22-Week Faster Walking Marathon Program
If you really want to break six hours walking a marathon, the key will be speedy
walking technique. But you don't have to dramatically alter your training program,
though you have to add a little more intensity as the race approaches if speed
is an important goal for you. The following
22-week program makes a few
adjustments to the
18-week program, by
repeating weeks 12 through 15 and boosting some of the long Saturday walks.
| Week |
Easy 1 |
Tues. |
Easy 2 |
Thurs. |
Saturday
Progressively longer endurance walks. (Walk in the p.m. if Sunday walk is an hour or more.) |
Sunday
Either a 20 to 40 min. recovery walk, or combines with Saturday for more endurance. |
| 1 |
|
|
|
|
40 min. |
40 min. |
| 2 |
|
|
|
|
50 min. |
40 min. |
| 3 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. |
40 min. |
| 4 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 15 min. |
1 hr |
| 5 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 30 min. |
20 min. |
| 6 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 20 min. |
1 hr. |
| 7 |
|
|
|
|
2 hr. |
20 min. |
| 8 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 30 min. |
1 hr. |
| 9 |
|
|
|
|
Long hilly hike; at least 3 hrs. |
20 min. |
| 10 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 40 min. |
1 hr. 20 min. |
| 11 |
|
|
|
|
3 hr. 30 min. |
20 min. |
| 12 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 45 min. |
1 hr. 15 min. |
| 13 |
|
|
|
|
All-day hike; off-road for more than 4 hours |
20 min. |
| 14 |
|
|
|
|
5 mile to 10k road racefor speed! |
1 hr. |
| 15 |
|
|
|
|
4 hrs. 30 min. |
20 min. |
| 16 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 45 min. |
1 hr. 15 min. |
| 17 |
|
|
|
|
All-day hike; off-road for more than 5 hours |
20 min. |
| 18 |
|
|
|
|
10k to 10-mile road racefor speed! |
1 hr. |
| 19 |
|
|
|
|
5 hrs. |
20 min. |
| 20 |
|
|
|
|
2 hrs. 45 min. |
1 hr. |
| 21 |
|
|
|
|
1 hr. 15 min. |
40 min. |
| 22 |
|
|
|
|
Race weekend! |
Walk 26.2 miles(and HAVE FUN) |
|
Adapted from "The Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness," by Mark Fenton (Lyons Press, 2001).
