The Ultimate

Marathon Training
Blueprint

The 9 Steps To Train For A Marathon

By Tony Johnson
Congratulations on taking this journey of running a marathon! It is an incredible
achievement with memories that will last a lifetime. Running a marathon is a
journey filled with many ups and downs. It is something that only a handful of
people can say that they have achieved. In fact, only 0.5% of Americans can say
they have actually crossed the finish line. It will test you physically and mentally
like you have never been tested before. But if you are up for the challenge, and can
withstand the grind, then this blueprint will be perfect for you!

I was someone who had no experience in running...

The farthest I'd ever ran was 4 miles and that was back in elementary school...
When I first started training, I couldn't even run a mile...

And Now?

After a few months of training, I ran a full marathon in 3 hours and 53 minutes!
More importantly, I am on a mission to help as many people as possible achieve
their goal of running a marathon!

This blueprint is a summation of the most valuable lessons I've learned going from
a complete beginner to achieving what I thought was impossible!
The goal of the Ultimate Marathon Training Blueprint is to give you a
comprehensive insight of what you need to run a marathon. Running a marathon
can be extremely difficult without the right guidance, so my goal is to give you all
the information you need to achieve your goal of running a marathon.

Throughout this blueprint you will learn many essential things that will help you
train for a marathon.

● You will learn arguably the most important thing when training for a
marathon and that is your mindset! You will be able to take a look at the
tangible tools and approach I have when it comes to training!

● You will learn about my unique high volume strength training strategy that
will help you build muscle, run faster, and reduce the chance of injury!

● Alongside that you will learn about my running routine and how you don't
need to do all the extra work that the perceived experts say you have to do!

● The stretches and warm up to do before a run/workout!

● The proper recovery to do after a run!

● The necessary foods to eat throughout the day that will give you all the
energy you need to perform at the highest level!

● Lastly you will also learn about music I listen to that will push you the extra
mile when you feel like quitting!
Marathon Training Secrets That Will Take You From A Complete Beginner To An
Expert!

Secret #1 Belief:

You must believe that you can run a marathon. Your mindset is everything! It will
determine if you cross the finish line or quit. Believe that you will show up every day.
Believe that you will put in the work. Believe that when you're faced with a challenge
that you will overcome it. Believe that you will cross the finish line. Believe that you can
do it... because you can!

Secret #2 Your Reason Why:

This is very important! Your reason why for running the marathon will be your anchor.
This is something that you will remind yourself of everyday before you train. It will get
you through your toughest challenges. It will keep you going when you want to quit. It is
the reason why you are running the marathon.

Secret #3 Music:

I found that listening to music that motivates and inspires you will really help you
complete a run. It will push you that extra mile when you get tired and ready to quit. The
way I look at it is motivation is like burning paper, it doesn't last long, but provides a
spark. So if you listen to motivational songs on repeat then it will help you complete a
run.

Secret #4 Warm Ups:

Warming up before a run or a workout is very important! The best athletes are available
athletes so do yourself a favor and take some time to get warmed up. After all if you get
injured then it will set you back in your training. My warmups before a run whether it is a
short, medium, or long is the same. I start off with some dynamic stretches, which consist
of walking lunges followed by leg swings. I do 10 reps for each leg. This will help get
some blood into the muscles and stretch out your hips. I then do a set of standing calf
raises. This is important to do because your calves will take a beating during your runs,
especially your long runs so make sure your calves are warmed up before you run. I then
do some basic static stretches to stretch out the quads and hamstrings.

My warm up before I lift weights is a little bit longer and more advanced. I always start
off with either the Stairmaster or the stationary bike. Since the goal is to train for a
marathon, you’ll see that I have a different running routine than what most others say to
do. I like to start off with anywhere from 10-20 minutes on the Strairmaster and up to 10
miles on the bike. This will really help when you're marathon training! After that I grab a
foam roller and roll out my back and legs. I immediately follow that up with some static
stretches to make sure I stretch out all the major muscle groups.
Secret #5 Running Routine:

Training for a marathon is a long and grueling process, it could take months if not a year!
I found it best to run a max 3 days per week. The way I approached my running was, one
listen to my body. That is very important, if you don't listen to your body then it can lead
to injury and will set your training back! The way I monitored my body was by gauging
how sore I was. If I was too sore to run from a previous run or from a hard grueling leg
day then I would just reschedule my run for a couple of days later.

The second key to my running routine was to always increase my long run mileage until I
peaked at 20 miles. Each month I would increase my long run by 3-4 miles. So once I hit
the 10 mile benchmark, the next month I would aim for 13 miles, then the month after
that 16 miles until I hit the 20 mile threshold. I found that if you can hit the benchmark of
a 20 mile run during your training then on race day sheer willpower and determination
will take you to the finish line. I advise that you peak 3-4 weeks prior to race day so you
can have plenty of time to tamper your training. A tamper is essentially a cooldown
where you dial it back a little bit on the distance you run.

The last thing I will say is your race will be in the morning, so I found it best to train in
the mornings. It's a great way to prepare in advance and get your body used to running
long distances first thing in the morning.

Secret #6 Form:

Having good form is very important for running, especially long distance. It is crucial to
perfect your running form because it will save you precious energy. The more
unnecessary movements you have, the more energy you will waste, causing you to get
more tired. And trust me, youʼre going to want to save all the energy you possibly can
when running a marathon.

The one area for improvement I see amongst a lot of runners is their arm path, as they
swing their arms in all sorts of directions. Itʼs important to keep your elbows tucked close
to your side and move your arms from front to back in a straight line. To best break this
down, think about drawing a line that splits down the middle of your body and when you
run make sure your hands donʼt cross over that line, aka the middle of your body. This
will help take stress off your obliques and save you precious energy.

Secret #7 High Volume Strength Training:

A strong, lean body is key! I dedicate my marathon success to lifting weights! You will
be running 3 times a week max, so it's important to get into the gym and lift weights. I lift
at least 4 times a week and start off the workout with compound lifts, (squats, deadlifts,
bench press ect.) as this hits multiple muscle groups and works your abs, which is
essential in running.

I then follow that up with doing some isolation exercises. These exercises are designed to
only focus one muscle group, which is great for muscle definition and ironing out any
muscle imbalances. Since the goal is to run a marathon and not look like Arnold
Schwarzenegger I incorporate supersets, dropsets, and pauses. What this does is makes
the muscles have to work even harder resulting in an increased heart rate which will
simulate a run.

Here Is An Example Of A Few Workouts:

Leg Workout
Leg press 5 sets 8-12 reps
Superset with barbell RDLs 4 sets 8 reps
Squats 4 sets 6-8 reps
Single leg hamstring curls 4 sets 12 reps
Leg extensions 4 sets 10-12 reps followed by a drop set after each set: reps failure
Lunges on smith machine 4 sets 10 reps
Calve machine 4 sets 12-15 reps

Back workout
Reverse grip bent over rows 4 sets 8-12 reps
Deadlifts 4 sets 6-10 reps
Wide grip lat pull downs 4 sets 8-12 reps
Single arm DB rows 4 sets 6-8 reps
Straight arm lat pull downs with black rope or EZ bar 4 sets 10-12 reps

Shoulder Workout
Sitting DB shoulder press 5 sets 6-8 reps
Superset with seated bent over rear delt flys 5 sets 10-12 reps
Incline bench lying single arm side raises 4 sets 10-12 reps
Seated DB arnold press 8-10 reps
Reverse machine flyes 4 sets 8-10 reps
Superset with upright cable rows 4 sets 8 reps
DB side lateral raises 4 sets 10-12 reps
Drop set 4 sets 8-10 reps

Secret #8 Recovery:

After a run, especially a long run it is crucial that you recover properly. Immediately
after, take a few minutes to stretch out as this will help with muscle recovery. Also make
sure to get plenty of food and fluids into your body to help rehydrate, build muscle, and
refuel glycogen stores. If your legs are sore, then massages and using a foam roller are
great ways for reducing the pain and helping with muscle recovery. Hopping in a sauna
for 15-20 minutes will also help with recovery. Lastly, electrolytes are essential for
muscle contraction so make sure to take some after you run.
Secret #9 Diet:

Eat healthy and stick to eating healthy. Food is your fuel, it's like gas for a car. Your body
is like a Lamborghini so feed it with premium fuel, not fast food or junk food. Eating
junk food will just make you feel sick when you run and make the runs harder as you
wonʼt get the proper nutrition.

You will burn a lot of calories while you run, especially during your long runs, so it's
important that you get enough food into your system, so you don't get hungry while you
run. Stick to eating lean protein and healthy carbs and of course your greens. My favorite
meals are chicken and rice, steak and potatoes, salmon and rice, and eggs and oatmeal.
My Final Thoughts:

You don't need to run everyday to run a marathon

Work hard, be consistent in your diet and training, listen to your body, give it everything
you've got and you WILL achieve your goal of running a marathon. If I can do it so can
you!

And that's the bottom line

Also, one last thing...

Don't Compare Yourself To Anyone!!

It's the fastest way to be unhappy! There are millions and millions of people who run and
probably millions who have run a marathon. If you get caught up comparing your mile
times, mile distances ran, or your overall marathon time to other people, especially
people who have way more experience than you, you'll drive yourself crazy and not
appreciate the fact that you ran a marathon. It is an achievement only a select few have
accomplished so be proud of yourself!

Remember, Youʼre One Mile Closer. . .

- TONY JOHNSON
If you have enjoyed this blueprint,
then I invite you to schedule a free
strategy call where I can help you one
on one to train for a marathon!
 ON THIS FREE STRATEGY CALL FOR ASPIRING MARATHON RUNNERS

How I Went From Not Being Able To Run

A Mile To A Full Marathon!

EXCLUSIVE STRATEGY CALL FROM TONY JOHNSON

● The new method of training for a marathon that doesn't require you to run
everyday or multiple times a day

● The exact high volume strength training exercises that I use to train for a
marathon that will make you faster, reduce the risk of injury and build muscle

● The simple diet tweaks you can make to lose weight and give you more energy

● The mindset hacks that I use to push myself past my limits and finish my training
when I feel like quitting

YES! SCHEDULE MY FREE STRATEGY CALL!