Coach Zeus's 20 Week Marathon Plan (80/20 Approach)

This is a 20 week marathon training plan. I highly recommend the 20 week approach because it allows you to get 4 weeks of base training and it allows room for error with the extra 4 weeks in case of an injury or any other set backs. Your first 4 weeks are base weeks. Weeks 5 through 19 follow a 2 week build, 1 peak week and 1 recovery week. The last 3 weeks (weeks 18-20) include 2 weeks of taper and finally, race week. My training approach follows the 80/20 HR model. After your 4 week base, you will complete a HR test on week 5. You will change your LTHR (lactic threshold heart rate = average for your 20 min HR test) and your average pace for 20 min in your training peaks profile or on your watch. You will use those numbers to train until your second HR test which comes on week 13. If your HR and pace numbers change, you should change them on your device and on TP. During Weeks 5-19, you will see a combination of cadence focused runs, threshold effort runs for tempo work and a lot of Zone 2 effort workouts. I also added 4 different strength workouts that will be circulated every 4 weeks in your plan. Some bonus features of this plan include: a 5 min dynamic warm up to be completed before every run, two additional options to either make the plan somewhat easier or somewhat harder on your longer run days, and cues on when to foam roll. To end this training plan, I give some tips on your race day approach in order to have a successful race. Enjoy!

- Coach Z