Today, we began a new marathon training schedule. We’ll be running the Rock n Roll Marathon in San Antonio on November 11th, which is now less than seven months away. Why a seven month training schedule? Well, this is a SLOOOOOWWWW progression, based on marathon expert Hal Higdon’s advice. I’ve had some people ask for the schedule, so I’ve included it below. As you’ll see, it takes seven months to build up to 26.2 because we’re starting with low mileage here at the beginning. This is the same program we used last year (with different dates, obviously), and we’ve found that it works, especially for those of us who are still relatively new to running.

So, if you’re sitting there thinking that there’s no way you can run a marathon… well, think again! Because this? Is so totally doable, even if you can only run 1.5 miles right this minute.

Here’s the schedule…

Monday, April 16 – 1.5 miles
Wednesday, April 18 – 3 miles
Thursday, April 19 – 1.5 miles
Saturday, April 21 – 3 miles

Monday, April 23 – 1.5 miles
Wednesday, April 25 – 3 miles
Thursday, April 26 – 1.5 miles
Saturday, April 28 – 3.5 miles

Monday, April 30 – 1.5 miles
Wednesday, May 2 – 3 miles
Thursday, May 3 – 1.5 miles
Saturday, May 5 – 3 miles

Monday, May 7 – 2 miles
Wednesday, May 9 – 3 miles
Thursday, May 10 – 1.5 miles
Saturday, May 12 – 4 miles

Monday, May 14 – 2 miles
Wednesday, May 16 – 3 miles
Thursday, May 17 – 2 miles
Saturday, May 19 – 3 miles

Monday, May 21 – 2 miles
Wednesday, May 23 – 3 miles
Thursday, May 24 – 2 miles
Saturday, May 26 – 4.5 miles

Monday, May 28 – 2 miles
Wednesday, May 30 – 3 miles
Thursday, May 31 – 2 miles
Saturday, June 2 – 3 miles

Monday, June 4 – 2 miles
Wednesday, June 6 – 3 miles
Thursday, June 7 – 2 miles
Saturday, June 9 – 5 miles

Monday, June 11 – 2 miles
Wednesday, June 13 – 3 miles
Thursday, June 14 – 2.5 miles
Saturday, June 16 – 3 miles

Monday, June 18 – 2 miles
Wednesday, June 20 – 3 miles
Thursday, June 21 – 2.5 miles
Saturday, June 23 – 5.5 miles

Monday, June 25 – 3 miles
Wednesday, June 27 – 3 miles
Thursday, June 28 – 3 miles
Saturday, June 30 – 3 miles

Monday, July 2 – 3 miles
Wednesday, July 4 – 3 miles
Thursday, July 5 – 3 miles
Saturday, July 7 – 6 miles

Monday, July 9 – 3 miles
Wednesday, July 11 – 3 miles
Thursday, July 12 – 3 miles
Saturday, July 14 – 6 miles

Monday, July 16 – 3 miles
Wednesday, July 18 – 3 miles
Thursday, July 19 – 3 miles
Saturday, July 21 – 7 miles

Monday, July 23 – 3 miles
Wednesday, July 25 – 4 miles
Thursday, July 26 – 3 miles
Saturday, July 28 – 5 miles

Monday, July 30 – 3 miles
Wednesday, August 1 – 4 miles
Thursday, August 2 – 3 miles
Saturday, August 4 – 9 miles

Monday, August 6 – 3 miles
Wednesday, August 8 – 5 miles
Thursday, August 9 – 3 miles
Saturday, August 11 – 10 miles

Monday, August 13 – 3 miles
Wednesday, August 15 – 5 miles
Thursday, August 16 – 3 miles
Saturday, August 18 – 7 miles

Monday, August 20 – 3 miles
Wednesday, August 22 – 6 miles
Thursday, August 23 – 3 miles
Saturday, August 25 – 12 miles

Monday, August 27 – 3 miles
Wednesday, August 29 – 6 miles
Thursday, August 30 – 3 miles
Saturday, September 1 – 13 miles

Monday, September 3 – 3 miles
Wednesday, September 5 – 7 miles
Thursday, September 6 – 4 miles
Saturday, September 8 – 10 miles

Monday, September 10 – 3 miles
Wednesday, September 12 – 7 miles
Thursday, September 13 – 4 miles
Saturday, September 15 – 15 miles

Monday, September 17 – 4 miles
Wednesday, September 19 – 8 miles
Thursday, September 20 – 4 miles
Saturday, September 22 – 16 miles

Monday, September 24 – 4 miles
Wednesday, September 26 – 8 miles
Thursday, September 27 – 5 miles
Saturday, September 29 – 12 miles

Monday, October 1 – 4 miles
Wednesday, October 3 – 9 miles
Thursday, October 4 – 5 miles
Saturday, October 6 – 18 miles

Monday, October 8 – 5 miles
Wednesday, October 10 – 9 miles
Thursday, October 11 – 5 miles
Saturday, October 13 – 14 miles

Monday, October 15 – 5 miles
Wednesday, October 17 – 10 miles
Thursday, October 18 – 5 miles
Saturday, October 20 – 20 miles

Monday, October 22 – 5 miles
Wednesday, October 24 – 8 miles
Thursday, October 25 – 4 miles
Saturday, October 27 – 12 miles

Monday, October 29 – 4 miles
Wednesday, October 31 – 6 miles
Thursday, November 1 – 3 miles
Saturday, November 3 – 8 miles

Monday, November 5 – 3 miles
Wednesday, November 7 – 4 miles
Thursday, November 8 – 2 miles

Sunday, November 11 – 26.2 miles

We’re running four days a week with cross-training on Sundays. My preference with cross training is to ride a stationary bike for one hour at a speed between 16-20 mph, but I think any hour of any exercise other than running (as long as it gets your heart rate up) is fine. During the Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday runs, we run at a fast pace, but for our Saturday, high mileage runs, we take it at a much easier pace. (This is per Hal Higdon’s own advice.) We run the entire distances without walking, which is easier than you would think with the slow build up in mileage. We eat carb-intensive meals for lunch the day before a long run, drink Powerade for recovery on runs longer than an hour, and use gels on 10+ mile runs. (I prefer the chocolate Clif shots, which I’ve already mentioned. In fact, I think I dedicated a blog to them, didn’t I? I really love those things!) And whenever we can find a half marathon to run on a weekend with 13 or 13+ miles scheduled? We sign up to run it, running our additional miles before the race. Somehow, an actual race is psychologically easier on us… and we like the bling. Who doesn’t?

All that said, y’all, if we can do this, anyone can do it. I hope by posting all of this, you can see that it really is possible, no matter where you’re starting.

Happy running!