Marathon Plans

To train properly for the marathon, you need the right attitude and a solid plan. We compiled a set of marathon training programs from Canada’s top coaches, for first-timers, intermediate runners, and Boston qualifiers.  

Dave Scott Thomas knows when a runner is ready to tackle the marathon  The head athletics coach at the University of Guelph says he looks for “that little twinkle in the eye,” showing him they’re prepared to commit. Scott-Thomas coaches top athletes such as Calvin Staples, who ran 2:24:20 in the 2007 ING Ottawa Marathon, or Taylor Murphy, who ran 2:24:59 in Ottawa this year, but every marathoner needs that same inner fire to train for the 42.2K distance.

Most runners benefit from enlisting an experienced running coach who can set up a customized training program. While coaches’ training plans and philosophies vary, they agree on one thing: motivation and attitude are crucial. “It’s internal resolve,” says Marathon Dynamics coach Kevin Smith. ”There are going to be 100 moments of self-doubt, so there have to be 101 moments of reaffirmation, of positive, optimistic can-do attitude.”

A typical marathon training program is 16 to 20 weeks, though much depends on running experience and current training volume. Before jumping into the marathon, Smith generally advises runners work their way up progressively through the different race distances, starting with a 5K.