26.

2 · BEGINNER 18-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

SET A GOAL

STEP 1 Use the Hansons Training Pace Calculator to fill in the following paces. You’ll reference these paces for your weekly workouts.
This will help you get the most out of each workout, and ensure that your training hits the right zones so you don’t go too easy,
or too hard.

__________ : Your goal finish time __________ : Your goal pace (GP)

__________ : Long Run __________ : 10k pace (for workouts)

BRUSH UP ON YOUR RUNNER LINGO

STEP 2 TEMPO: It should be hard to hold a conversation at this speed, but still a pace you could hold for 45– 60 minutes if necessary.

RECOVERY PACE: Easy jogging in-between hard, fast intervals; no prescribed speed, just keep moving.

WARM-UP/COOL-DOWN: Easy jogging and a few shorter, faster intervals to get your body ready for a workout, and easy
jogging to recover once you’re done.

REST OR CROSS-TRAIN: Total rest, or doing a non-running activity such as weights, yoga, cycling, etc.

NOTATION: In these training plans, minutes and seconds are noted using quotations marks: minutes are denoted using by
single quotation marks, and seconds denoted by double quotation marks. (3’ = 3 minutes, 45” = 45 seconds)

START TRAINING
STEP 3
NOTE: For all Tues/Thurs workouts, include 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down
 26.2 · BEGINNER 18-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

WEEK 1 rest or 2 miles rest or 3 miles rest or 3 miles

long run:
4 miles
cross-train easy pace cross-train easy pace cross-train easy pace
(12 miles) easy pace

WEEK 2 rest or 3 miles rest or 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles

long run:
4 miles
cross-train easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace easy pace
(16 miles) easy pace

WEEK 3 rest or 4 miles rest or 4 miles 4 miles 4 miles

long run:
5 miles
cross-train easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace easy pace
(21 miles) easy pace

WEEK 4 rest or 5 miles rest or 3 miles 3 miles 5 miles

long run:
4 miles
cross-train easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace easy pace
(20 miles) easy pace
 26.2 · BEGINNER 18-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

WEEK 5 rest or 5 miles rest or 4 miles 5 miles 4 miles

long run:
6 miles
cross-train easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace easy pace
(24 miles) easy pace

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 6 4 miles
12 x 400m
@ 5k-10k pace
rest or 5 mile tempo 4 miles 8 miles
long run:
8 miles
easy pace cross-train @ GP easy pace easy pace
(40 miles) w/400m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 7 4 miles
8 x 600m
@ 5k-10k pace rest or 5 mile tempo 4 miles 6 miles
long run:
10 miles
easy pace cross-train @ GP easy pace easy pace
(39 miles) w/400m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 8 6 miles
6 x 800m
@ 5k-10k pace
rest or 5 mile tempo 5 miles 6 miles
long run:
10 miles
easy pace cross-train @ GP easy pace easy pace
(42 miles) w/400m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down
 26.2 · BEGINNER 18-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 9 5 miles
5 x 1k
@ 5k-10k pace
rest or 8 mile tempo
@ GP
6 miles 5 miles
long run:
15 miles
easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace
(49 miles) w/400m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 10 7 miles
4 x 1200m
@ 5k-10k pace
rest or 8 mile tempo
@ GP
5 miles 8 miles
long run:
10 miles
easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace
(48 miles) w/400m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 11 5 miles
6 x 1 mile
@ GP-10 rest or 8 mile tempo 6 miles 8 miles
long run:
16 miles
easy pace cross-train @ GP easy pace easy pace
(55.5 miles) w/400m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 12 5 miles
4 x 1.5 miles
@ GP-10
rest or 9 miles 5 miles 8 miles
long run:
10 miles
easy pace cross-train @ GP easy pace easy pace
(50 miles) w/800m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down
 26.2 · BEGINNER 18-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 13 7 miles
3 x 2 miles
@ GP-10
rest or 9 mile tempo
@ GP
6 miles 6 miles
long run:
16 miles
easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace
(56.5 miles) w/800m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

2 x 3 miles 9 mile tempo long run:

WEEK 14 5 miles
easy pace
@ GP-10
w/1 mile recovery
rest or
cross-train @ GP
5 miles
easy pace
8 miles
easy pace
10 miles
easy pace
(49 miles) 1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

3 x 2 miles 10 mile tempo long run:
WEEK 15 7 miles
easy pace
@ GP-10
w/800m recovery
rest or
cross-train @ GP
6 miles
easy pace
6 miles
easy pace
16 miles
easy pace
(57.5 miles) 1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 16 5 miles
4 x 1.5 miles
@ GP-10
rest or 10 mile tempo 5 miles 8 miles
long run:
10 miles
easy pace cross-train @ GP easy pace easy pace
(51 miles) w/800m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down
 26.2 · BEGINNER 18-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

1.5 mile warm up 1 mile warm up

WEEK 17 7 miles
6 x 1 mile
@ GP-10
rest or 10 mile tempo
@ GP
6 miles 6 miles
long run:
8 miles
easy pace cross-train easy pace easy pace
(49.5 miles) w/400m recovery easy pace
1 mile cool down
1.5 mile cool down

WEEK 18 5 miles 5 miles

rest
6 miles 5 miles 3 miles
RACE DAY!
easy pace easy pace easy pace easy pace easy pace
(50.2 miles)

CHECK OUT SOME HANSONS RESOURCES

HansonsCoachingServices.com is a great site to access running blogs and podcasts. It’s also your first step if you are looking for individualized
coaching or a custom training plan. If you want to dive in more to the training philosophy and methodology, the Hansons Marathon Method book
is a great place to start.
The Hansons Marathon Method Community is a FREE closed Facebook Group (just ask for permission) where you can connect with fellow runners
using the same training plans. A great opportunity to reach out to fellow runners using the same training plan.

NOTES

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