A FULL WEEK Of Marathon Preparation Training - LONDON MARATHON 2024?? - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of A FULL WEEK Of Marathon Preparation Training - LONDON MARATHON 2024?? 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

Training focus: Build a strong aerobic base (Zone 1‑2) and keep fitness up after an Oxford half‑marathon before stepping into full marathon training.
Heart‑rate zones: Easy runs in the low‑120s bpm (late 120 – early 130), moderate runs in the mid‑140s bpm (144‑157). Threshold is ~171 bpm, but workouts stay well below it.
Pace philosophy: Forget exact paces; aim for a comfortable “effort level” – e.g., half‑marathon race‑pace feel for tempo work, easy‑run feel for Zone 1.
Weekly structure:
- Monday: 60‑minute steady moderate run (mid‑140 bpm zone).
- Tuesday: Mixed tempo + intervals – 6‑min tempo, then 20 min of intervals (6×2 min, 6×1 min, 4×3 min) with 60‑second recoveries for the 2‑ and 1‑minute sets and 45‑second recoveries for the 3‑minute sets.
- Wednesday: Easy Zone 1 run (45‑50 min) keeping HR in the 120‑130 bpm range.
- Thursday: 45‑minute tempo session – 6×4 min at half‑marathon effort (≈1 h race pace) with 90‑second recoveries; warm‑up 10 min, short cool‑down.
- Friday: 50‑minute easy run, HR ~130 bpm, relaxed.
- Saturday: Long moderate run (aim ~2 h) on hilly trail, keeping effort controlled, HR averaging 148 bpm, focusing on steady aerobic time.
- Sunday: Rest or optional light jog.
Fuel strategy: Light breakfast (water, a bit of maltodextrin) and practice fat‑burning by limiting gels during longer runs.

Workout Example (Tuesday’s Mixed Tempo + Intervals)

Warm‑up: 10 min easy jog.
Tempo block: 6 min at a comfortably hard pace (just below threshold, ~155‑165 bpm).
Intervals (20 min total):
- 6 × 2 min @ a strong aerobic pace (HR ~160‑166) – 60 sec recovery.
- 6 × 1 min @ a harder effort (still aerobic) – 60 sec recovery.
- 4 × 3 min @ a hard effort (near threshold) – 45 sec recovery.
Cool‑down: 5 min easy jog.
Pace reference: The 2‑minute and 1‑minute intervals felt like ~7:46 / mile; the 3‑minute reps were ~7:40 / mile.

Closing Note

Give these runs a go, adjust the paces to match your own heart‑rate zones, and feel free to customise the intervals in the Pacing app. Have fun, stay consistent, and keep building that aerobic foundation – you’ll be ready to crush the London Marathon when the day arrives!