All mileage for the first eight weeks should be at 75% or under. The goal is to get yourself ready to train. If you work harder you will cost yourself down the road. Remember the rule specificity of training. At this stage you are specifically training the aerobic system, conditioning muscle, skeletal, and connective tissue. This is becoming more and more important in the build up as we as a society become less and less pedestrian. On Wednesday of weeks 9, 10, and 11, you should run warm-up for two miles, then run miles three through six at 75 to 85% (Actually this may be conservative for some. This workout should be an Anaerobic Threshold (AT) workout and AT varies from individual to individual. You should feel invigorated at the end of this and if there is any question err on the side of caution.) Cool down two miles. On Saturday's long run every other week you should incorporate four to six miles at about the pace you hope to run your marathon, no harder. These miles should be near the end, leaving the last mile or two to cool down. Do all running that is not otherwise marked at an effort under 70%, These are recovery days. Even a long day can be a recovery day if done correctly and the runner has the proper background leading into it.
Running can be a lifetime activity and a stepwise progression of goals can be the best way to realize all your potential. With that in mind, I want to state that we do not run marathons for health reasons. They are a performance goal. You will get all kinds of health benefits but you will also probably do things that are unhealthy. Running 60 to 100 miles per week is great for the heart and lungs but can cause all kinds of muscular, skeletal, and connective tissue problems. These are reasons that have convinced me that most runners should follow a periodized plan when it comes for striving for excellence. Periodization offers "failsafe" rest periods throughout the training process and between goal seasons. Periodization also specifically trains the different systems needed for success in the marathon. Building volume and intensity at the same time is a dangerous game but there are times in a marathon build up that this happens. The runner must recover from these high stress phases so they can continue on their upward cycle. When you are feeling your best, your most invulnerable, is when it is most likely that the next step will be crash and burn through injury or fatigue. Realizing you potential is not a linear progression but rather a spiral that works its way up but has occasional dips in the cycles. Paying attention to these dips can make or break a career. Use your rest wisely and do not work harder on recover days than the program calls for, it will cost you.
Anaerobic Threshold (AT) Workouts:
AT1 & 5 = 4 x mile @ 77 - 90%, this will vary with individuals. (Pace should be approximately 10 seconds per mile faster than your marathon pace.) 2-3 minute rest between miles. Warm-up and cool down 2-3 miles. You should feel exhilarated after these workouts, ready to do more.
AT2, 3, and 4 = 18-22 mile run with six to eight miles at approximately your marathon pace. These miles should bring you within a mile or two of finishing the run. The last mile or two should be easy. If conditions (either course or weather) are severe, adjust accordingly. A heart monitor can help considerably here by keeping the effort at the effort window that you can run a marathon.
Races:
Race 1 = 10K
Race 2 = 10K to 1/2 Marathon
Race 3 = 5K to 5 Mile
Be sure you get the proper warm-up and cool down for races as well as workouts. You should plan more than one warm-up, one for warm weather and one for cool weather. You don't want to be thinking about it race day.
Hill Workouts:
Hills 1, 2 & 3 = 8 x 2-3 minutes up at 77-90% effort, jog down for recovery. 2-3 mile warm-up and cool down.
Track Workouts (WO) (These can be done on the track, road, or trails):
WO1 = 12 x 400 @ 90-95% with 200 jog recovery. Warm-up/cool down
WO2, 4 & 6 = 15 x 200 @ 85-95% with 200 jog recovery.
WO3 & 8 = 6 x 800 @ 90-95% with 400 jog recovery.
WO5 = 4 x 1200 @ 90-95% with 400 jog recovery.
WO7 = 15 x 300 @90-95% with 100 jog recovery.
WO9 = 3 x 200 @ 85-90% with 200 jog recovery / 400 jog / 3 x 800 @ 85% with 400 jog recovery.