Week 9: Longer Steady Runs (August 16-22, 2025)
Welcome to Week 9! You’re now entering the second half of your marathon training program. This week we’ll maintain your long run distance at 6 miles while focusing on extending your steady run and continuing with the 10-minute run/1-minute walk pattern for your other workouts.
Week 9 Goals
- Extend your steady run duration to 30 minutes
- Build confidence with the 6-mile long run distance
- Continue to refine pacing strategy and nutrition
- Focus on mental strategies for longer running segments
Daily Workout Schedule
Monday: Rest Day
Complete rest day after your Week 8 training. Focus on recovering completely and mentally preparing for the week ahead.
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 consistent pace across all running segments
- Practice the mental strategies you’ll use during longer runs
- Walk 2 minutes
- Static stretching (3 minutes)
Wednesday: Cross-Training
Duration: 45-50 minutes
- 45-50 minutes cycling
- Structure:
- 10 minutes easy warm-up
- 25-30 minutes moderate effort
- 10 minutes easy cool-down
- 45-50 minutes swimming with similar structure to cycling
- 45-50 minutes focusing on full-body strength with emphasis on core:
- 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 push-ups (modified if needed)
- 3 sets of 10 dumbbell rows (each arm, if you have weights)
Thursday: Steady Run
Total Time: 45 minutes
- Same as Tuesday
- Run at a steady, comfortable pace for 30 minutes without walking breaks
- This is 5 minutes longer than your previous steady run
- Focus on maintaining even effort throughout
- Use mental strategies to break the run into smaller segments
- If needed, you can take a brief walk break, but aim to minimize breaks
- Same as Tuesday
Friday: Rest Day
Complete rest day before your long run. Pay special attention to hydration today and ensure you get adequate sleep tonight.
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
- Focus on maintaining a slightly faster pace than last week if possible
- Practice your nutrition and hydration strategy during the run
- Pay attention to your form, especially in the later miles
- 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 9
Mental Strategies for Longer Runs
As your running segments get longer, mental strategies become essential:
- Break long runs into smaller segments (e.g., 10-minute chunks)
- Use mantras or positive self-talk when things get challenging
- Practice mindfulness by focusing on your breathing or surroundings
- Dedicate miles to people who support your journey
- Visualize yourself successfully completing your goal
Form Check
As fatigue sets in during longer runs, form tends to deteriorate:
- Set a timer to do a quick form check every 10 minutes
- Focus on maintaining a tall posture with slight forward lean
- Keep shoulders relaxed and hands loose
- Watch for overstriding (landing with foot too far in front)
- If form breaks down significantly, take a brief walk break to reset