HOW I Am Getting STRONG For LONDON MARATHON 2022 Training By Doing THESE TWO Things | FOD Runner - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

This is a quick summary of “HOW I Am Getting STRONG For LONDON MARATHON 2022 Training By Doing THESE TWO Things” 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

Two pillars of strength: (1) effort‑based hill and threshold work on rolling trails, and (2) a short, 15‑minute kettlebell routine done twice a week.
Trail fartlek: This workout uses a fartlek structure, a powerful method for building speed and endurance. It consists of 12 × 2‑minute intervals at roughly 10K race effort (a bit faster on hills) with a 1‑minute easy “float” between each. This totals ~24 minutes of hard work and ~35‑36 minutes overall. For a deeper dive into why this structure is so effective, check out our guide on Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
Elevation focus: Aim for 2,500–3,000 ft of weekly elevation now, building toward 3,500–4,000 ft to harden legs and mind for the demands of the marathon.
Kettlebell strength: Use an 8 kg (eventually 10 kg) kettlebell, pick 3‑4 exercises, perform 3 sets of 10‑15 reps each session, twice weekly after hard running days.
Practical tips: Run by feel/effort on trails (use grade‑adjusted pace to gauge effort). If you need help dialing in that specific intensity, our guide to Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance is a great resource. Schedule strength work only on hard‑day recovery, keep sessions short, and rotate exercises to avoid stagnation.

Workout Example

Trail Fartlek (12‑2‑1)

Warm‑up: 15 min easy run
12 × 2 min @ ~10K effort (push a bit harder on hills)
- 1 min easy float between each interval
Total hard work: 24 min (≈35‑36 min total workout)
Cool‑down: 15 min easy run

Kettlebell Routine (15 min)

Choose 3‑4 moves (e.g., swings, goblet squats, single‑leg dead‑lifts, press)
Perform 3 sets of 10‑15 reps per move
Do this twice a week after a hard run; avoid easy‑day sessions.

Closing Note

Try the trail fartlek and quick kettlebell session today – and feel free to adjust the paces or rep counts in the Pacing app to match your own fitness. While this workout builds marathon-specific strength, the core principles of using targeted intervals can be applied to any race distance. In fact, many marathoners build foundational speed by Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time. You’ll notice stronger legs and a tougher mind ready for the London Marathon. Happy running