Know your zones
A heart-rate monitor, power or pace, and a sense of effort all matter, and RPE is the fallback when the strap fails. How to read each zone by feel.
Training plans
18-week marathon training plans
Four plans, from Beginner to Sub 3 hours, at $29 each. Every plan is a PDF, emailed the moment payment clears, so you can train the same day.
Price
$29per plan
Four levels
Sub 4, sub 3:30 and sub 3 hour marathon training plans
Pick the plan for the time you are aiming at. Each step up, from Beginner to Sub 3 hours, asks for more runs a week and a higher peak mileage.
- Beginner3-4 runs per week. Starts at 10-15 miles per week and peaks at 30-40 (up to 8 hours per week).PDF, emailed instantly$29Buy
- Sub 4 hours4 runs per week. Starts at 15-20 miles per week and peaks at 40-45 (up to 8 hours per week).PDF, emailed instantly$29Buy
- Sub 3:304-5 runs per week. Starts at 20-25 miles per week and peaks at 45-50 (up to 10 hours per week).PDF, emailed instantly$29Buy
- Sub 3 hours5+ runs per week. Starts at 20-25 miles per week and peaks at 50-60 (up to 10 hours per week).PDF, emailed instantly$29Buy
Prices are in US dollars and checkout is handled by Square. Not sure which one fits? Call (858) 361-4733.
In every plan
What’s in
each plan
Every plan is a complete 18-week marathon training plan, delivered as a PDF. Each one includes:
- Run workouts for all 18 weeks
- Integrated strength training
- A video library for injury prevention and recovery
- A hydration and fueling guide
- A pacing guide
A plan on its own. It does not include ongoing consulting or interaction with Gareth.
LA Marathon
LA Marathon training plan
for 7 March 2027
Each plan runs 18 weeks, so count back 18 weeks from race day to find your start. The LA Marathon is on Sunday 7 March 2027, which makes week one the week of Monday 2 November 2026. If race day is closer than 18 weeks, call (858) 361-4733 to ask which option fits.
Get your zones tested before week one. A lactate test at ECLYPSE Fitness Lab in Santa Monica gives you your heart-rate training zones and your aerobic threshold, the ceiling on genuinely easy work. Knowing your aerobic threshold is very helpful for long-distance performance, the marathon included. The test is $350, or $575 with a VO2 max test in the Running Pro package.
Retest every 9 to 12 weeks to monitor progress, which puts one retest partway through an 18-week build.
“I had such a great experience during my lactate & VO2 assessments. Gareth is extremely knowledgeable and took the time to break everything down in a way that really helped me understand my current fitness level and running performance. I walked away with clear guidance and practical feedback on what I need to do to reach my marathon goals AND since then I recently hit a new PR and qualified for Boston!”
Jessica Choi
Marathon runner
From Gareth’s blog
Race pace
and race shoes
On speed work, Gareth writes that “the longer the race the more you want to focus on developing your ‘threshold’ as this is going to be more related to your race pace.”
On carbon-plated race shoes, he advises: “In the final few weeks leading up to your peak marathon, if you plan to use these shoes in that race, start to use them for at least half of your weekly longest run session so that you can get used to them, test them with different socks and see how your body reacts to them.”
Coaching
Want a coach for
the whole build?
Monthly coaching starts at $300 a month. Gold includes:
- 360° custom program
- Strength, mobility & core
- Bi-weekly data review
- Text & email support
- Monthly call review
Platinum and VIP add more frequent data reviews and calls, and phone support. The running and triathlon coaching page lists everything each tier includes.
Gareth has coached endurance athletes for more than 30 years, from complete beginners to sub-2:50 marathoners. He started running cross-country when he was 11 and still loves to run.
For a plan built for one race, the 12-week custom running program is $295. After you buy, Gareth sends a Q&A so he can build it around your goal race.
“Coach Gareth and I have been working together for more than 2 years. Thanks to his detailed analysis and personalised coaching plans, I was able to shave off over 40 minutes from my marathon time.”
Ali Arsan
Sub-2:50 marathon
When should I start an 18-week plan for the LA Marathon?
The week of Monday 2 November 2026, 18 weeks before the race on Sunday 7 March 2027. If that week has passed, call (858) 361-4733 to ask which option fits. For any other marathon, count back 18 weeks from race day.
Which marathon plan should I choose?
Choose by the time you are aiming for and the running you can fit in. Beginner: 3-4 runs per week. Starts at 10-15 miles per week and peaks at 30-40 (up to 8 hours per week). Sub 4 hours: 4 runs per week. Starts at 15-20 miles per week and peaks at 40-45 (up to 8 hours per week). Sub 3:30: 4-5 runs per week. Starts at 20-25 miles per week and peaks at 45-50 (up to 10 hours per week). Sub 3 hours: 5+ runs per week. Starts at 20-25 miles per week and peaks at 50-60 (up to 10 hours per week). If you are not sure, call (858) 361-4733.
What do I get when I buy a plan?
A complete 18-week marathon training plan as a PDF, emailed the moment payment clears, so you can train the same day. It has run workouts, integrated strength training, a video library for injury prevention and recovery, a hydration and fueling guide, and a pacing guide. Each plan is $29.
Does a plan include coaching from Gareth?
No. A plan comes on its own, without ongoing consulting or interaction with Gareth. Monthly coaching, from $300 a month, adds a custom program and regular reviews of your training data. The 12-week custom running program, $295, is built once around your goal race from a Q&A Gareth sends after you buy.
Should I get my zones tested before I start?
If you want your training zones set from your own numbers, yes. A lactate test at ECLYPSE Fitness Lab, 1736 Ashland Avenue in Santa Monica, gives you your heart-rate training zones and your aerobic and steady-state thresholds. You are tested on a treadmill, and Gareth reads the results back to you in person. It is $350, and the Running Pro package adds a VO2 max test for $575 in all.
From the blog
Zones, training phases and hydration, explained
Periodization
Periodization is the science of putting the building blocks of training in the right order, so each phase prepares you for the next.
Hydration for triathletes, IRONMAN and endurance athletes
Hydration is often reduced to “just drink more water”. When to drink, why electrolytes and carbs matter, how to check in, and why to test it.
Before week one
Get your zones tested
A lactate test at the lab in Santa Monica gives you your heart-rate training zones, read back to you in person by Gareth.