12 Weeks to Abu Dhabi Marathon: My Training SECRETS Revealed - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of 12 Weeks to Abu Dhabi Marathon: My Training SECRETS Revealed from Lee Grantham. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Train with a big‑picture mindset: focus on overall fitness trends rather than a perfect week.
When life (illness, school, injury) disrupts your plan, aim to hit ≈80 % of the key sessions and stay calm.
Use fasted runs and “speed‑play” (FLE) to boost strength without extra mileage.
Nutrition matters: take a gel every ~20 min (≈100 g carbs per hour) and carry backups for hot days.
Hill repeats at 7 % grade are a great way to build leg strength for the rolling Abu Dhabi course.

Workout Example (all paces are in minutes per kilometre unless otherwise noted)

Monday – 90‑min FLE (Speed Play): 5 min flat, 5 min @ 1 % incline, 5 min @ 3 % incline at the same effort. Repeat for the full 90 min.
Wednesday – Hill Repeats: 7 % gradient, 20 × 1 min hard with 1 min easy jog between each effort.
Friday – Same Hill Session (adjust volume if you feel fatigued).
Saturday – Group 5 km easy run with the All‑In Run Club.
Sunday – Long Run: 15–20 km at a comfortable pace (≈5 min km in hot weather, slower if needed). If you’re sick or injured, replace with a shorter 8‑10 km easy run.
Recovery Run (any day): 45 min at ~5 min km in hot conditions or ~4 min km in cooler weather.

Practical Tips

Keep a simple plan: long run, key interval, recovery, and easy days.
If you miss a session, don’t panic – the training still moves forward.
Monitor heart‑rate zones; stay within 1 % effort increase per session.
Fasted runs improve mental toughness and fuel efficiency.
Adjust nutrition on race day to match the Abu Dhabi aid stations (aim for 80 g carbs/hr).

Closing Note: Try the FLE + hill‑repeat combo this week, tweak the distances to match your current paces, and let the Pacing app help you customize the workout. Stay flexible, stay strong, and keep your eyes on the Abu Dhabi finish line!