If you’ve already run at least one marathon (26.2 miles), you may be thinking about your next goal: improving your time. Use this 18-week intermediate marathon training schedule to help you run a personal record (PR) in your next marathon.
To start this plan, you should already be running about 30 to 60 minutes at a time, about 4 to 5 days a week and can run up to 6 miles comfortably. If you’re not up to that, try this beginner marathon training schedule. If this schedule seems too easy, try this advanced marathon training schedule.
Types of Runs and Workouts on Your Training Schedule
Cross-training (CT): Cross-training activities allow you to give your joints and running muscles a break, while still working on your cardio. When the schedule calls for CT, do a cardio activity other than running (biking, swimming, elliptical trainer) at a moderate effort for 45 to 60 minutes.
Tempo Run: Tempo runs help you develop your anaerobic threshold, which is critical for faster racing. For a 40-minute tempo run, for example, start your run with 5 to 10 minutes of easy running, then continue with 15 to 20 minutes of running at about a 10K pace. Finish with 5 to 10 minutes of cooling down. If you’re not sure what your 10K pace is, run at a pace that feels “comfortably hard.”
Strength Training: After a 10-minute warm-up, spend about 20 to 25 minutes doing lower body and core strengthening. You can use this strengthening workout.
Interval Workouts (IW): After a warm-up, run 400 meters (one lap around most tracks) hard, then recover by jogging or walking 200 meters. For example, 6 x 400 would be six hard 400s, with a 200-meter recovery in between.
Easy Pace (EP): These runs should be done at an easy, comfortable pace. You should be able to breathe and talk easily.
Race Pace (RP): After you run a 10-minute warm-up, run the designated mileage at your “marathon Race Pace” (RP). Follow that with a 10-minute cool-down. If you’re not sure what your marathon race pace is, add 30-45 seconds per mile to your half-marathon pace. You can also use a recent race time to figure out what your estimated marathon race time would be.
Rest: Rest is critical to your recovery and injury prevention efforts, so don’t ignore rest days. Your muscles actually build and repair themselves during your rest days. If you run every day without taking days off, you won’t see much improvement. Fridays are a good day for rest, if you do your long runs on Saturdays.
Long Runs (LR): After you warm up, run at a comfortable, conversational pace for the designated mileage. Make sure you stretch after your run. If most of your runs are on the road, and you’re not sure how far you run, you can figure out the mileage by using apps such as RunKeeper or MapMyRun.
18-Week Intermediate Marathon Training Schedule
Week 1
Day 1: CT
Day 1: 30 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 3: Strength train
Day 4: 5 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 6 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 2
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 35 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 3: Strength train
Day 4: 5 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 8 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 3
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 40 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 3: Strength train
Day 4: 6 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 9 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 4
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 40 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 3: Strength train
Day 4: 6 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 10 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 5
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 5 x 400 IW
Day 3: Strength train + 4 miles EP
Day 4: 35 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 12 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 6
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 6 x 400 IW
Day 3: Strength train + 4 miles EP
Day 4: 35 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 14 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 7
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 7 x 400 IW
Day 3: Strength train + 5 miles EP
Day 4: 5 miles RP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 16 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 8
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 8 x 400 IW
Day 3: Strength train + 5 miles EP
Day 4: 35 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: CT or Rest
Day 6: 12 miles LR
Day 7: 4-5 miles EP
Week 9
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 4 hill repeats
Day 3: Strength train + 4 miles EP
Day 4: 6 miles RP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 18 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 10
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 5 hill repeats
Day 3: Strength train + 5 miles EP
Day 4: 35 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 14 miles LR
Day 7: 4-5 miles EP
Week 11
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 6 hill repeats
Day 3: Strength train + 6 miles EP
Day 4: 7 miles RP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 16 mi LR (last 4 miles RP)
Day 7: 4-5 miles EP
Week 12
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 7 hill repeats
Day 3: Strength train + 5 miles EP
Day 4: 35 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 12 miles LR
Day 7: 4-5 miles EP
Week 13
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 7 hill repeats
Day 3: Strength train + 5 miles EP
Day 4: 5 miles RP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 20 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 mi EP
Week 14
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 6 miles RP
Day 3: Strength train + 5 miles EP
Day 4: 40 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 12 miles LR
Day 7: 4-5 miles EP
Week 15
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 5 miles RP
Day 3: Strength train + 5 mi EP
Day 4: 35 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 20 miles LR (last 4 miles RP)
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 16
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 5 miles RP
Day 3: Strength train + 5 mi EP
Day 4: 35 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 12 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 17
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 4 miles RP
Day 3: 4 miles EP
Day 4: 3 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 6 miles LR
Day 7: 3-4 miles EP
Week 18
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 4 miles RP
Day 2: Rest
Day 4: 4 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 2 miles EP
Day 7: Race! Good luck!
More About Marathon Training and Racing
- Tips for Long Runs
- Mind Games for Long Runs and Races
- Top 10 Marathon Fears and How to Get Over Them
- 10 Marathon Training and Racing Mistakes
- What to Do the Week and Day Before a Marathon
Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
