Nitendra Rawat who won the New Delhi Marathon on 27 Mar 2022 with a timing of 2 hours 16 minutes and 05 seconds and qualified for the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. This was the most competitive marathon race ever by Indian Elite Runners on Indian roads where 08 runners finished the marathon in under 2 hour 20 minutes and 06 runners achieved the Commonwealth and Asian Games qualification standards.
Nitendra Rawat has represented India in the Rio Olympics 2016 Marathon and he is the winner among Indian Elite runners at the Tata Mumbai Marathon in the year 2016 and 2019. He has also won the Airtel New Delhi Half Marathon in 2015 & 2017 and has been a podium finisher in many road races. The training program shown in this video demonstrates a very well planned and structured Marathon Training program based on sound Marathon Training principles.


Nitendra Singh Rawat Marathon training program –
Link – https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Interview of Nitendra Rawat with All India Runners Motivation channel –
   • Interview with Nitender Singh Rawat  

Follow Nitendra Rawat on Instagram – https://instagram.com/nitinrawat_olym...

Sample Weekly Schedule of Nitendra Rawat 45-50 days before Marathon Race
Sunday
Morning – 5kms warm up 30 mins , strides, Tempo Running 15-20 kms at 3.14 to 3.20 pace, 4 kms cool down running in 20 minutes
(during start of season the pace is slightly slower)
Evening – 5-6 kms warm up running 30-40 minutes

Monday
Morning easy running session 10-15 kms
Evening – 5-6 kms warm up running 30-40 minutes

Tuesday
Morning - 5kms warm up 30 mins
5km x 2 fast repetitions in 15 minutes 30 seconds
Or
3 km x 4 fast repetitions in 9 mins 45 seconds to 10 minutes
4 kms cool down running in 20 minutes
Evening – Rest

Wednesday
Morning - Medium Long Run at an easy pace 15-20 kms
Evening – 5-6 kms warm up running 30-40 minutes
Thursday
Morning - 5kms warm up 30 mins
Fartlek – 15-16 kms (1km fast 1 km slow)
4 kms cool down running in 20 minutes
Evening – 4-5 kms warm up running 30-40 minutes
Friday
Morning – 3-5 kms warm up running
Long Run – 30 to 40 kms
1.5 kms cool down running
Evening – Rest
Saturday Morning – Rest
Saturday Evening Rest or 5-6 kms warm up running
Few Core workout and strengthening workout sessions in evening after warm up running

First of all, Nitendra Rawat is currently training in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand which is at an altitude of 1700 to 1800 meters.
LONG RUN
Nitendra Singh Rawat does only one long run every week on Friday morning. Before his long run he does warm up running of approx. 3-4 kms and after his long run he does cool down running of upto 1.5 to 2 kms.
The most crucial long run was done 3 weeks before the marathon on 04 Mar 2022 which was of 36 kms at an average pace of 3 minutes 51 seconds per km. Two weeks before race he did a long run of 30 kms at an average pace of 3 minute 47 seconds. One week before the race his long run was of only 20 kms at an average pace of 3 minutes 48 seconds. Reducing the distance of long run in the final 3 weeks shows that the tapering before the race was done perfectly as per sound scientific Marathon training principles.
After his long run which is a very taxing workout, he takes rest on Friday evening, Saturday morning and does only warm up of upto 5 kms on Saturday evening.
The longest run Nitendra Rawat did before the Marathon was on 15 Feb 2022 which was of 40.39 kms at an average pace of 4 minutes 26 seconds in almost 3 hours.
LONG WARM UP AND COOL DOWN SESSIONS
The second most outstanding feature of Nitendra Singh Rawat’s training program is a long warm up session where he does warm up running of approx. 5-6 kms for upto 30 minutes almost before every workout. Also he does a cooling down session with slow running of approximately 4 kms for 20 minutes after every speed workout.
SPEED WORKOUTS
Nitendra Rawat does only 2-3 speed workout sessions every week. But these speed workouts are introduced only 45-50 days before race.
The main speed workout is Long Distance Interval Training of 2 x 5 kms or 4 x 3km repetitions. the pace of 5km interval training is approx. 3.04 minutes to 3.06 minutes. And the pace of 3 km intervals is 3 minute 15 to 20 seconds per km.
The second main speed workout is Tempo Running done on Sunday which is of approx. 15 to 20 kms at a pace of 3.14 to 3.20 minutes per km.
Another speed workout is Fartlek Training usually done on Thursday of 15-16 kms where he does 1 km fast 1 km slow.
There are no short interval training sessions like 400meters or 1 km fast reps
EVENING SESSIONS
Evening sessions are for warm up slow running of 5-6 kms in 30 minutes followed by core workouts or strengthening workouts.
LOT OF EASY SESSIONS
Monday & Wednesday workouts are done at a very easy pace. Also during the base period at the start of the season almost all runs are done at an easy pace of 5-6 mins per k.