16-Week Training Schedule (Jan 4th - Apr 24th)

This time around I chose an ambitious and highly structured training plan to take me to race day. I'm hoping that with the proper training I will not only boost my speed, but also learn to overcome The Wall that I hit last spring.

I got it from Runner's World! Haha. Okay, whatever. It's a plan and that's more than I had last time. I went with the "veteran" marathon plan which was described as being for someone who has run a marathon before and who can run 13 miles easily. While I'm no Kara Goucher, my slow-paced 13 miles is easy from my pace perspective. So why not, right?

The "Quality" workouts are below:
Quality #1: 5 x 1000 meters at 5-K race pace with 2-minute rec. walk/jog.

Quality #2: 6 x 800 meters at 10-K race pace with 90-second rec. walk/jog.

Quality #3: Three sets: 1 x 1200 meters at 10-K race pace (1-minute rec.), 1 x 400 at 5-K race pace (3-minute rec.).

Quality #4: 4 x 1600 meters at 10-K race pace with 3-minute rec. walk/jog.

Quality #5: 8 x 800 meters at 10-K race pace with 90-second rec. walk/jog.

Quality #6: 400 meters at 5-K pace (30-second rec.), 800 at 10-K pace (90-second rec.), 1200 at 10-K pace (2-minute rec.), 1600 at 10-K pace (3-minute rec.), 1200 at 10-K pace (2-minute rec.), 800 at 10-K pace (90-second rec.), 400 at 5-K pace.

Quality #7: 2 x 1600 meters at marathon goal pace with 3-minute rec. walk/jog

Pace: Start about 45 seconds per mile slower than marathon goal pace and gradually speed up to finish right on marathon goal pace.

Pace-Plus: Run 20 to 50 seconds slower per mile than marathon goal pace.

Hills: Do 6 to 8 repeats of a 200- to 400-meter hill at tempo-run effort. Jog down.