Training program Intermediate
Here begins your journey towards Helsingborg Marathon
Do you also have a dream of running Helsingborg Marathon and maybe even have a specific time goal in mind? You’re not alone. Our goal is to help you achieve your goals with the help of this training program, to successfully complete Helsingborg Marathon, and perhaps aim for a finish time of around three and a half to four and a half hours. The program is designed for those who are already running three to four times a week. It’s important to listen to your body, and if you feel particularly tired or fatigued, don’t hesitate to skip a workout and take an extra rest day. Remember that the program is general and you may need to adjust the workouts slightly to suit your needs optimally.
Here begins your journey towards Helsingborg Marathon!
Here you can download the training program as PDF to your computer or mobile.

Before we get started…
Your Starting Point
If you are already training about three to four times a week and feel that running is something you want to focus on and prioritize, this program is for you. You should already be able to run distances of up to 15 kilometers. It helps if you have previous experience running a marathon and some half marathons.
Your Training
Over the next 16 weeks, you will be training three to four times a week to ensure a great experience at the Helsingborg Marathon. The distance of 42,195 meters is long, and the key to success is consistency. To achieve that, it’s important that your easy runs are truly easy to avoid unnecessary strain on your body and to feel fresh for quality sessions and long runs. The focus will be on improving your threshold and getting your body accustomed to longer distances.
Your Goal
Your goal for this year’s Helsingborg Marathon is to finish within a time range of three and a half to four and a half hours. Running with consistency and a sense of balance is crucial on your journey towards the race.
Base training
Now we begin our journey towards the Helsingborg Marathon on September 7, 2024. The first four weeks will focus on building a strong foundation with a lot of variation in the training sessions to give you a good start in your training towards your ultimate goal.
Keep in mind that during this foundation-building phase, your distance and long runs should be at a comfortable pace. When we incorporate hill workouts, threshold runs, and intervals, you should pick up the pace and run at a higher intensity.
Week 1
Session 1: Distance 60 min.
Session 2: Hill 10 x 45 sec. with jog recovery downhill
Session 3: Long run 75 min.
Week 2
Session 1: Distance 60 min.
Session 2: Threshold 8 x 2 min. (at your lactate threshold pace + 10 seconds per kilometer) with 60 sec. walk recovery
Session 3: Distance 45 min. including 5 strides
Session 4: Long run 80 min.
Week 3
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 6 x 1000 m (at your lactate threshold pace + 10 seconds per kilometer) with 90 sec. walk recovery
Session 3: Distance 60 min
Session 4: Long run 90 min
Week 4
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Hill 10 x 60 sec with jog or walk recovery downhill
Session 3: Threshold 6 x 4 min (at your lactate threshold pace + 10 seconds per kilometer) with 60-90 sec walk recovery
Session 4: Long run 100 min
Hills & threshold
In this training block, we will focus on hill workouts and threshold runs. This is the phase where we establish a good level of consistency and aim to improve your running strength and endurance. It is during this period that we lay the foundation for you to reach your dream goal.
Week 5
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 7 x 4 min (at your lactate threshold pace + 10 seconds per kilometer) with 60-90 sec standing recovery
Session 3: Long run 100 min
Week 6
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Hill 10 x 3 min with jog recovery downhill
Session 3: Distance 60 min + 5 strides
Session 4: Long run 100 min
Week 7
Session 1: Distance 75 min.
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 10 min. (marathon pace) with 2 min. jog recovery
Session 4: Distance 60 min. including 5 strides
Session 5: Long run 120 min.
Week 8
Session 1: Distance 60 min.
Session 2: Intervals 8 x Super Tushings (goal race pace) (400 + 300 + 200 + 100 m) with 60 sec. standing recovery
Session 3: Distance 60 min. including 5 strideouts
Session 4: Long run 120 min.

Different training sessions on the journey to Helsingborg Marathon.
Distance Runs
The distance run is a training session where you simply run and enjoy, clearing your mind. You should maintain a low heart rate and feel good during this session. The purpose is to condition your muscles, joints, and ligaments to running.
Hill Repeats
Hill training is one of our favorite workouts in running as it builds both strength and speed while improving your recovery. The hills you run on can be long, short, steep, or gentle. You choose the hill based on the purpose of the session – building endurance, speed, or perhaps strength and running technique.
Intervals
Intervals are sessions where we focus on becoming faster and improving our oxygen uptake. Intervals are usually shorter than threshold runs and have longer rest periods, often involving a slow jog or standing rest.
Threshold Runs
Threshold runs are performed at a controlled high pace, and it’s easier to find your threshold pace if you’ve had a lactate test, for example, at a clinic. Otherwise, you can start with the pace you can maintain for approximately 60 minutes. These sessions are designed to improve your endurance.
Long Runs
The marathon runner’s sacred routine on weekends. The long run lasts from 75 minutes to over 3 hours and aims to condition your body to handle prolonged exertion. The longer the race you’re preparing for, the more important this session becomes in acclimating your body to extended periods of activity.
Threshold & speed
During this period, there is a strong focus on threshold training to help you become a resilient runner and achieve your goal on September 7th. We incorporate interval workouts to maintain your speed and ensure that race pace feels more comfortable.
Week 9
Session 1: Distance 75 min
Session 2: Distance 60 min + 10 strides
Session 3: Fartlek 5 km with 60 sec fast / 60 sec easy intervals
Session 4: Long run 150 min
Week 10
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 10 min (race pace + 10 sec/km) with 2 min jog recovery
Session 3: Distance 60 min including 10 strides
Session 4: Long run 160 min (2 x 5 km at race pace + 10 sec/km)
Week 11
Pass 1: Distance 60 min
Pass 2: Threshold 8-10 x 3 min (+ 10 sec per km on your race pace) with 60 sec standing recovery
Pass 3: Threshold 15-20 x 400 m (+ 10 sec per km on your race pace) with 60 sec standing recovery
Pass 4: Long run 170 min
Week 12
Pass 1: Distance 60 min
Pass 2: Fartlek 8 km with 90 sec fast intervals and 45 sec easy intervals
Pass 3: Intervals 6-10 x 1000 m (race pace + 10 sec/km) with 90 sec standing recovery
Pass 4: Long run 180 min
Threshold & peaking
With only four weeks left until the big goal, the focus lies on threshold workouts, followed by the tapering phase. The majority of the hard work is already done, so it’s important to train wisely and avoid any injuries during these last weeks.
This is where it counts – on September 7th, you will set a new personal record at the Helsingborg Marathon!
Week 13
Session 1: Distance 75 min
Session 2: Threshold 5 x 2 km (race pace) with 1 km jog recovery (approximately 45 sec/km slower)
Session 3: Hill repeats 5 x 2 min + 10 x 1 min with jog recovery downhill
Session 4: Long run 160 min
Week 14
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 5 km (marathon pace + 10 sec/km) with 1 km jog recovery
PaSessionss 3: 10-15 x 1000 m (marathon pace + 10 sec/km) with 60-90 sec standing recovery
Session 4: Long run 120 min
Week 15
Session 1: Distance 70 min
Session 2: Intervals 4 x 4x400m with 50/40/30 sec rest. (race pace)
Session 3: Fartlek 5 km 60 sec fast / 60 sec easy
Session 4: Long run 90 min
Week 16
Session 1: Threshold 5 x 1000 m (race pace) with 90 sec standing recovery
Session 2: Distance 30 min + 5 strides
Session 3: Helsingborg Marathon