Top Marathon Training Plans for Beginners in 2025

Introduction

In the area of running the marathons have always been a desirable target for many a runner. Marathon is one of the most fulfilling tests of endurance hence the need to have a proper training schedule . In this article we will be outlining the ten best marathon training plans for novices in the year 2025. Both plans are major goals, milestones, recommendations, and the crucial pillars that will define your journey to the marathon end. Specifically, we will try to offer a number of training opportunities in order to meet peculiar requirements of a beginner to choose from.

1. Couch-to-Marathon Plan

Couch to marathon is the best program for a start for the persons who have never run before. This type of training program covers a period of 20 weeks for easy and gradual build-up of endurance and strength. Weeks 1-4: The first several weeks are going to be devoted to establishing a running habit. First, 5 minutes of walking, and then 2 minutes of jogging. As a rule, it is possible to add 1 minute to the jogging time in a week. Build up by doing strength training activity for only one day of the week to start. Weeks 5-12: Add 10% to your weekly running time on a weekly basis. Ideally, jogging should be done after 30 – 45 minutes, three times a week. In your rest days try to find other forms of exercise like swimming or cycling to avoid resting your muscles. Currently, incorporate two strength training sessions into you weekly fitness activities. Weeks 13-20: On the weekends start long runs without trying to go up in distance every day of the week. It should be possible to build up to a summiting long run of 20 miles. Include one or two tempo runs in the week combined with speed work. Do more strength training at least three days in the week.

2. Hal Higdon’s Novice 1 Training Plan

The popular Hal Higdon’s training program for Novice 1 is an 18 week training plan that progressively builds the weeks’ mileage with the inclusion of long runs, speed workouts and rest days. Weeks 1-4: Warm-up with a moderate jog followed by walking until you get to 20 minutes of jogging and no walking. It is recommended that those days not running days, cross train should be done. Weeks 5-12: Gradually build up your weekly mileage by following a plan that adds 10% of last week’s mileage every week till you reach 25 miles per week. Run a long run of 6-8 miles once a week and one speed workout in the same week. Weeks 13-18: Continue to raise the amount of exercising and reach 30 miles in a week. The duration of the long run is now 8-12 miles and speed workouts are interval.

3. couch to 5K, 10K, half, and full marathon program

It has been especially designed to take you from running 5 minutes non-stop straight through your first marathon at a comfortable, healthy pace. It encompasses the couch to 5K program alongside the training schedules for the 10K, the Half London Marathon and the whole Marathon. Weeks 1-8: Run in ability to run for 30 minutes without stopping, stringing together stops for the Couch-to-5K program of running and walking and gradually increasing your exercise duration over weeks, ending with 30 minutes total of the exercise segments, running all by itself. Weeks 9-16: Gradually move into a 10K training schedule that includes one kind of long run and one kind of speed session weekly. Cross training activities should continue but in the off days that the individual is not running. Weeks 17-24: Go to the preparation for a half Marathon training program. And lengthen your long run to 10 miles, add hills and tempo to your speed training. Weeks 25-32: A marathon training schedule, to increase to a peak where one is able to undertake a 20 miles run. Schedule hill repeats, tempo and any form of interval training into your regular training regimen.

4. The Hanson's Marathon Method

The Hanson’s Marathon Method is one of the most systematic trainings that have been designed to take about 20 weeks so that the intensity of work can be maintained gradually. Presumably this plan will be of interest to starters who already have a sound running foundation in their training. Weeks 1-4: Start with 30-40 miles of weekly running and three to four runs of 8-10 miles. Weeks 5-12: Gradually bring your weekly mileage to about 45-50 miles with a long run of 12 mile on the schedule. A concentration must be on the speed work with repeats in the hill and interval training. Weeks 13-20: Keep on progressing with your weekly mileage and hit at least 50-55 miles; your weekly long run mileage of 20 miles. The speed workouts are going to be tempo runs and time trials hence forward.

5. About Jeff Galloway’s Run-Walk-Run Plan

Run-Walk-Run is a preferable approach to the standard marathon training relative to Jeff Galloway. This 20 week plan uses short periods of walking in your runs unlike other plan hence is more suitable for amateurs. Weeks 1-4: start with the jogging-walking exercise, increasing the exercise duration to 15 to 20 minutes straight followed by a 1-minute break. Weeks 5-12: Add 10% to your weekly mileage gradually until it reaches 25 this is good for your training. Run for a long time 10 miles with 3 minutes of walk intervals. Weeks 13-20: Bump up your weeks’ mileage to 30-35 increasing your long run up to 15 miles but with 3 minutes walking breaks. Suggest a speed work where you run with 1-2 interval sessions per week.

6. The Novice Training Plan with McMillan Running

The McMillan Running Novice Training Plan is an 18-week plan where novices build an aerobic base as well as include speed work. Weeks 1-4: First you should start with a weekly mileage of 15-20 miles per week, one long run per week and one speed workout. Weeks 5-12: Time your runs to cover between 25 and 30 miles per week with two sprints, hill repeats, or interval sessions a week and a long run of ten miles. Weeks 13-18: Increase your weekly mileage to 30-35 miles, meaning that the longest run is 16miles and two speed sessions per week.

7. Pacing Your First Marathon Training Plan

To assist first-timers in a marathon, this training plan covers twenty weeks and seek to ensure the athlete conserves energy throughout the race. It achieves a consistent pace through elements that border on threshold workouts and tempo runs. Weeks 1-4: Start with the total of 20-25 miles per week, where 1 workout a week will be the long run and 1 the speed session. Weeks 5-12: Gradually accumulate 30-35 miles per week including a 12 miles long run and 2 speed session. Weeks 13-20: Keep increasing your weekly volume to 35- 40 miles and reach the maximum long run for 18 miles. Tempo runs will now join speed workouts alongside interval training.

8. Marathon Training Plan Base on the Pfitzinger Plan

Pfitzinger marathon training schedule is a 20 weeks training program for first timers but with running experience. It concentrates on developing aerobic disposition and applies the concept of workouts at a threshold level of intensity. Weeks 1-4: Begin with a weekly distance of approximately 25-30 mi of which should include 8-10 mi of a long run and 1 session of interval training. Weeks 5-12: Gradually build up your weekly distance to 35-40 miles inc. one weekly 12 miles rum and two speed sessions. Weeks 13-20: Go longer with your runs and increase the mileage to 45-50 miles per week and also go as long as possible in the training program at 20 miles. Tempo runs and interval training will be the speed workouts.

9. Tina Muir’s, Beginner Marathon Training Plan

Beginner Marathon Training Plan is written by Tina Muir as a 20 week training plan for those who have never trained for a marathon before. It emphasizes the creation of aerobic means, intensity training as well as speed work and strength training. Weeks 1-4: With your weekly mileage starting at 20-25 miles, a week’s schedule should include one long run and one speed training session. Train the strength at least twice per week. Weeks 5-12: Manually, train for 30-35 miles a week, with 10-miles for the long run and two, 1- mile speed training. The recommended dosage to continue building muscle and maintaining recovery should involve two strength training sessions weekly. Weeks 13-20: Increase your weekly mileage to 40-45 more and bring your peak long run to 16 miles. For the speed workouts, the tempo run and the interval training will be taken. Do more multiple sets of weight training three days a week. 10. Before concentrating on the Marathon Training Plan and its use of the basic principles of sports training, it will be useful to talk about one more solitary training plan, namely, the Do-It-Yourself Marathon Training Plan. The Do-It-Yourself Marathon Training Plan can be a highly desirable training as it is fully customizable and may take 20 weeks to complete. Weeks 1-4: Training should start with weekly miles between 20-25; the long run and the speed training is done at least once a week. Weeks 5-12: Raise your weekly mileage to 30-35 miles: 10 miles, 2 speed sessions per week. Weeks 13-20: Work up the weekly training to 40-45 miles and longest run 16. The speed workouts will now be tempo runs, and interval training.

Conclusion

Choosing proper marathon training plan for beginners in the year 2025 is important because to guarantee people great marathon. We have covered your needs and wants by giving different type of accommodation from a standard hotel to a luxurious one and from those for beginners to professional ones. If you are going for the couch-to-marathon plan, Hal Higdon’s Novice 1 Training Plan or another plan, adhere to the guidelines given and heed your body. Remain dedicated, work efficiently and wisely and have fun to get to the marathon destination you have set.