Rim Rock Marathon website: https://www.grandjunctionsports.org/rimrockmarathon
Ideally, you'd start in August and already be running, but starting in September can still improve your performance, reduce the risk of injury, and speed up recovery, though it may not lead to peak performance.
Weekly Overview:
- Monday: Easy day (never more than 4 miles), gym session
- Tuesday: Intensity (fartlek, hill/flat, track)
- Wednesday: Easy run, gym session
- Thursday: Tempo run
- Friday: Rest or gym or game
- Saturday: Long run
- Sunday: Off
Week 1 (25 miles)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: ½ mi warm-up jog, then 1.5 mi fartlek, ½ mi easy jog
- Wed: 4 mi (50 mins) slow
- Thu: 1 mi easy, 3 mi tempo (marathon pace), 1 mi cooldown
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy or parkrun
- Sun: 8 mi (1-1:15 hrs)
Week 2 (33 miles)
- Mon: 4 mi easy or parkrun
- Tue: 1 mi jog, 8 x 1-min uphill (about 1 mi), 1 mi jog back, 4 x 2 mins on flat ground at 15 seconds faster than marathon pace, 2-min recovery jogs, finish with ½ mi easy jog (Total: 5 mi)
- Wed: Gym
- Thu: 1 mi jog, then 3 mi brisk (25 mins), then 1 mi jog
- Fri: Off or gym
- Sat: 10 mi slow
- Sun: Off
Week 3 (37 miles)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 6 mi: 1 mi jog and strides, 10 x 400m, with 200m jog recoveries, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 7 mi (70 mins) slow
- Thu: 6 mi (55 mins) steady
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy
- Sun: 9-12 mi (2 hrs) slow
Week 4 (31 miles)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 5 mi: 1 mi jog and strides, 12 x 200m with 200m jog recoveries, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 7 mi (70 mins) slow
- Thu: 1 mi jog, 2 mi brisk (16 mins), 1 mi jog
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy
- Sun: 8-11 mi, including warm-up and cool down
(By now, your training should give you a clearer idea of your marathon and half-marathon paces. Speed sessions should be run between 5K and 10K pace.)
Week 5 (41 miles)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 5 mi: 1 mi jog and strides, 900 secs uphill, jog back, finish with 1 mi jog
- Wed: 4 mi (70 mins) slow or gym
- Thu: 8 mi (72 mins) steady
- Fri: Rest or gym
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy
- Sun: 11-13 mi, possibly a half marathon
Week 6 (38 miles)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 7 mi: 1 mi jog, 3 x 3 mi fast with 400m (or 3-min) jog recoveries, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 8 mi (82 mins) slow
- Thu: 1 mi jog, 3 mi brisk (25 mins), 1 mi jog
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy
- Sun: Half marathon (15 mi total, including warm-up and cool down)
Week 7 (43 miles)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 1 mi jog, 5 mi (or 55 mins) fartlek, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 6 mi (60 mins) slow
- Thu: 8 mi (72 mins) steady
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy or parkrun
- Sun: 14-17 mi slow
Week 8 (43 miles)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 7 mi: 1 mi jog and strides, 4 x 4 mi fast with 200m (or 90 secs) jog recoveries, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 7 mi (70 mins) slow
- Thu: 1 mi jog, 8 mi tempo, 1 mi easy jog
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy or parkrun
- Sun: 17 mi
Week 9 (45 miles)
(Biggest mileage week)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 6 mi: 1 mi jog and strides, 10 x 90 secs uphill, jog back, finish with 1 mi jog
- Wed: 6 mi (60 mins) slow
- Thu: 1 mi jog, 5 mi tempo, ½ mi jog
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3-5 mi easy or parkrun
- Sun: 20-23 mi (goal pace: 10:15)
Week 10 (39 miles)
(Volume: 2/3 of Week 9)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 1 mi jog, 6 x 800m (or 4 mins) fast, with 100m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 6 mi (60 mins) slow
- Thu: 7 mi tempo (goal pace xxx)
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy or parkrun
- Sun: 17 mi (goal pace xxx)
Week 11 (30 miles)
(Volume: 2/3 of Week 10)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 5 mi: 1 mi jog, 8 x 400m (or 90 secs) fast with 200m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 5 mi (50 mins) slow
- Thu: 1 mi jog, 3 mi at goal pace xxx, 1 mi jog
- Fri: Rest
- Sat: 3 mi (30 mins) easy
- Sun: 10-12 mi steady
Week 12 (35 miles, including race)
- Mon: Rest
- Tue: 4 mi: 1 mi jog, 10 x 200m (or 45 secs) fast, with 100m (or 30 secs) jog recoveries, 1 mi jog
- Wed: 3 mi (30 mins) slow
- Thu: Rest
- Fri: 2 mi easy (20 mins)
- Sat: 2 mi easy (20 mins)
- Sun: Race day
Good luck with your training!