FOLLOWING THIS PLAN:
We would love to hear about your dreams, your progress and your highs and lows with this plan. Don't be a stranger. Following completion of this you should be confident for your marathon event.

WHO THIS PLAN IS FOR
This marathon training plan is aimed at the older, experienced runner. It comprises of 16 weeks and 100 hours of training geared towards a sub 4 hour marathon. The idea of this plan is to promote robustness and reduce the likelihood of injury. This the plan includes a strength and core training cycle.

The theory is that when the athlete reaches 50+ his/her muscles are breaking down everyday. Pure endurance training further breaks down muscles but, unlike younger athletes, older athletes do not repair and therefore respond less well to endurance training.

Strength training decreases the rate at which older athletes muscles breakdown. The strength cycle in this plan works on the functional movements and stabilisation of running. Short and long reps are used to increase top speed. This combination of training is allowing for more scope to raise lactate threshold one (the most important factor of fitness for any marathon runner) and maximise the response to training for experienced runners aged 50+.