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3 Day a Week Workout Plan for My Third Marathon

This post is written in partnership with the Detroit Free Press Marathon. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

It feels like forever since I ran the Ogden Marathon, which was my last marathon back in 2016. I also can’t believe I’m now training for my third marathon.

This time, I’m looking at a 3 day a week workout plan. A little different.

Life circumstances have changed ALOT since the first and second marathons pre-baby. Most notable, hello, I’m a (new) mom, depending on what you classify as “new.”

Also, we’ve moved.  And I’ve grown so much personally and professionally. 

While I did love life before Camryn, things are much different now. Most notably, I don’t have the time I used to have to devote to training.

However, I’ve had this mental conversation over and over again with myself. It being that I’m not willing to give up on my hopes and dreams and career aspirations just because I’m a mom.

I wholeheartedly love being a mom, but I also want to be “me” and feel like me. And part of that means running, which is part of my identity. 

I have a long term goal to do a marathon in each of the 50 states. I have a long ways to go, but next up is Michigan.

Come Join Me in Detroit!

But first, if you’re looking for a fall marathon, there’s still time to register for the Detroit Free Press Marathon and join me. We’re just about 11 weeks out and it is going to be a fun, fabulous event.

You can use the code BLT2019 for 10% off any event –  the half marathon, the full marathon, the full marathon relay, the 5k, the 1 mile and some of the special events. 

Some of the special events include bundling the full marathon or half marathon with the 5k and 1 mile the day before if you’re feeling really extreme. 

And don’t forget the closing date for the races with international components is August 26th!

If you’ve ever wanted to do a race that crosses over into another country (hello, Windsor, Canada), this is your chance. 

I’ll be at the expo on Friday and touring the city a little on Saturday so would love some company throughout the weekend adventuring. I went to Michigan once when I was younger for a softball tournament but I remember nothing so I’m looking forward to exploring the city with a fresh perspective. 

Okay, now let’s talk about marathon training (you can read a recap of the first week of marathon training here).

Since this is something I’ve received several questions about, I’m sharing how I will be training for this marathon and what I’m doing differently from my first and second marathon training cycles.
Training for a marathon with text overlay

I’ll also be sharing my 12 week marathon training plan too. 

1. Practicing Flexibility

I’m not even sure what that looks like but I’m embracing it. If I have 7 miles on the agenda, it’s not going to ruin my day if I only get 6 miles in.

If I don’t get to 22-23 miles this go around, I’m hoping I won’t feel as anxious about it because I know I’ve done it before

Flexibility to me means acceptance and not stressing out too much. Like I talk about with my clients about body acceptance and embracing the gray, I acknowledge that this training cycle won’t be perfect or black and white. 

There’s room for imperfections and for flexibility within the rigidity. 

2. Less Running Overall + More Crosstraining 

I’m actually comparing this to the “work smarter, not harder” mentality. I don’t have the energy to run 5-6 days a week and even if I did, I’m not sure my body could handle it right now. 

I still am nursing, though it’s just once or twice a day. But, that still takes extra energy (which I consciously refuel with). 

I still want to prioritize family time and growing a business.

Instead, I’m focusing on time on my feet and proper fueling and rest and hoping my body takes care of the rest. 

I’m also devoting time to yoga and crosstraining to take some of the stress off of my joints. 

3. Practicing My Marathon Nutrition Early

My “run smarter, not harder” mentality means I’m focusing more on recovery, meaning adhering to recovery nutrition and pre-workout and mid-run nutrition, too.

I don’t ever want my muscles to feel depleted.  

Chocolate milk to refuel a workout

Also, I want to have my race day nutrition plan nailed down. Once I get to 11-12 miles for my long run (likely in a few weeks), I’ll be practicing my mid run fueling.

I plan to outline what that looks like once I figure out what’s working. 

4. Focusing More on Recovery

Part of my recovery nutrition plans means including foam rolling, massages and as much sleep as I can get. I’m trying not to run myself into the ground.

I’m going to be careful what I take in. I don’t want to read about people training 100+ mile weeks because that just doesn’t jive with me right now.

I don’t think I necessarily have done that in the past (I’ve always tried to keep a running-life balance), but it can be enticing when comparing yourself to others or looking at various marathon training plans online.

I’m trying to focus on the present!

5. Time of Day for Running

I’m typically not a “first thing” morning exerciser, but it’s helping with the heat in this training cycle now. 

While I was unattached my last two marathons (meaning free of a baby/toddler to care for), my priorities have shifted now. I can no longer run whenever I want. If I want to train correctly, I need to get the majority of my runs done in the morning.

This will also help ensure I am still *productive* and a human worker during normal work hours when I have my longer weekday runs. 

I want to hear from you,

What works for you for marathon training?

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  1. I’ll be in Detroit running my first marathon! I also got a little crazy and signed up for the mile and 5k the day before. I had a baby a year ago, so I can totally relate to everything in your post about balance. I’m trying to stick to my training plan, so far I haven’t gone past 16 which has me nervous. I keep changing my goal and currently I’m at “just finish” ???? Any advise as I continue down my training path??? maybe we can catch up at the expo!!!

    1. Would love to catch up at the expo! My best advice would be to just listen to your body and trust yourself. I’m not sure what my longest run will be but this training cycle will certainly be less than my last one.

  2. I’m so tempted to join you! #midwestisbest I would not think twice about not hitting 22-23 miles. Some people like to mentally, but my plan capped out at 20 (though I felt awesome so ran 21 once). Totally fine. I think it’s about having an overall smart plan anyway. The long runs are a necessary part of the plan, but there are other important parts as well. I’m sure your hubby (like mine) is a huge help. Good luck!

    1. I think I’ll be comfortable with less this training plan since that seems to be the theme! I would LOVE for you to join me!!

  3. So many important components to think about when you’re training for a marathon. I hope these changes help you in your next one! Good luck 🙂