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Brent Lineberry

Web and app developer. Coffee, beer, and running, in any order.

Training for the 2023 Nashville Marathon

I am in the beginning of training for my first marathon, the Nashville Rock ’n’ Roll marathon, and I thought I would share my training plan.

I am in the beginning of training for my first marathon, the Nashville Rock ’n’ Roll marathon, and I thought I would share my training plan.

I usually follow a Jack Daniels training approach with a few modifications. This plan is his “Novice” marathon plan with the following changes:

  • The plan starts with run-walking, but progresses to runs longer than I have ever run. I am running the longer option of what I would normally run or what the plan calls for. Any time the plan calls for run-walking, I am running easy.
  • The plan calls for marathon and threshold pace volumes that exceed his recommendations earlier in the book. In the spirit of “better to be under-trained than injured,” I am capping the volume of those workouts at the recommended amount.
  • I have found that training in blocks of four weeks, with three weeks “up” and one week “down”, is helpful, both physically and mentally.
  • I have a few races planned during the cycle. Those will replace the shorter workout for that week. The longer workout will move to mid-week.
  • Perhaps the silliest thing I have done recently with my training is shift what constitutes “a week” based on the race date. So for this plan, the training week runs Saturday through Friday. It is a little brain-crampy, but not as bad as my last training cycle which ended with a race on Thursday, so my training week was Thursday through Wednesday.

In the outlined plan, “E” is “Easy pace,” “M” is “Marathon pace”, and “T” is “Threshold pace”. These are 3 of the 5 training paces that Daniels outlines. Each pace is specific to an individual and their current fitness, as demonstrated in a recent race effort. “ST” is “Strides”, which are short, eased-in and eased-out, top-speed intervals with full recovery.

Intervals are noted as number of reps x interval (recovery). So “5 x 3' T (2')” is 5 reps of 3 minutes at Threshold pace with 2 minute recoveries.

View a Google Sheets version of the plan.

Week of 12/3
Saturday
90' E
Sunday
Rest day
Monday
60' E
Tuesday
35' E
Wednesday
60' E
Thursday
35' E
Friday
35' E
Total minutes
315
Week of 12/10
Saturday
90' E
Sunday
Rest day
Monday
60' E
Tuesday
35' E
Wednesday
60' E
Thursday
35' E
Friday
35' E
Total minutes
315
Week of 12/17
Saturday
90' E
Sunday
Rest day
Monday
60' E
Tuesday
35' E
Wednesday
60' E
Thursday
35' E
Friday
35' E
Total minutes
315
Week of 12/24
Saturday
70' E
Sunday
Rest day
Monday
45' E
Tuesday
25' E
Wednesday
45' E
Thursday
25' E
Friday
25' E
Total minutes
235
<dt>Week of 12/31</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>90' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>60' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>60' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>330</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 1/7</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>90' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>60' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>60' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>330</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 1/14</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>90' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>60' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>60' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>330</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 1/21</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 5 x 3' T (2') + 10 ST + 15' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>30' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>30' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 3 x 5' T (2') + 15' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>30' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>30' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>246</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>

<dt>Week of 1/28</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 5 x 3' T (2') + 10 ST + 30' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 5' T (2') + 45' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>329</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 2/4</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>35' E + 5' T + 50' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>15' E + 5 ST + 5' E + 20' T + 35' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>330</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 2/11</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>35' E + 5' T + 50' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>15' E + 5 ST + 5' E + 20' T + 35' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>330</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 2/18</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>90' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 15' T + 40' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>245</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>

<dt>Week of 2/25</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 6' T (2') + 60' E + 8' T + 15' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>35' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 6' T (2') + 10' E  + 2 x 6' T (2') + 10' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>326</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 3/4</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>10' E + 50' M + 45' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 10' T (2') + 30' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>329</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 3/11</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>120' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 4 x 6' T (1') + 20' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>25' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>326</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 3/18</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 6' T (1') + 60' E + 6' T + 15' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>25' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 10' T + 35' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' walk</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>247</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>

<dt>Week of 3/25</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>150' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 10' T (2') + 20' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>35' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>329</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 4/1</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>10' E + 50' M + 75' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>35' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 12' T (2') + 10' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>40' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>328</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 4/8</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>135' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>25' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>20' walk</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 3 x 6' T (1') + 25' E</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' walk</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>246</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Week of 4/15</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>90' E</dd>
		<dt>Sunday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Monday</dt>
		<dd>20' E + 2 x 5' T (2') + 10' E</dd>
		<dt>Tuesday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Wednesday</dt>
		<dd>20' walk</dd>
		<dt>Thursday</dt>
		<dd>Rest day</dd>
		<dt>Friday</dt>
		<dd>20' E</dd>
		<dt>Total minutes</dt>
		<dd>174</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>

<dt>Week of 4/22</dt>
<dd>
	<dl>
		<dt>Saturday</dt>
		<dd>Race day!</dd>
	</dl>
</dd>