At a glance
Plan length
24 weeks
Built with phases, cutbacks, and a taper you can actually execute.
Weekly rhythm
4–6 days/week
Choose one variant and follow it for 2 weeks before tweaking.
Typical session time
Easy: ~45m • Long: ~150m
Prefer consistent minutes over heroic single sessions.
Readiness gate
- • You can run 30 minutes comfortably 3–4×/week.
- • You can complete a long-ish session (60–75 min) without being wrecked for 2 days.
- • You’re willing to keep easy days easy so workouts stay high-quality.
Default recommendation
4 days/week (Beginner-friendly)
Start here to reduce decision fatigue. Customize only after your first two weeks feel stable.
- • Best if your schedule is tight or you’re building durability.
- • Keep workouts conservative; consistency is the win.
Safety first
This is general training information, not medical advice.
- • Pain that changes your gait (scale down and get assessed).
- • A rapidly increasing injury history with volume increases.
- • Illness symptoms that worsen with training load.
Coaching beta
Want this adapted to your recovery?
Get coach-style adjustments when you miss sessions, sleep poorly, or feel fatigue signals.
Week by week
Structure you can scan
Use this as your decision map: what matters this week, what the long run is doing, and where you should back off.
| Week | Phase | Focus | Long session | Key workouts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Base | Build consistency and durable easy volume. | 1h 10m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Strides + controlled aerobic • Hill sprints (short) + strength | — |
| 2 | Base | Build consistency and durable easy volume. | 1h 15m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Strides + controlled aerobic • Hill sprints (short) + strength | — |
| 3 | Base | Build consistency and durable easy volume. | 1h 21m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Strides + controlled aerobic • Hill sprints (short) + strength | — |
| 4 | Base | Build consistency and durable easy volume. | 1h 13m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Strides + controlled aerobic • Hill sprints (short) + strength | Cutback week |
| 5 | Base | Build consistency and durable easy volume. | 1h 31m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Strides + controlled aerobic • Hill sprints (short) + strength | — |
| 6 | Base | Build consistency and durable easy volume. | 1h 36m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Strides + controlled aerobic • Hill sprints (short) + strength | — |
| 7 | Base | Build consistency and durable easy volume. | 1h 42m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Strides + controlled aerobic • Hill sprints (short) + strength | — |
| 8 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 1h 31m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | Cutback week |
| 9 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 1h 52m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | — |
| 10 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 1h 57m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | — |
| 11 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 2h 3m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | — |
| 12 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 1h 49m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | Cutback week |
| 13 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 2h 13m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | — |
| 14 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 2h 18m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | — |
| 15 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 2h 24m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | — |
| 16 | Build | Add quality while protecting recovery. | 2h 6m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Tempo or cruise intervals • Long-run progression | Cutback week |
| 17 | Peak | Train race-specific pacing and fueling. | 2h 34m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Marathon-pace blocks • Long run with controlled finish | — |
| 18 | Peak | Train race-specific pacing and fueling. | 2h 39m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Marathon-pace blocks • Long run with controlled finish | — |
| 19 | Peak | Train race-specific pacing and fueling. | 2h 45m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Marathon-pace blocks • Long run with controlled finish | — |
| 20 | Peak | Train race-specific pacing and fueling. | 2h 24m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Marathon-pace blocks • Long run with controlled finish | Cutback week |
| 21 | Peak | Train race-specific pacing and fueling. | 2h 55m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Marathon-pace blocks • Long run with controlled finish | — |
| 22 | Taper | Reduce load; keep rhythm; arrive fresh. | 2h 20m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Short tempo + strides • Easy aerobic + sleep focus | — |
| 23 | Taper | Reduce load; keep rhythm; arrive fresh. | 1h 45m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Short tempo + strides • Easy aerobic + sleep focus | — |
| 24 | Taper | Reduce load; keep rhythm; arrive fresh. | 1h 19m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) | Short tempo + strides • Easy aerobic + sleep focus | — |
Workout library
The sessions you repeat
You don’t need 50 workouts. You need a small library that you execute consistently, then progress safely.
Easy aerobic run
Purpose: Build volume without accumulating fatigue.
Prescription: 30–60 min at conversational effort. If you can’t talk in full sentences, it’s too hard.
Substitutions
- • Bike or easy elliptical for the same time if impact is an issue.
Red flags
- • Pain that changes your gait.
- • Easy pace drifting harder to hold the same effort.
Strides + drills
Purpose: Improve mechanics and economy without a heavy metabolic cost.
Prescription: After an easy run: 6–10 × 15–20 sec fast-but-relaxed, full walk/jog recovery.
Substitutions
- • 6–8 × 20 sec hill strides for reduced impact.
Red flags
- • Sprint-like intensity that leaves you sore.
- • Tight hamstrings or sharp calf pain.
Tempo / cruise intervals
Purpose: Raise sustainable pace and teach controlled discomfort.
Prescription: 2–4 × 8–12 min at ‘comfortably hard’ with 2–3 min easy between.
Substitutions
- • 20–30 min steady tempo continuous if you pace well.
Red flags
- • Breathing out of control early.
- • Needing to ‘surge’ to hold the last reps.
Interval session (VO₂-ish)
Purpose: Sharpen speed and economy for faster running at a lower cost.
Prescription: 5–8 × 3 min hard with 2–3 min easy; stay controlled, finish with form.
Substitutions
- • 6–10 × 400m on the track with equal jog recovery.
Red flags
- • All-out reps.
- • Form collapse or sharp pains.
Long run (easy with structure)
Purpose: Build durability and rehearsals for race-day pacing and fueling.
Prescription: Mostly easy. When stable: add 2–6 × 10 min steady, and practice fuel + fluids.
Substitutions
- • Split long run (AM/PM) on high-stress weeks; keep total time similar.
Red flags
- • Long-run pace creeping; next-day fatigue lasting >48h.
- • Fueling causing repeated GI issues (adjust and practice).
Marathon-pace blocks
Purpose: Practice the exact intensity you want to execute on race day.
Prescription: 2–3 × 4–6 km at marathon effort inside a medium-long run; stay controlled.
Substitutions
- • Progression run: easy → steady → controlled hard (only when recovered).
Red flags
- • Needing to ‘push’ early.
- • Shin/calf pain that escalates with pace.
Strength (short + consistent)
Purpose: Support durability and running economy with minimal interference.
Prescription: 2×/week, 20–35 min: hips, calves, hamstrings, trunk. Leave 1–2 reps in the tank.
Substitutions
- • Bodyweight circuit if you’re traveling.
Red flags
- • Heavy DOMS that ruins key sessions.
- • Form breakdown under load.
Adaptation rules
What to do when life happens
Most training failures are not fitness failures — they’re pacing, sleep, or scheduling failures. Use simple rules.
Missed workout
- • Don’t ‘make up’ missed sessions by doubling hard days.
- • If you miss one workout: keep the long run, skip the extra intensity.
- • If you miss a week: repeat the last week you completed confidently.
Low sleep week
- • Cut intensity before you cut easy volume: keep it aerobic.
- • Shorten the long run by 15–25% if sleep is poor for multiple nights.
- • Add one extra rest day if stress is high.
Fatigue signals
- • If your easy pace feels hard: keep the day easy and shorten duration.
- • If soreness persists >48h: remove the next hard session.
- • If motivation tanks + HR drifts: treat it like a recovery week.
Pain or injury
- • Pain that changes form is a stop signal — do not ‘push through’.
- • Swap running for low-impact cardio until pain-free in daily life.
- • Return with short easy runs; add intensity last.
Travel week
- • Protect one key session: either the long run or the workout — not both.
- • Use time-based training (minutes) when terrain/schedule changes.
- • Keep strength micro-sessions (10–15 min) instead of skipping completely.
Tools
Numbers to train with
Pick one tool, generate outputs, then plug them into your training week.
Calculator
Running pace + splits
Enter distance and finish time. Get pace per km/mile and a simple splits table.
Same unit as distance.
Pace / km
Pace / mile
Total time
| Split | Distance (km) | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 28:26 |
| 2 | 10 | 56:53 |
| 3 | 15 | 1:25:19 |
| 4 | 20 | 1:53:45 |
| 5 | 25 | 2:22:12 |
| 6 | 30 | 2:50:38 |
| 7 | 35 | 3:19:05 |
| 8 | 40 | 3:47:31 |
Assumptions: steady pacing; no terrain/wind adjustments. Use this to plan, then calibrate by effort in real conditions.
Planner
Marathon fueling schedule
A simple, repeatable plan: pick a carb target, then schedule doses you can actually execute while running.
Total time
Total carbs
Approx gels
Simple schedule
Take a dose every 20 minutes. In training, practice the same timing so race day is automatic.
Safety note: fueling targets vary by athlete and conditions. Practice in training and adjust if you get GI distress. This is not medical advice.
Evidence (high level)
Why this structure works
- • Consistency beats hero sessions: durable aerobic volume is the engine.
- • Cutback weeks reduce injury risk and help you absorb training.
- • A small workout library repeated with progression is more effective than endless novelty.
- • Fueling practice is a skill — you train it like pacing.
FAQs
Is a 24-week marathon plan enough time?
For many runners with a base, yes. If you’re building from low mileage or returning from injury, extend the timeline and keep intensity conservative.
How many hard sessions should I do per week?
A good default is one quality workout plus one long-run focus. If you add more, it should be short and only when recovery is stable.
What if I miss a run?
Don’t cram. Keep the next session easy, protect the long run, and resume structure when your legs feel normal again.
How do I keep easy runs truly easy?
Use a conversational effort check: you should be able to talk in full sentences. If not, slow down or add walk breaks.
Do I need strength training?
Two short sessions per week is a high-ROI habit for durability. Keep it consistent and avoid leaving yourself sore for key runs.
When should I practice fueling?
Start early in the build. Practice the exact products and timing you’ll use on race day, and adjust if you get GI issues.
Keep going
Marathon Training Hub
Marathon training plans, tools, and guides — built to reduce decision fatigue and keep you consistent.
Running Pace Calculator (with Splits)
Convert distance + time into pace per km/mile and generate a splits table. Useful for planning workouts and race pacing.
Marathon Fueling Planner (Carbs Schedule)
Turn a carbs-per-hour target into a simple fueling schedule you can practice in training and execute on race day.
How to Choose a Marathon Plan (Decision Tree)
A practical decision tree to pick a marathon plan you can actually execute — based on your base, recovery, and constraints.
Sources
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
- Physical Activity
- ACSM guidance and position stands (see journals for specifics)
- Effects of Strength Training on the Physiological Determinants of Middle- and Long-Distance Running Performance: A Systematic Review
- Effects of 16 weeks of pyramidal and polarized training intensity distributions in well-trained endurance runners
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (PDF)
- Nutrition and Athletic Performance
- Exercise and Fluid Replacement
- Why is hydration important? The effect of dehydration on performance
- Dehydration
- Hyponatremia