2021 Virtual Boston Marathon Training Schedule


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Virtual Boston Marathon Oct. 8 - 10, 2021
Week Easy Interval/Easy  Easy Interval/Easy  Easy Rest/Easy Long Run TOTAL MILES
SUNDAY MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
1 (May 23 - 29) 3 4 3 4 3 0 9 26
2 (May 30 - Jun. 5) 3 4 3 4 3 0 10 27
3 (Jun. 6 - 12) 3 4 3 5 3 0 11 29
4 (Jun. 13 - 19) 3 5 3 5 3 0 11 30
5 (Jun. 20 -26) 0 3 0 3 3 0 6 15
6 (Jun. 27 - Jul. 3) 3 6 3 6 4 0 12 34
7 (Jul. 4 - 10) 4 6 4 6 4 0 13 37
8 (Jul. 11 - 17) 4 6 4 6 4 3 13 40
9 (Jul. 18 - 24) 4 7 4 7 4 3 15 44
10 (Jul. 25 - 31) 0 5 3 5 3 0 9 25
11 (Aug. 1 - 7) 4 7 5 7 5 3 18 49
12 (Aug. 8 - 14) 4 7 5 7 5 7 10 45
13 (Aug. 15 - 21) 5 8 5 8 6 3 19 54
14 (Aug. 22 - 28) 5 8 5 8 6 3 20 55
15 (Aug. 29 - Sep. 4) 0 5 3 5 3 0 10 26
16 (Sep. 5 - 11) 6 8 6 8 6 0 21 55
17 (Sep. 12 - 18) 6 8 6 8 6 5 22 61
18 (Sep. 19 -25) 0 4 6 8 6 3 21 48
19 (Sep. 26 - Oct. 2) 0 6 3 6 3 0 5 23
20 (Oct. 3-9) 0 6 4 3 0 2 0 15
21 (Oct. 10) Race Day  
  738

Schedule Explanations:

             
Term Definitions
Rest Take a rest day, or do moderate cross-training w/ a no-impact activity like yoga or swimming
Easy Run at a comfortable, conversational pace. These are interchangeable w/ rest days. You can cross-train on an easy day instead w/ a sustained  aerobic effort on a bike or the elliptical trainer.
Hills Run the mileage for the day on the hilliest course you can find. Hills build a base of strength during the first 7 weeks of the program.
MP Marathon goal pace. Practice the speed you're hoping to hit in the race. Run 1 mile easy for a warm-up and 1 mile easy for a cool down.
Strides Adding strides to any easy run activates fast -twitch muscle fibers, improves coordination and leg turnover, and preps your body for the race. Near the end of your run, gradually accelerate over 100 meters until you reach 90 percent of all-out effort. Hold that effort for 5 seconds, then smoothly decelerate. Walk to recover between each stride. The exact distance of each stride is not critical.
LSD This is a long slow distance run to build endurance. LSDs should be done at an easy, conversational pace, 1 to 2 minutes slower than your goal marathon pace. Later in the program you can program you can practice a fast finish by picking up the pace for the last 2 to 3 miles.
Hill Repeats Find a hill that will take you at least 2 minutes to climb, and mark off a "short" repeat halfway from the bottom and a "long" repeat at the top. After a 2-mile warm-up, run up to the short mark three or four times, jogging back down to recover in between. Then run up to the top three or four times, jogging back down to the short mark and then sprinting to the bottom. (Try to maintain smooth form, without slapping your feet.) Finish with three or four sprints up to the short mark. Cool down with 2 miles of easy running. The total mileage for the day will amount to about 8 miles.
Yasso 800s Warm up with 2 miles of easy running, then run 800 meters at a time that's "equal" to your marathon time. That is, if you're shooting for a 4:10 marathon, try to run each 800-meter repeat in 4 minutes and 10 seconds. Jog 400 meters in between 800s. Cool down with 2 miles of easy running.
Mile Repeats Warm up with 2 miles of easy running. Run a mile at your 10-K pace, jog 400 meters for recovery, and repeat that cycle as directed. Cool down with 2 two miles of easy running.