SWAP 12-Week Advanced Marathon Plan
Note: the distance ranges are designed to create multiple plans in one
Low end of the range: intermediate; High end: advanced athletes with big base
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun
Week 1 Rest. 8-12 mi easy plus 6 x 20 3 mi easy warm-up with a 8-12 mi easy or 6-10 mi easy 12-16 mi easy/mod. On 8-12 mi easy plus 6
Heat idea second hills. On easy couple strides, 16 x 1 min fast/1 1.5-2.5 hours plus 4 x 20 this first easy/mod day, x 30 second hills at
like sauna running, think light on feet min easy (think 5k effort on easy/mod x-train. sec hills. the goal is to run with the end and/or
or hot tub. and quick strides, keeping speed, with the easy recovery X-train like cycling Fridays are some intention, Z2/Z3 longer x-train.
You can effort relaxed. The hill at relaxed effort), 1 mi moderate ideal if you are very easy flow. Focus on form and Sunday is always
be active strides can be anytime in (think marathon effort), 2 miles lower mileage or before slight forward lean an adventure flex
with light the 2nd half, building into easy. The vVO2 intervals into beat up at all from weekend day! The power
bike or them and working on peak M-effort work will be taxing at the workouts. With long runs hills at the end will
hike, but power on a 4-8% grade first! x-train, you can be a fatigue
full rest is push harder if you Heat ideal resistance day at
great! Intro Core Snack routine. Optional uphill treadmill or x- feel good! the end of a long
Aim to do this routine 1-2 x train double. Uphill treadmill is week
per day most days ahead 10-15% grade in Z2 HR for 30- Optional easy
45 min. X-train can be bike, double or uphill TM. Full strength:
Note: very high-volume elliptical, or similar for 30-60 Only do a Thursday -same routine,
athletes could add a very min. For very advanced double if you are a adding deadlifts
easy double on Tuesdays athletes, any double can be a higher volume (ideally hex bar) if
that don’t precede time heat suit. athlete with lots of you have access
trials time!
Strength option:
-mountain legs
-2 x 10 reps back squats
-2 x 20 back extensions
Week 2 Rest. 8-12 mi easy with 5 x 20 3 mi easy warm-up with a 8-12 mi easy or 6-10 mi easy 14-18 mi easy/mod with 6 10-14 mi easy
Heat ideal seconds fast/2 min easy. couple strides, 8 x 2 min fast/1 1.5-2.5 hours plus 4 x 20 x 5 min around 1-hour and/or longer x-
On these first flatter strides, min easy (think 10k effort, with easy/mod x-train sec hills effort with 2 min easy after train
relax into them to avoid light progression as you go), 3 each. Do these intervals
pulling a muscle, trying to min easy, 6 x 1 min fast/1 min Optional easy Heat ideal after a few mile warm-up, Full strength routine
hit the fastest pace you can easy (think 5k to 3k effort), 2-3 double or uphill TM thinking threshold effort,
without sprinting mi easy cooldown which feels rather
comfortable at first
Optional uphill TM or x-train
double
Full strength
Designed by David Roche & Megan Roche, MD PhD
SWAP Running. Some Work, All Play Podcast. You are AMAZING!
Week 3 Rest. 3 mi easy warm-up with a 8-12 mi very easy 8-10 mi easy/mod 6-10 mi easy 16-20 mi easy over hills, 10-14 mi easy plus
Heat ideal couple strides, 5 x 3 min to mod, warming up with 4 x 20 with full fueling and 6 x 30 sec hills at
hills mod/hard (think 5k) Keep this day very relaxed! well and doing sec fast/2 hydration, aiming to finish the end and/or
with run down recovery, 15 purposeful flow, 2-3 min easy feeling good at the end. longer x-train
min at M effort on tired mi easy Building up that long run
legs, 2-3 mi easy cooldown Heat ideal volume! Full strength routine
Optional easy
Optional uphill TM or x-train double or uphill TM
double
Full strength
The workout will feel extra
tough with muscular fatigue This steady run will
and lactate accumulation! have direct
translation to
marathon ability
later
Week 4 Rest. 8-12 mi easy plus 5 x 20 3 mi easy warm-up with a 8-12 mi easy or 6-10 mi easy 14-18 mi easy/mod (10-12 10-16 mi easy
Heat ideal second hills couple strides, 4-5 x 1.5-2.5 hours plus 4 x 30 miles alternating 1 mi at 1- and/or longer x-
800/400/200 fast with 400 easy easy/mod x-train sec hills hour effort with 1 mi float train
after 8, 200 after 4, 400 after 2s recovery). On the 1-hour
(think 10k/5k/3k effort on each Optional easy Heat ideal effort, think smooth and No strength routine
set), 4 x 200 fast/200 easy double or uphill TM strong, so that you can (or very little
(push these), 2-3 mi easy transition into float strength work) to be
cooldown recoveries at are a bit fresh for next week)
faster than normal easy
Optional uphill TM or x-train pace
double
Full strength
First track workout! You can
always adjust these sessions to
be time-based off-track. Nice
and smooth! No need to take
splits, run it on feel
Week 5 Rest. 8-12 mi easy plus 5 x 20 3 mi easy warm-up with a 8-12 mi easy or 6-10 mi easy 18-22 mi easy/mod over 10-16 mi easy
Heat ideal second hills. Keep this run couple strides, 5k hard on a 1.5-2.5 hours plus 4 x 20 hills, progressing into a and/or longer x-
very easy before the push slight net downhill ideally (just easy/mod x-train second hills steady effort, with full train
tomorrow! 50-100 feet, nothing too fueling and hydration
substantial), 5 min easy, 2 miles Optional easy Heat ideal Full strength routine
at M effort, 1-2 miles very easy double or uphill TM
Optional uphill TM or x-train
double
Full strength routine
Designed by David Roche & Megan Roche, MD PhD
SWAP Running. Some Work, All Play Podcast. You are AMAZING!
Week 6 Rest. Slight down week! 6-10 mi 3 mi easy warm-up with a 6-10 mi easy or 4-8 mi easy 14-18 mi easy/mod with 3 8-14 mi easy and/or
Heat ideal easy with 5 x 20 seconds couple strides, 6-8 x 5 min 1.5-2.5 hours plus 4 x 20 x 3 miles broken down as longer x-train
fast/2 min easy around 1-hour effort with 90 easy/mod x-train sec hills (1 mile at 10k effort into 2
seconds easy after each, 2-3 mi miles at marathon effort) Full strength routine
easy cool-down Optional easy Heat ideal with 1 mile easy recovery
double or uphill TM after each, with the option
Optional uphill TM or x-train to add 1 mile harder at the
double with 3-4 x 5 min end for advanced athletes
moderate with 2 min easy
recovery (double workout The long run with harder-
option) start tempo intervals will
help the body improve
Really big threshold workout lactate shuttling and
this week! marathon endurance
Full strength routine
Week 7 Rest. 8-12 mi easy with 5 x 20 3 mi easy with a couple strides, 8-14 mi easy or 6-10 mi very 20-24 mi easy/mod with 10-16 mi easy
Heat ideal seconds fast/2 min easy 10 x 800 fast with 400 easy 1.5-2.5 hours easy 5/4/3/2/1 miles at M effort and/or longer x-
recovery after each (think 10k easy/mod x-train with 1 mile float recovery train
effort to start, pushing as you after each (can push the
go), 4 x 200 fast/200 slow (push Optional easy 2nd half of the 2 and 1 Full strength routine
these), 2-3 miles easy double or uphill TM faster). Do everything like
race day, and if you’re
Optional uphill TM or x-train feeling good you can end
double this one harder!
Full strength routine
We’ll be revisiting this workout
later too!
Week 8 Rest. 8-12 mi easy plus 5 x 20 3 mi easy with a couple strides, 8-14 mi easy or 6-12 mi very 16-20 mi easy over hills, 12-18 mi easy plus
Heat ideal second hills 5-6 x 1 mile with 2 min easy 1.5-2.5 hours easy just a nice aerobic long 6 x 30 second hills
recovery after each (think 10k easy/mod x-train run with big fueling and/or longer x-
effort), 2-3 miles easy train
Optional easy
Optional uphill TM or x-train double or uphill TM No strength or
double with 15 x 1 min limited strength
moderate with 30 seconds easy work to be ready for
recovery (double workout next week
option)
Full strength routine
Week 9 Rest. 8-14 mi very easy with 4 x 3 mi easy with a couple strides, 8-14 mi easy or 6-8 mi very 18-22 mi easy/mod with 4- 10-18 mi easy
Heat ideal 20 seconds fast/2 min easy 5 miles hard tempo, 5 min easy, 1.5-2.5 hours easy with 4 x 5 x 3 mi broken down as and/or longer x-
6 x 45 seconds fast with 75 easy/mod x-train 20 seconds (2 miles at M effort plus 1 train
Designed by David Roche & Megan Roche, MD PhD
SWAP Running. Some Work, All Play Podcast. You are AMAZING!
seconds easy recovery (think 3k fast/2 min mile faster) with 1 mile
effort), 2-3 mi easy cooldown Optional easy easy float recovery Full strength routine
double or uphill TM
Optional uphill TM or x-train
double
Full strength routine
Use this 5 mile tempo as a
guide for marathon pacing,
plugging it into a race calculator
that can help you determine an
approximate strategy (adjusting
up or down based on your feel
in workouts)
Week 10 Rest. 8-14 mi easy plus 5 x 20 3 mi easy with a couple strides, 8-14 mi easy or 6-12 mi very 16-20 mi easy/mod with 4 10-16 mi easy plus
Heat ideal second hills 10 x 800 fast with 400 easy 1.5-2.5 hours easy x 10 min at 1-hour effort 6 x 30 second hills
recovery after each (think 10k easy/mod x-train with 3 min easy recovery and/or longer x-
effort to start, pushing as you after each. Final big train
go), 2-3 miles easy Optional easy threshold stimulus!
double or uphill TM Full strength routine
Optional uphill TM or x-train
double
Full strength routine
Revisiting this workout one
more time, hopefully with some
progress! It’s ok if not though--
we aren’t training for 800
workouts
Week 11 Rest. 6-10 mi easy plus 4 x 20 3 mi easy with a couple strides, 6-10 mi easy or 1-2 4-10 mi easy 10-14 mi easy/mod with 2 6-10 mi easy and/or
Heat ideal second hills 3-5 x 3 min fast/1 min easy hours easy/mod x- with 4 x 20 x 2 mi at M effort with 1 mi shorter x-train
(think 10k effort), 3 min easy, 3- train seconds float recovery. A nice
5 x 1 min fast/1 min easy (think fast/2 min aerobic session to get the No strength work
5k effort), 3 min easy, 2 miles at No double option easy feel for M effort in taper! outside of
M effort on tired legs, 2-3 mi mobility/core and
easy other things that
make your body
Optional uphill TM or x-train feel good!
double
Limited strength work--let the
body recover now
Go on the low end of the range
if you feel tired at all!
Designed by David Roche & Megan Roche, MD PhD
SWAP Running. Some Work, All Play Podcast. You are AMAZING!
Week 12 Rest. 6-8 mi easy with 4 x 20 2-3 mi easy, 3 x 5 min around 4-8 mi easy. Light Rest and 3-6 mi easy with 4 x 20 Marathon! Use the
Heat ideal seconds fast/2 min easy 1-hour effort with 1 min easy on feet and relaxed! recovery. seconds fast/2 min easy predictor workout to
recovery, 4 x 45 seconds Just a nice (relaxed strides, nothing give you a feel for
around 3k effort with 75 chill day! too fast) and 1 min at 10k what pace to start
seconds easy recovery, 2-3 mi effort to open up the at. Fuel with 75-90
easy. A tune-up session to keep aerobic system g of carbs per hour,
things sharp in the taper! hydrate with 16-24
oz fluid per hour
No strength work this week! with electrolytes
according to your
sweat rate, and
BELIEVE. You got
this!
Designed by David Roche & Megan Roche, MD PhD
SWAP Running. Some Work, All Play Podcast. You are AMAZING!