Week 1 of Marine Corps Marathon Training: Finding My Rhythm
This week marked the official start of training for the Marine Corps Marathon on October 26, 2025—and honestly, it feels good to be back in the rhythm of a structured plan.
There’s something about starting a new training cycle that brings a fresh sense of purpose. I thrive on structure and hitting daily goals. I want to show up week by week knowing that I put in the work and did my best.
Here’s how Week 1 shaped up:
Monday - Pickleball
I kicked things off with pickleball—a fun way to move, sweat, and stay agile without pounding the pavement. I love my pickleball friends. We have a blast and never take ourselves seriously. I am a huge fan of keeping movement fun.
Tuesday - 3 easy miles
Yoga stretch with my favorite, Engedi Mind Body, in the morning to loosen up, then 3 miles with the Run Well Collective in the evening. I really needed this run. I was able to relax and enjoy spending time with everyone.
Wednesday – 8 miles with hills
Whew. These hills did not hold back. I ran 8 miles solo and it was hot and hilly. I know the marathon will have lots of hills, so no better time to start adding them in than now at the beginning. It was SO hard. I walked a bit, adjusted my expectations, and still finished which was the goal. I know I will look back on this first week and be able to see my progress week after week. This run reminded me that training is about building strength—not just speed.
Thursday – Rest & Recovery
A full rest day plus some gentle yoga stretching. Surprisingly I wasn’t sore after Wednesday’s run but I was to stiff and tight. I am terrible at working on mobility and stretching so being able to go to a group class pushes me to get it done.
Friday – Yoga & Pickleball
I flowed through a yoga session in the morning and played pickleball later that day. I had 3 miles on the schedule, but because of the race on Saturday, I wanted to rest my legs and opted for pickleball instead.
Saturday – Watermelon Series 5K
I raced the Watermelon Series 5K, which isn’t my favorite race (5k aren’t my strong suit) but it does keep me consistent through the summer. It is a great crowd and fast. Short races are great benchmarks during marathon prep—plus, they break up the grind in a really fun way.
Sunday – Easy Miles to Close the Week
3 miles to shake out my legs and finish the week with some active recovery. I kept it easy, steady, and grateful.
This week I focused on variety, recovery, and continued to find joy in movement. That’s how I want this marathon training journey to feel: not just about checking off miles, but about becoming stronger in every way. Next week’s goal is to include some strength training. I struggle with hip pain and I know that I need to add in some weight training to build up those muscles.
I’ll be sharing my weekly updates here on the blog, so if you’re training too—or thinking about signing up for your next race—let’s cheer each other on. We’re well on our way.
📌 Are you training for a fall race? How did your week go? I’d love to hear! Drop a comment or come say hi on Instagram: @melissa.wellonourway