MARATHON WALKERS TRAINING SCHEDULE

Prerequisite for this training plan: walking a minimum of 6 to 12 months, usually walking 5 or more days a week, can easily walk 6 to 8 miles once each week, and may have participated in previous marathons or other events. (If you have less walking experience use the beginners marathon plan, if you are just beginning a walking program see our beginner walking information .)

Monday - Rest day - No workout
Tuesday - Intervals - 10 minute warm up, intervals (weeks 1-4 Fartleks, week 5-10 alternate one minute very fast intervals with slower paced intervals, week 11-10 alternate fast two minute intervals with slower paced intervals, week 20 one minute intervals), cool down
Wednesday - Comfortable paced walk focusing on your best walking technique.
Thursday - Tempo walk - Warm up, then walk at a fast pace, but not so fast that you can not complete the designated mileage, cool down
Friday - Easy crosstraining for designated time
Saturday - Distance/Endurance walk - Walk the designated time at a comfortable pace, Beginning with week 6 try to do the lower mileage weeks at a slightly faster pace. Beginning with week 14 do these shorter walks at your goal "race" pace * .
Sunday - EZ Recovery - Walk at a comfortable pace or participate in easy crosstraining for 30 to 45 minutes.

Notes:
Warmup and cool down time is included in the prescribed time each day. Stretching will require additional time. We also recommend that all walkers include strength training in their training routine. A few exercises two or three days a week is a good start. To compliment this schedule strength training can be done on Tuesday, and Thursday or Friday.