Explaining How To Train For A Marathon
Training for a marathon for the first time or trying to run your best one yet can feel overwhelming.
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In this video, I break down how to train to run your best marathon (or your FIRST marathon) using the same framework I've applied over decades of working with athletes across a range of skillsets, from beginners to Olympic qualifiers. However, instead of giving you a rigid stock plan, today we'll deep dive into the principles that make marathon training work, so you understand WHY you’re doing what you’re doing and can make more informed decisions as your progress in your running journey.
This guide covers how to know if you’re ready to start marathon training, how long your build should be, how many days per week to run, how to structure long runs without needing a 20-mile run, how to pace your training using effort, heart rate, and pace together, how to fuel properly to avoid hitting the wall, and how to sanity-check your marathon pace before race day.
Whether you’re running your first marathon or coming back after a previous attempt, this video is designed to cut through the noise and give you a clear, practical roadmap without fluff, hype, or hero workouts that will leave you injured or disillusioned with the sport.
Relevant Links
Get coached by Brant Stachel – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-st...
Learn more about Team RunRun – https://teamrunrun.com/
Fuel your training – https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant
Free Run Tools: https://www.runfastandfree.com/free-t...
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About Me
I’m Brant Stachel, a former National Team running coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and Mental Performance Coach. I work with everyone from everyday runners to Olympians across multiple sports, helping them not only perform at their best, but also think, feel, and recover like high performers.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve:
• Coached 150+ athletes to Boston Qualifiers
• Coached National Team athletes who’ve represented Canada internationally
• Helped marathoners, trail athletes, and pros integrate smart training and strong mindset work
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Website: http://runfastandfree.com
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CHAPTERS
00:00 – Why Marathon Advice Is So Confusing
01:55 – Are You Ready to Start Marathon Training?
03:30 – The Marathon Hierarchy Explained
04:10 – Health, Consistency, and Durability
05:45 – Weekly Running Frequency and Volume
06:10 – Long Runs: Why You Don’t Need 20 Miles
07:45 – Marathon Pace, Tempo, and Intervals
09:50 – How to Use Pace, Heart Rate, and RPE Together
12:40 – Fueling for Marathon Success
15:05 – The Marathon Pace Reality Check Workout
17:25 – Common Mistakes First-Time Marathoners Make
21:30 – Putting It All Together