As part of your structured training plan you should be able to comfortably run the following distances continuously (ie without stopping) one month before the race date. ‘Comfortable’ meaning that you must feel as though you could still run more at the end of the distance. These distances are minimum targets to ensure that you can enjoy your event in safety and enjoy the experience.
If you can complete them it doesn’t mean that you can stop your training, you must keep following your training plan up to the race.
· 15 miles continuous training run, one month before a marathon (26 miles)
· 8 miles continuous training run, one month before a half marathon (13 miles)
· 6 miles continuous training run, one month before a 10 mile race
· 4 miles continuous training run, one month before a 10 km race
If you cannot manage this comfortably, you will not manage your event in safety and are unlikely to enjoy it.
Please do not run on this occasion, even if you have raised money for charity - it will be better to give yourself more time and take part in another event.
2:09 Events 1/2 Marathon Training Plan (pdf) This training plan was prepared by Mike Gratton, who won the London Marathon in 1983 in a time of 2hrs 09 minutes.
Our sincere thanks to Mike for sharing it with us.
Complete Beginner 16 week training plan. Includes helpful advice regarding clothing, stretching and lots more.
Nutrition
As your training advances and you are putting more demands on your body, it is wise to pay attention to your food. Good nutrition is just as important as training runs. It may also help avoid injuries.
This BBC Good Food article offers meal plans for runners