After the popularity of my post about free CrossFit training programs and with the spring marathon training season fast approaching, I thought I would do some of the legwork and find completely FREE marathon training plans for you! Some are plans that I've tried before, others I researched but didn't necessarily decide to follow through on for one reason or another.
When choosing a marathon training plan, make sure it challenges you but is also realistic about your current abilities, available time and motivation! For example, if you now only run twice a week and really can't imagine committing to much more than that, then there's absolutely no point in choosing a plan where you run five to six times a week. With every missed session you become demotivated!
Luckily, there are many plans to choose from. And I have put together some of the best and most proven ones for you here. So here we go…
The event plan
Of course, for every marathon event there is usually a plan that you need to follow. Some of these will be very simple plans for beginners, others will be more familiar and perhaps more time oriented. Here are the ones the Virgin Money London Marathon has on its website this year, dreamed up by none other than Marathon Talk presenter and former steeplechase runner Martin Yelling. Martin is Paula Radcliffe's former training partner, so he has a pretty good knowledge of what it takes to run a good distance race.
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/trainingplans/
Runner's world
You can't talk about training plans without mentioning Runner's World! The popular magazine offers training plans from the “Get Round” plan for absolute beginners to more advanced plans for specific time goals. The formats on their website are varied, with the list format being a total pain in the ass, but the more tabular plans are easy to copy and paste into a spreadsheet. If you like this sort of thing…my friends will know I like a good Excel file!
https://www.runnersworld.co.uk/training/marathon-training-plans
Nike Run Club
They may no longer exist as a physical club in the UK, but the Nike Run Club website is still easily accessible. If you want a plan with a slick PDF and lots of style, this is the one for you! It includes three hard sessions: 2 x speed (alternating between track, tempo, hills, fartlek and progressive runs) and 1 x endurance session, plus some recovery training which may include some easier kilometers.
https://www.nike.com/gb/en_gb/c/running/nike-run-club/training-plans/marathon
Cool running
At the other end of the scale, and just as low-key as it sounds, we have Cool Running… their website is so incredibly 90s-esque, but the plans are detailed and clear (in tabular form – YES). With four different schedules to choose from (beginner to competitive), your goal should be achieved. Be warned though… these are the only plans I've seen that actually let you run the full marathon distance before race day, and even beyond the marathon distance on the more advanced plans. I have to admit that the no-bullshit approach makes sense – for any other race distance that you would run in training up to or beyond the target mileage, so why not for marathons too?!
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/143.shtml
FIRST (via Runner's World)
A time constraint plan provided by the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST), which developed the “train less, run faster” approach. The FIRST plan reduces running days to just three core sessions – running HARD – with your choice of cross-training in between. This is probably the running volume I will aim for as it is more realistic for my lifestyle and it means I can maintain CrossFit without burning out. The speeds on each run are typically faster than similar sessions on other plans. So make sure you still prioritize recovery as much as if you had been running for 5 to 6 days.
https://www.runnersworld.co.uk/health/the-first-drei-day-a-week-marathon-schedule
Hal Higdon
Hal Higdon is probably one of the most well-known names in marathon racing. Hal is a long-time Runner's World contributor and has published a number of books including Marathon* (obvs) and Run Fast*, and with a PB marathon time of 2:21:55, he knows exactly what he's talking about! Its website offers a large number of plans (including an alternative 3-day weekly plan to the FIRST plan) with the option to purchase the full training package on Training Peaks. However, if you scroll to the bottom of each plan's page, you can follow the basic plan for free and without instructions. Hal's plans are also much longer than the traditional 12 to 16 week plan. So if you're eager to get started (which many people are!), there's nothing to wait for.
https://www.halhigdon.com/training/marathon-training/#program-list
So there we are – 6 websites to find your perfect marathon training plan! I hope you found them useful and please let me know if you choose any of these plans for your marathon training by leaving a comment below or leaving me a comment/message on social media. I'll be following my own marathon training on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and here on this blog, so stay tuned!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links (marked with an *). If you purchase one of the linked books, I will receive a small commission, but this has no influence on the price you pay! All other linked content is completely free and not subject to commission!
