20 Weeks Until London Marathon - The FOD Runner

20 Weeks Until London Marathon - The FOD Runner

Intro: This is a quick summary of “20 Weeks Until London Marathon” from The FOD Runner. 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:

  • The first 20 weeks focus on building 10K‑specific speed before shifting to marathon‑specific work. 
  • Two hard sessions per week (intervals + tempo) plus a 90‑minute long run are the core of the early phase. 
  • Strength and “gut‑training” are emphasized: run on undulating trails, ditch the watch, and use a simple 1:1 carb‑water mix (200 g maltodextrin + 200 ml water) to train the stomach.
  • Keep the effort‑focused, not pace‑focused, especially on hills and trails.

Workout Example: Session 1 – Short Intervals

  • 20 × 80 seconds hard (≈400 m) with 60 seconds easy recovery.
  • Target effort: ~5:07 / mi (≈3:11 / km) – a solid fitness jump.

Session 2 – Tempo + Mid‑Length Reps + Short Reps

  • 8‑minute tempo run, followed by 90 seconds easy recovery.
  • 4 × 3½ minutes (≈1 km) at a strong effort (≈4:30 / mi or ~4:00 / km) with 90 seconds recovery.
  • 4 × 75 seconds (≈400 m) fast reps with 60 seconds recovery.
  • No strict pace targets – run by effort on the undulating trail.

Long Run:

  • 90‑minute steady run at an easy, conversational pace (keep it comfortable). This will be the weekly long run until the specific marathon phase begins.

Closing Note: Give these two workouts a try this week, adjust the intervals to match your own paces in the Pacing app, and keep building that strength and speed for the marathon. You’ve got this—see you on the trail! 🚀

References

Workout - Mixed-Rep Strength Session

  • 15min @ 6'00''/km
  • 8min @ 4'30''/mi
  • 1min 30s rest
  • 4 lots of:
    • 3min 30s @ 4'00''/km
    • 1min 30s rest
  • 4 lots of:
    • 1min 15s @ 3'30''/km
    • 1min rest
  • 12min @ 6'00''/km
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