Newport Marathon Training - Week Two - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of Newport Marathon Training – Week Two from The FOD Runner. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to watch the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Marathon Groove: Early weeks focus on patience, managing fatigue, and gradually increasing volume.
Mid‑week “medium long”: 80‑minute steady run at the lower end of your steady‑state pace to keep heart‑rate low and build endurance.
Wednesday “over‑and‑under” interval session: 10 × 3‑minute “on” intervals at your 1‑hour race pace (±10‑15 s)—for many runners, this is similar to their 10K effort, which you can read more about in our guide to Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance—followed by 3‑minute recovery jogs. The goal is to run just above and below your tempo threshold, a key principle you can explore further in our deep dive on Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
Drills & strides after the intervals to reinforce form.
Practical tips: start the first reps a little slower, gauge how you feel, keep the effort controlled, and keep easy runs relaxed (no “heroes”). Use a pacing app to customize the paces to your own fitness.

Workout Example

Monday – Easy run, 45 min easy (around 45 min) on flat/industrial estate.

Tuesday – Medium long run, 80 min at the low end of steady‑state (average 6:40 /mi, HR ~143 bpm). Keep the effort relaxed and heart‑rate low.

Wednesday – Main “Savage” session

Warm‑up (dynamic drills, strides).
10 × 3‑minute intervals
- On: 3 min at 1‑hour race pace (≈5:20‑5:30 / mi) ±10‑15 s.
- Off: 3 min easy jog (recovery).
- Start a bit slower on the first few reps, then settle into the target pace.
30‑minute steady run at the lower end of steady‑state (around 6:40 / mi) to finish the session.
Cool‑down and strides.

Tips for the interval day:

Ease into the first two reps, then adjust as needed.
Keep the pace tight but avoid going too hard early. While marathon intervals focus on sustained effort, the approach differs for shorter distances. You can learn about different strategies in our guide to Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.
Focus on feeling calm and controlled rather than chasing exact numbers.
After the last interval, keep running (don’t stop) if you want extra time; adjust your watch settings accordingly.

Closing Note

Give this “over‑and‑under” interval workout a try this week, and feel free to tweak the paces in the Pacing app to match your own race‑pace targets. You’ve got the groove—keep rolling, stay fresh, and enjoy the progress! 🚀