Part 1-4 - Building a Marathon Training Plan for Busy Professionals and Parents
Part 1: Laying the Foundation
This series is your roadmap to making marathon training realistic, rewarding, and even fun.
You're not too busy—you just need the right plan.
Marathon training isn’t just for elite runners with hours to spare. It’s for you—the busy professional, the parent juggling school pickups, the early riser fitting runs in before work. If you’ve ever dreamed of crossing a marathon finish line but felt your schedule made it impossible, this series is built for you.
In Part 1, we’re laying the foundation. This is where your training journey begins—with a strong base, clear goals, and a schedule that fits your real life.
What you do need is purposeful running that respects your body and schedule. - Coach Etienne
The Importance of a Base Phase
Before thinking about speed work or race pace, your body needs to adapt to running consistently. This early phase is called building your base mileage. It’s the engine of your marathon plan.
The goal here is to slowly increase your weekly mileage without injury or burnout. For time-pressed runners, even three to four runs a week can be effective if structured correctly. Think of your base phase as the period where you teach your body how to handle volume and recovery.
A typical base phase lasts 4 to 6 weeks and should focus on:
Running at an easy, conversational pace
Gradually increasing total weekly mileage
Building a weekly long run (starting at 60–75 minutes)
Supporting runs with strength, mobility, and sleep
This isn’t flashy training. But it’s crucial. Without a strong base, harder sessions later in the plan won’t stick.
Understanding Your Lifestyle Demands
Every successful plan starts with self-awareness. If your job includes long shifts, frequent travel, or irregular hours, your training plan should reflect that. Parents often find early morning or lunch break runs more realistic than evenings.
Start by answering:
How many days can I realistically run each week?
When during the day can I carve out 30–60 minutes?
What days are best for a long run?
How often can I include cross-training or strength work?
A plan that matches your life leads to consistency. And consistency beats perfection every time.
Scheduling Runs Around Real Life
You don’t need to run daily to train for a marathon. What you do need is purposeful running that respects your body and schedule.
Here’s a sample week for a busy parent or professional:
Monday Rest or mobility Recovery day
Tuesday Easy run (30–45 min) Focus on form and breathing
Wednesday Rest or strength Optional short bodyweight set
Thursday Tempo or moderate run Controlled effort, no stress
Friday Rest Saturday Long run (60–90 min) Build endurance gradually
Sunday Optional short run or walk Keep it flexible
By rotating harder and easier days, your plan will build fitness while avoiding overtraining.
Tracking Progress Without Stress
You don’t need to obsess over pace or data. Instead, track how you feel. Did you finish a run feeling strong? Were you too tired to focus at work after training? These clues help fine-tune your plan.
If you’re tracking with GPS, ignore your watch during base training runs. Focus on time on your feet and effort level. That foundation matters more than pace right now.
Building Confidence
One of the biggest challenges for busy adults is believing marathon training is even possible. But with a smart structure, it absolutely is.
As a coach, I’ve helped high-level professionals, shift workers, and busy parents finish marathons strong and smiling. Their secret? A plan that worked with their life—not against it.
And it starts right here—with a patient, thoughtful base.
Ready to Take the First Step?
If you’re thinking, “This sounds like the kind of plan I need,” then you’re ready for coaching that respects your life and goals. Let’s build it together.
👉 Reach out to work with me one-on-one
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Have questions or a challenge you're facing in your training? I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment on the blog or message me on Instagram.
Stay Tuned for Part 2: “Fueling a Marathon When Life Is Already Full”
In Part 2, we’ll dive into how to fuel your training when time is limited and schedules are tight. You'll learn simple, effective nutrition habits that fit your busy lifestyle and keep your energy strong from start to finish.
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Let’s build it.
