds on the Jack Daniels approach of providing specific training paces based on fitness level, which provides clearly defined workouts. The unique attribute of FIRST is running only 3 days per week, with two days of cross training. This tends to make FIRST a tougher training plan, as every run is a hard workout.

  • My take: The best all round plan, but requires the ability to do speedwork. Though this plan is only 3 days/week, it is a tough plan.
  • Key Characteristics
    • Run 3 days/week
    • Training pace based on fitness
    • Long runs are not at a slow pace, but between marathon pace and marathon pace + 30 seconds
    • Some runners find the workouts too hard, especially if they are not used to speedwork
    • Precise training paces and distances provided for all runs
  • Beginner Level (not covered in the book)
    • Duration: 18 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 13, 18, 10, 20
    • Quality Runs: Tempo and Interval session each week
  • Standard Level (no other variations)
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: 17, 20, 18, 20, 13, 18, 20, 15, 20, 15, 20
    • Quality Runs: Tempo and Interval session each week
  • Source Run Less, Run Faster

3 Jack Daniels Running Formula

This is the plan that I have used most, and is a close second behind FIRST. I believe that the FIRST plan is a natural evolution of Jack Daniels work. Jack Daniels introduced the concept of specifying training paces based on fitness, and measuring fitness based on race performance.

  • My take: A great training plan, though it requires some mental effort to read and understand how the plan works. Overall I prefer the FIRST plan, though the 'Elite' plan is one of the few I've seen that focuses on high performing runners who are prepared to put in a lot of effort.
  • Key Characteristics
    • Training pace based on fitness
    • Two key workouts; speedwork and long run, with other running left open
    • Beyond the ‘train to complete’ level, most long runs include speedwork. These plans are designed to improve performance and require a high degree of fortitude.
    • Precise training paces and distances provided for quality runs
  • Plan ‘Train to complete’
    • Duration: 18 weeks
    • Long Runs: Less prescriptive than most plans; 6 runs of 2.5 hours or 25% of weekly mileage (whichever is less)
    • Quality Runs: One tempo run or tempo paced intervals
  • Plan ‘A’
    • Duration: 24 weeks
    • Long Runs: 17 (15 @ MP), 2.5 hours, ~22 (~8 as intervals @Tempo), 19 (15 @ MP), 22 (or 2.5 hours), ~22 (~8 as intervals @Tempo), 22 (or 2.5 hours), 19 (15 @ MP)
    • Quality Runs: Tempo and Interval session each week
  • Plan ‘Elite’
    • Duration: 24 weeks
    • Long Runs: 18 (mix of easy, tempo, MP), 20+ (some @ Tempo), 18, 20 (14 @ MP, 2 @ Tempo), 21 (~7 as intervals @Tempo), 20, 22 (14 @ MP, 2 @ Tempo), ~22 (~8 as intervals @Tempo), 20, 22 (12 @ MP, 2 @ Tempo)
    • Quality Runs: One tempo run or tempo paced intervals
  • Source Jack Daniels Running Formula

4 Runners World SmartCoach

Runners World also has an application that generates customized training plans. You input a race time, your weekly mileage, training effort, schedule length and when you want to start, then you get a plan based on that information. The approach is based around the work of Jack Daniels and other coaches, but does not use Jack Daniels specific formula. The flexible nature of the application makes it harder to provide specific characteristics, so I have used a few samples to give a sense of the style of the plan.

  • My take: Some nice flexibility and customization with many permutations available depending on your needs.
  • Key Characteristics
    • A customizable plan, giving many options for those who like to tweak
    • Uses reduced mileage, easier weeks every fourth week unless a duration less than 16 weeks is selected
    • A little speedwork and moderately hard long runs
    • Precise training paces and distances provided for all runs
  • Example: 3 Hour marathon, 60 Miles/week, Moderate Effort
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 18, 7, 20, 16, 20, 8, 16, 20, 16, 8, 20 (even pace, around MP+30, getting faster as the plan progresses)
    • Quality Runs: A tempo or interval session once a week for most weeks
    • Run 6 days/week
  • Example: 4 Hour marathon, 30 Miles/week, Moderate Effort
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 18, 20, 6, 16, 20, 16, 7, 20 (even pace, around MP+45, getting faster as the plan progresses)
    • Quality Runs: A tempo or interval session once a week for most weeks
    • Run 4 days/week
  • Example: 4:30 Hour marathon, 25 Miles/week, Maintenance Effort (lowest)
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: No runs longer than 14 miles
    • Quality Runs: A tempo or interval session once a week for most weeks
    • Run 3 days/week
  • Example: 3:30 Hour marathon, 50 Miles/week, Very Hard Effort (highest)
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 18, 9, 20, 16, 20, 10, 16, 20, 16, 11, 20 (even pace, with initial runs MP+90 to MP+45)
    • Quality Runs: A tempo or interval session once a week for most weeks
    • Run 5 days/week
  • Source http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/smartcoach/1,7148,,00.html

5 Advanced Marathoning (Pfitzinger)

This plan is specifically for experienced marathon runners looking to improve their performance. There is no beginner or intermediate plans, but there are multiple plans depending on miles per week and number of weeks.

Up to 55 Miles/week 24 Weeks 18 Weeks 12 Weeks Recovery
Up to 70 Miles/week 24 Weeks 18 Weeks 12 Weeks Recovery
Over 70 Miles/week 24 Weeks 18 Weeks 12 Weeks Recovery
  • My take: Some good plans with basic guidance around training plans, but not as sophisticated as Jack Daniels or FIRST. The plans involve a lot of long and medium long runs, and some speedwork. There is a note that the long runs should be 10% to 20% slower than goal marathon pace, but there is not advice on how to do the calculation, or tables to use.
  • Key Characteristics
    • Training pace based on fitness
    • Two key workouts; speedwork and long run, with other running left open
    • Guidance for training paces and distances provided
  • "up to 55 mile" plans
    • 4-5 days/week of running
    • One medium long run per week (11-13 miles) in addition to the long run
    • Occasional, once per week speedwork sessions
  • "up to 70 mile" plans
    • 6 days/week of running
    • One or two medium long runs per week (11-15 miles) in addition to the long run
    • One session per week
  • "Over 70 mile" plans
    • 7 days/week of running with running twice a day on some days
    • One or two medium long runs per week (11-15 miles) in addition to the long run
    • One speedwork session per week
  • Long runs are shown in the table below
week 24 week 23 week 22 week 21 week 20 week 19 week 18 week 17 week 16 week 15 week 14 week 13 week 12 week 11 week 10 week 9 week 8 week 7 week 6 week 5 week 4 week 3 week 2 week 1
Up to 55 Miles/week 24 Week Plan 16 17 18 13 17 18 20 16(12@MP) 13 20 17 17(14@ MP) 15 21 17 16 12
18 Week Plan 17 12 18 20 15(12@MP) 14 20 17 17 (14@MP) 17 20 16 12
12 Week Plan 16 17 18 15(12@MP) 20 17 20 16 12
Up to 70 Miles/week 24 Week Plan 16 17 13 17 18 19 20 14 20 21 18 16(12@MP) 14 23 20 17(14@MP) 18 21 20 17 13
18 Week Plan 17 15 18 20 14 21 20 15(12@MP) 15 22 18 17(14@MP) 18 20 17 13
12 Week Plan 17 18 17 20 16(12@MP) 21 18 20 17 13
Over 70 Miles/week 24 Week Plan 16 17 18 15 18 19 20 21 15 20 22 18 17(12@MP) 16 24 20 18(15@MP) 18 22 20 17 13
18 Week Plan 17 18 16 19 20 16 20 22 16(12@MP) 16 24 18 18(15@MP) 20 22 17 13
12 Week Plan 17 18 19 17 20 17(12@MP) 22 18 20 17 13

6 Jeff Galloway

The Jeff Galloway training program is based around taking walking breaks to increase the distance that can be covered, and to run as slowly. (I have not used the Galloway approach and I will add more details about this plan in the future.)

  • My take: A good approach for people who's base fitness or injury history makes running the marathon distance continuously problematic.
  • Key Characteristics
    • Walk/run pattern to cover the distance
    • Some longer long runs, including 26 miles in training
  • Plan ‘to finish’
    • Duration: 32 weeks
    • Long Runs: 17, 5, 6, 23, 6, 7, 26 (followed by four week taper)
    • Quality Runs: No speedwork
    • Run 3 days/week plus a walk only day

7 Hal Higdon

Hal Higdon has a number of plans freely available on the [web] as well as more detailed plans that can be purchased for between $20 and $100. The $100 plan gets you the workouts emailed to you daily, access to a private forum and a 3 month subscription to trainingpeaks.com. The plans on the web have more details than most, with each workout including some tips and guidance for the particular run. Here is an example from the long run on week 13 of the advanced 2 plan: 

Saturday: Ten miles at your marathon pace. In the early weeks of the program when I asked you to do "pace runs," 
you probably thought, "This is not a workout. This is a stroll in the park." But running 10 miles at marathon 
pace is serious business, particularly when it serves as a prelude to tomorrow's 20-miler. The cumulative effect 
of 30 miles stacked back-to-back will get you in shape to succeed in the marathon itself a half dozen weeks from 
now. Is the marathon only six weeks away? Oh my!
  • My take: A solid set of plans, with a wide variety to chose from. The advice and tips that go with each run may suit some runners, otherwise rather 'vanilla'.
  • Key Characteristics
    • Detailed plans at five different levels, with tips and advice for each run
    • More advanced plans use a marathon pace run followed by a long run the next day
  • Plan Novice 1
    • Duration: 18 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 12, 18, 14, 20
    • Quality Runs: No speedwork, but advice on picking up the pace on some runs
    • Run 4 days/week + one day of cross training
  • Plan Intermediate 1
    • Duration: 18 weeks
    • Long Runs: 17, 18, 13, 20, 12, 20
    • Quality Runs: Some shorter runs at marathon pace
    • Run 5 days/week + one day of cross training
  • Plan Intermediate 2
    • Duration: 18 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 17, 12, 19, 20, 12, 20, 12, 20
    • Quality Runs: Some runs at marathon pace the day before the long runs. Example, 10 @ MP followed by 20 easy the next day.
    • Run 5 days/week + one day of cross training
  • Plan Advanced 1
    • Duration: 18 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 17, 12, 19, 20, 12, 20, 12, 20
    • Quality Runs: Intervals or Tempo one day per week, plus some runs at marathon pace the day before the long runs.
    • Run 5 days/week + one day of cross training
  • Plan Advanced 2
    • As Advanced 1, but with two interval or tempo runs, plus marathon pace followed by a long run
  • Source http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00index.htm

8 Runners World Fixed Plans

Runners World has some plans available on their web site and I know people who have used them successfully.

  • My take: A reasonable set of plans, but nothing to differentiate them from other plans.
  • Key Characteristics
    • A series of simple plans with nothing unusual; the ‘vanilla’ option
  • Plan Beginner
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 18, 20
    • Quality Runs: Some basic intervals and uphill training
    • Run 3 or 4 days/week
  • Plan Intermediate
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: 16, 16, 17, 8, 18, 19, 20
    • Quality Runs: Most weeks include 3 runs with some basic speedwork
    • Run 5 days/week
  • Plan Advanced
    • Duration: 16 weeks
    • Long Runs: 18, 18, 20, 10, 20, 22, 20 (some with hills, some with last 15 minutes @ tempo)
    • Quality Runs: Most weeks include 3 runs with speedwork including intervals and tempo
    • Run 5 days/week
  • Source http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-6946-0,00.html
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