My Training Plan for the 2024 Yonkers Marathon

Training for a fall marathon means lots of hot and sweaty runs.

Curious what a marathon training plan looks like? Check out my complete 10-week training plan for completing the Yonkers Marathon on September 15, 2024. 

Important: This plan was designed to help me achieve my specific goals based on my current capabilities. This plan isn't meant to be used by anyone else. I'm just sharing what I'm up to. Please be inspired, but don't take this as advice for what you should do. Please see my post How to Create a Run Training Plan if you would like your own plan. 

Weekly Overview

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: barre3 in the morning

• Sunday: Long run day

• Mileage Build-Up: Gradual increase each week with a mix of easy runs, hill workouts, and long runs

Training Plan

Week 1 (July 8 - July 14)

• Monday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Hill repeats 4 miles (Warm-up, 4-6 hill repeats, cool-down)

• Saturday: Rest or easy 2 miles

• Sunday: Long run 5 miles

Week 2 (July 15 - July 21)

• Monday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Tempo run 4 miles (1 mile easy, 2 miles at tempo pace, 1 mile easy)

• Saturday: Rest or easy 3 miles

• Sunday: Long run 6 miles

Week 3 (July 22 - July 28)

• Monday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Hill repeats 5 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 3 miles

• Sunday: Long run 8 miles

Week 4 (July 29- August 4)

• Monday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 5 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Tempo run 5 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 3 miles

• Sunday: Long run 10 miles

Week 5 (August 5 - August 11)

• Monday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 5 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Hill repeats 6 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 3 miles

• Sunday: Long run 12 miles

Week 6 (August 12 - August 18)

• Monday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 6 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Tempo run 6 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 3 miles

• Sunday: Long run 14 miles

Week 7 (August 19 - August 25)

• Monday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 6 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Hill repeats 7 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 3 miles

• Sunday: Long run 16 miles

Week 8 (August 25 - September 1)

• Monday: Easy run 5 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 6 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Tempo run 7 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 3 miles

• Sunday: Long run 18 miles

Week 9 (September 2 - September 9)

• Monday: Easy run 5 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 6 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Hill repeats 6 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 4 miles

• Sunday: Long run 8 miles

Week 10 (September 8 - September 14) - Tapering

• Monday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Tuesday: Easy run 4 miles + barre3

• Wednesday: Easy run 3 miles + barre3

• Thursday: Rest + barre3

• Friday: Easy run 3 miles

• Saturday: Rest or easy 2 miles

• Sunday: Marathon

Notes:

1. Hill Repeats: Find a hill that takes about 1-2 minutes to run up at a strong effort. Walk or jog down for recovery.

2. Tempo Runs: Run at a pace that is comfortably hard, about 80-90% of your max effort.

3. Long Runs: These should be run at a conversational pace, focusing on building endurance.

4. Rest Days: Make sure to listen to your body and take additional rest days if needed to prevent injury.

This adjusted plan allows for a gradual increase in mileage while including key hill and tempo workouts to prepare for the hilly marathon course. Adjust as necessary based on how your body feels throughout the training period.

What's your favorite training day?

Olivia Lovejoy is your run bestie who shares running tips, training plans and motivation online and offers one-on-one run coaching to help new runners achieve their goals. Based in Hastings on Hudson, NY but just a click and scroll away: Instagram | YouTube | Strava | Run with me | Email me | Join my mailing list

Do you make these 5 common running mistakes?

 

5 Mistakes New Runners Make👇🏿

❌ Wearing random sneakers you’ve used for years.

❌ Skipping warm up and cool down.

❌ Starting off with a fast pace.

❌ Stop running when you’re uncomfortable.

❌ Deciding that you’re going to run every day— then totally giving up when you can’t maintain that schedule.

✅ Wear RUNNING shoes that are fitted for you feet and support for your specific needs. Change those shoes every 500 miles minimum. You can wear a Garmin GPS watch to keep track of your mileage. 

✅ Begin with a short, simple warm up and end with a cool down to prevent injury. (I have IG reels of both. ❤️🎬)

✅ Start off slowly to prevent early fatigue and burn out.

✅ Pain is one thing but discomfort is another. It’s OK to be uncomfortable. You can always slow down and focus on your breath. You don’t need to stop. Walking is an option. You can also learn a lot from being uncomfortable so don’t fear it. Be open to it. You are safe. You are in control.

✅ I think doing anything every day besides eating, brushing your teeth, and praying is madness, but my options aside… You need rest days to allow your muscles to repair and grow stronger.

Have you done any of these things? What other mistakes would you add to the list?

Olivia Lovejoy is your run bestie who shares running tips, training plans and motivation online and offers one-on-one run coaching to help new runners achieve their goals. Based in Hastings on Hudson, NY but just a click and scroll away: Instagram | YouTube | Run with me | Email me | Subscribe to my email newsletter

Easy 3-Minute Post-Run Stretch

🚫🙈 Don’t watch this reel if you enjoy being sore the day after a run.

If you have time to run, you have time to stretch. No excuses! One way to make sure you don’t forget to stretch is by combining it with the ritual of drinking your post-run water/ nuun hydration / whatever. Another trick I have is I don’t allow myself to take off my sweaty bra until I’ve done these stretches. It sounds cruel but that always keeps me from forgetting. 😉

Do this super easy 3 minute stretch routine after any run:

Quad (front of your thighs) stretch: Stand on your right leg with a soft bend to the knee. Grab your left foot behind you in your left palm. Flex your left foot and push it into your hand. Level your hips. Breathe. Hold. Pull your left knee back and down so that it gets closer to the right knee/ standing leg. You can hold onto something to go deeper or to support your balance. Repeat on the other side.

Hip-Opening Figure 4 Stretch:
Cross your left ankle over your right knee. Soft bend to your right knee. Level your hips. Belly button toward your spine. Push your booty back.
Breathe. Hold. You can lift up and down if you’d like. You can hold onto something to go deeper or to support your balance. Repeat on the other side.

Hamstring (back of your thighs) stretch: With a soft bend to your right knee, stick out your left foot about a foot’s distance from your right foot. Belly button toward your spine. Push your booty back. Breathe. Hold. Repeat on the other side.

Shoulders and triceps (back of arms) stretch: Roll your shoulders wide and down your back. With your chest open, reach behind yourself to grab opposite hands. Breathe. Hold. Repeat on the other side/ Alternate which hand is reaching up vs pulling down.

Morning stretch: Reach your arms up really high like you’re trying to reach the stars. Lean to each side.

Now do whatever else you need to do to feel good. 😀 Neck rolls and shoulder shrugs are nice. So are noodle arms/ swinging your arms without any resistance around your body.

Drop a 🌈 in the comments if you promise to stretch after your next run.

Olivia Lovejoy is your run bestie who shares running tips, training plans and motivation online and offers one-on-one run coaching to help new runners achieve their goals. Based in Hastings on Hudson, NY but just a click and scroll away: Instagram | YouTube | Run with me | Email me | Subscribe to my email newsletter

Do this simple running warm up

Ever feel like you’re going to die during the first 10 minutes of your run? ☠️ Do this 3 minute warm up first to begin your run feeling strong and confident. 😎 

Watch the reel on Instagram. 

Before you start: Do a breathing warm up. Inhale and exhale only through your nose for 2-5 minutes. (Watch my reel on How to Breathe When You Run for more details.)

OK, now do these things for about 20-30 seconds each:
Arm circles backwards (palms back)
Arm circles forward (palms forward)
Give yourself a hug 🤗
Shoulder shrugs forward and back
Neck rolls in each direction
Leg swings across your body
Leg swings back and forth
High knees
Kick your butt 🍑
…and whatever else you need to feel good.

Happy running besties! LMK in the comments if you try this.👇🏿

Olivia Lovejoy is your run bestie who shares running tips, training plans and motivation online and offers one-on-one run coaching to help new runners achieve their goals. Based in Hastings on Hudson, NY but just a click and scroll away: Instagram | YouTube | Run with me | Email me | Subscribe to my email newsletter