Marathon training plan
A marathon is decided by endurance and by goal pace held on tired legs. The plan leans on threshold work and long runs with race-pace blocks; VO2max intervals appear rarely, because at this volume their cost outweighs the benefit.
- Minimum weeks
- 16
- Ideal
- 18
- Maximum
- 24
Who it is for
For a runner with a half marathon behind them and at least a year of consistent training.
Who it is not for
Not for someone with fewer than 16 weeks to go who is not already running regularly. The plan will still generate — and will tell you plainly that there is not enough time.
Sessions you will find in the plan
Long run with marathon pace
Up to 40 minutes at goal pace at the end of a run reaching three hours. The single most important session of the build.
Tempo run up to 50 minutes
Longer and slower than at shorter distances — closer to marathon pace than to threshold.
Marathon-pace simulation
In the peak phase: 45 minutes at goal pace, same time of day and same kit as on race day.
A sample week in the build phase
This is an example with four training days. With a different number of days the plan arranges sessions differently, but the rules stay the same.
What the plan enforces for you
- The long run never grows more than 10% beyond your longest run of the past 30 days.
- Two hard sessions never fall on consecutive days.
- Every fourth week is a deload — volume comes down, not up.
- With contraindications on file the plan drops to a conservative variant: no VO2max intervals, no maximal tests.
- Pain of 6/10 or higher blocks the session regardless of what the plan says.
Common questions
How long is the longest run?
Three hours at most. That is the accepted practical ceiling — beyond it the recovery cost climbs faster than the benefit.
What if I have fewer than 16 weeks?
The plan will still be built, with a clear notice that this is less time than the distance needs. Shortening eats the build block, never the taper.
Other plans
Generate a plan for your race date
Pick a race from the catalogue or enter your own, tell us the days you have — the plan counts backwards from race day, with phases, deloads and a taper.
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