Week 8: Increasing Long Run Distance (August 9-15, 2025)
Welcome to Week 8! You’ve reached the halfway point of your marathon training program, which is a significant milestone. This week we’ll increase your long run distance to 6 miles and extend your run intervals to 10 minutes with just 1-minute walk breaks, helping you build greater endurance.
Week 8 Goals
- Complete your first 6-mile long run
- Adapt to longer running intervals (10 min run/1 min walk)
- Build on steady running endurance
- Refine nutrition and hydration strategies for longer distances
Daily Workout Schedule
Monday: Rest Day
Complete rest day to recover from Week 7. Take time to celebrate reaching the halfway point of your training program!
Tuesday: Run/Walk
Total Time: 45 minutes
- 5 minutes walking
- 5 minutes dynamic stretching
- Run 10 minutes / Walk 1 minute
- Repeat this cycle 3 times (33 minutes)
- Focus on maintaining comfortable breathing throughout the running portions
- Use the brief walk breaks to reset your breathing and form
- Walk 2 minutes
- Static stretching (3 minutes)
Wednesday: Cross-Training
Duration: 45-50 minutes
- 45-50 minutes cycling with 5 x 3-minute moderate-hard efforts
- Structure:
- 5 minutes easy warm-up
- 5 sets of (3 minutes moderate-hard effort + 5 minutes easy recovery)
- 5 minutes easy cool-down
- 45-50 minutes swimming with similar interval structure to cycling
- 45 minutes focusing on core and legs:
- 3 sets of 15 bodyweight squats
- 3 sets of 12 lunges (each leg)
- 3 sets of 10 single-leg deadlifts (each leg)
- 3 sets of 45-second planks
- 3 sets of 12 glute bridges
- 3 sets of 12 calf raises
Thursday: Steady Run
Total Time: 40 minutes
- Same as Tuesday
- Run at a steady, comfortable pace for 25 minutes without walking breaks
- This is 5 minutes longer than your previous steady runs
- Focus on maintaining even effort throughout
- If needed, you can take a 30-second walk break mid-way, then resume
- Same as Tuesday
Friday: Rest Day
Complete rest day before your longest run yet. Focus on good nutrition and hydration today, and get a good night’s sleep to prepare for tomorrow’s 6-mile challenge.
Saturday: Long Run/Walk
Total Distance: 6 miles
- 5 minutes brisk walking
- 5 minutes dynamic stretches
- Run 10 minutes / Walk 1 minute
- Repeat this cycle until you reach 6 miles
- Bring water and nutrition (energy gel, small snack)
- Hydrate and take a small amount of fuel at least once during the run
- Focus on maintaining even effort rather than pace
- Walk 5 minutes
- Complete thorough stretching routine (5+ minutes)
Sunday: Active Recovery
30-40 minutes easy walking
30 minutes yoga focusing on recovery
20-30 minutes very light swimming
Tips for Week 8
Nutrition for Longer Runs
As your long run extends to 6 miles, nutrition becomes increasingly important:
- Begin experimenting with mid-run fueling if you haven’t already
- Try taking in 30-60g of carbohydrates per hour during runs over 60 minutes
- Test different energy sources: gels, chews, sports drinks, or real food options
- Practice your fueling timing during the 1-minute walk breaks
- Pay attention to how your body responds to different fueling options
Recovery Strategies
With increased training load, prioritize recovery:
- Consider using a foam roller to address tight muscles
- Ensure you’re getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night
- Pay extra attention to hydration throughout the day
- Include protein in your post-run recovery meals
- Listen to your body – don’t hesitate to take an extra day off if you’re feeling excessively fatigued