Thank you for visiting MarathonTrainingPlan.com!  I hope you will take some time to find out more about me and more about this site and why I put “… yet another training plan” out on the internet. I hope to show you that this is more than just a training “plan” site.  Let me explain.

My name is Steve Carmichael, and I am a RRCA and USATF-Level 1 certified running coach as well as a club director/coach for Run Fit Running Club in Columbus, Ohio.   I train runners of all distances, but this site is for you – the marathon runner!

The single biggest frustration that I hear from runners is trying to figure out what to do in light of the often-conflicting training advice found on the internet today or among runners in general.

When the idea of creating a website dedicated to marathon training, my goal was to add clarity, direction, and reasoning behind marathon training and make it easy for you to train for a marathon whether its your first or your 100th.

A complete marathon training program is way more than just following a mileage calendar.  To achieve the best chance of success and to reach the highest level of personal performance it also requires you to not only follow proper training principles, but to also follow sound nutritional principles, include the proper rest and recovery as well as recognize and adapt your training should any signs of impending injury start to show. I also include race preparation tips for the days and hours leading up tp a race as well as give you race strategies to use on race daya and the days after.  All built around sound scientific training principles.

When I see many of the training plans found on the internet, I get frustrated. Frustrated, because many of the “free” and “paid” plans are schedule-only plans, or even worse, poorly designed or outdated. Many are not even based on scientifically, proven training principles but rather “fad” or hyped techniques.We live in a time where regular folks like you and me have access to the same scientifically sound training principles that just a few years ago was only available to elite athletes.  To see marathon training plans put out by scummy, internet marketers to “make a buck” when they aren’t even runners, just makes me sick.All training works when stress is placed on the body. (by creating a training overload – adaptation response).   But training programs should be put together by real coaches, not internet marketers looking to make a buck.

Today, I am excited to partner with you to provide you a great training and race experience through our training programs.  My training programs are complete packages put together and based on the same sound and widely accepted training principles that have successfully trained hundreds of thousands of runners and are based on RRCA coaching education guidelines used by hundred of running clubs nationwide.  My running club athletes and private coached athletes follow training programs based on these programs. This ensures that my plans are not only theoretically sound, but have also been field-tested and proven with my local runners and clients.

Here are some of the things you will find above and beyond “…just a training calendar”.

• Training programs are based on skill level and experience. Beginner runners have different needs than experienced runners.  Plans can be purchased based on a preferred long run day of “Saturday” or “Sunday” to best fit your schedule.

• I include workout guidelines and tips so you know “how” to do a workout as well as “why”. I also include help with pacing and proper application of workouts as well as what you can expect as you progress through the training program. You will learn over the course of this training program how to adapt to your progress so you can make adjustments if you need to. I have found that “explaining the why” really helps runners complete their workouts better.

• I include simple nutritional guidelines to help you properly fuel and hydrate for training as well as for race day. You will know how to determine for yourself how much to eat and drink during races and long runs to keep you well fueled!

• I include injury prevention tips to reduce the likelihood of getting overuse injuries. I also includes a section on common running injuries and symptoms.

• I include motivation tips to get you out the door on days you don’t want to run, or days you may feel like quitting. Marathon training is not just physical, it requires mental stamina as well.

• I include race preparation and recovery tips to help prepare you in the days leading up to, during, and after your race.  You will learn everything you need to know about preparing for long runs, races as well as strategies to employ so you can perform at your peak.

• I include a printable schedule by week or by month.  Each week has a weekly planner with instructions and tips for that week. You can print out each week, or you can print out the full monthly calendar. Each calendar includes a place to log your actual mileage against your planned mileage.

• So you like to know what is happening physiologically when you train? I include an overview of the science behind the training so you can understand what happens when you train.

Finally,  unlike many sites that just “sell” stuff, I wanted a few different outlets to interact with other runners.  For those that like to listen to audio through iTunes, I created a weekly podcast series called, The 10 Minute Marathon Training Podcast“.  Each week I discuss various topics around marathon training.  This podcast is FREE and contains great information.  My episodes have been downloaded thousands of times, has a growing subscriber list, and is one of the top Podcasts on itunes for marathon training.    I love what I do and I love interacting with runners from all over the world.  My goal is to make this a “community” of runners where we can all come together to share our experiences, discuss training and stake out our own spot on the web.

Thank you again for taking the time to learn a little bit more about me and this website. Please feel free to reach out to me to discuss how I can help you better prepare for a marathon or to provide feedback. You can contact me here.

Steve