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Training plan

24-week marathon training plan (variations included)

A 24-week marathon training plan with week-by-week structure, workouts, adaptation rules, and built-in pace and fueling tools. Variations are included on one page.

Updated Jul 22, 2026

Compare the plan

Your path

Build the capacity

The decision this page helps you make

Let the extra weeks create base, recovery margin, and evidence of consistency before race-specific work peaks.

Understand this stageAnchor the plan to race day

Start here

Choose your weekly rhythm

Choose days per week, review how the plan builds, then set your pace and fueling targets.

1. Choose days per week

4 days/week (Beginner-friendly)

The first option is an example, not a personal recommendation. Choose the rhythm that fits your current training and recovery.

2. Scan the phase map

Base → build → peak → taper

Use the condensed view, then open the full week-by-week table only when you need detail.

Jump to week-by-week

3. Set your targets

Pace and fueling targets

Use a calculator now so you can practise the numbers before race week.

Jump to tools

At a glance

Plan length

24 weeks

Includes base, build, peak, cutback, and taper weeks.

Weekly rhythm

3–6 days/week

Choose one variant and follow it for 2 weeks before tweaking.

Typical session time

Easy: ~45m • Long: ~150m

Prefer repeatable training time over one unusually demanding session.

Before you begin

  • • You can run 30 minutes comfortably 3–4×/week.
  • • You can complete a 60–75 minute easy session and recover normally over the next two days.
  • • You’re willing to keep easy days easy so workouts stay high-quality.

Starting example

4 days/week (Beginner-friendly)

Choose this only when it matches your recent consistency, weekly schedule, and recovery.

  • • 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.

Adaptive AI coach for iPhone

Let your coach adapt the plan.

Your adaptive AI coach reviews completed work and adjusts upcoming sessions after missed training, poor sleep, unusual fatigue, or a disrupted week.

Start training now

Choose days per week

Pick the weekly rhythm that fits your current training, schedule, and recovery. Review it after two stable weeks.

4 days/week (Beginner-friendly)

4 days/week/Beginner
Starting example
  • • Best if your schedule is tight or you’re building durability.
  • • Keep workouts conservative; consistency is the win.

3 days/week (Lower-frequency option)

3 days/week/Beginner
  • • Best if you’re time-limited, returning from time off, or managing impact.
  • • Protect the long run. Keep the workout controlled. Add strength on 1–2 non-run days.

5 days/week (Balanced week)

5 days/week/Intermediate
  • • A strong default: enough volume to progress, enough recovery to absorb it.
  • • One workout + one long run focus per week is plenty.

6 days/week (Advanced, recovery-dependent)

6 days/week/Advanced
  • • Only if your recovery stays stable for 2–3 weeks in a row.
  • • The extra day should be truly easy or short recovery.

How to use this plan

Choose one weekly rhythm and follow it for 2 weeks before changing it. Keep easy runs easy so you can recover from the long run and one quality session.

Sample weekly schedules (3–6 days/week)

These are example templates. You can move days around, but keep this order: workout → recovery → long run.

3 days/week (minimum effective dose)

  • Day 1: Easy run + 4–6 strides (optional)
  • Day 2: Quality workout (controlled)
  • Day 3: Long run (easy; practice fueling on longer days)

4 days/week (beginner-friendly)

  • Day 1: Easy run + short strength
  • Day 2: Quality workout (controlled)
  • Day 3: Easy run (keep it truly easy)
  • Day 4: Long run (easy; progress slowly)

5 days/week (balanced default)

  • Day 1: Easy run
  • Day 2: Quality workout
  • Day 3: Easy run + short strength
  • Day 4: Easy run (or steady when recovered)
  • Day 5: Long run

6 days/week (advanced)

  • Add one extra short recovery run (very easy).
  • Keep the number of hard sessions the same; the extra day is for aerobic volume, not intensity.

Run/walk option (allowed)

Run/walk can help you manage effort, build durability, and protect recovery.

  • Keep intensity low (conversation test).
  • Progress one variable at a time (longer run intervals before faster pace).
  • On long runs, aim for repeatable time on feet and recovery within the next 48 hours.

Guide: Run/walk marathon training plan

If you’re over 50 (masters runners)

The plan is the same; the recovery math changes.

  • Keep easy days truly easy so workouts stay effective.
  • Treat strength as part of training with 2 short sessions each week.
  • If niggles accumulate, reduce intensity first — not sleep.

Guide: Marathon training plan over 50

Training for a time goal (sub-4 / sub-2 / PRs)

Use pace tools to translate a goal into numbers — then train by effort on easy days so you can absorb the hard work.

Guide: Sub-4 hour marathon training plan

Common glossary terms (so the plan language is clear):

24 vs 26 week marathon training plan

A lot of runners searching for a 26 week marathon training plan are really saying one thing: “I need more runway.”

That is exactly what this page is built for.

Use this 24-week plan if you want the structure now. If you need a true 26-week runway, add 2 easy base-building weeks before week 1:

  • keep every run conversational
  • add strides, not hard workouts
  • make the long run repeatable before you make it longer

This is usually safer than forcing intensity too early.

If you want the app workflow that keeps the longer build organized, start here:

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.

BaseJump

Weeks 1–7

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session: 1h 10m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) • Cutbacks: 1

BuildJump

Weeks 8–16

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session: 1h 31m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) • Cutbacks: 3

PeakJump

Weeks 17–21

Train race-specific pacing and fueling.

Long session: 2h 34m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min) • Cutbacks: 1

TaperJump

Weeks 22–24

Reduce load; keep rhythm; arrive fresh.

Long session: 2h 20m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)

View week-by-week details
Week 1Base

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session
1h 10m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Strides + controlled aerobic / Hill sprints (short) + strength
Week 2Base

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session
1h 15m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Strides + controlled aerobic / Hill sprints (short) + strength
Week 3Base

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session
1h 21m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Strides + controlled aerobic / Hill sprints (short) + strength
Week 4BaseCutback

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session
1h 13m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Strides + controlled aerobic / Hill sprints (short) + strength
Week 5Base

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session
1h 31m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Strides + controlled aerobic / Hill sprints (short) + strength
Week 6Base

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session
1h 36m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Strides + controlled aerobic / Hill sprints (short) + strength
Week 7Base

Build consistency and durable easy volume.

Long session
1h 42m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Strides + controlled aerobic / Hill sprints (short) + strength
Week 8BuildCutback

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
1h 31m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 9Build

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
1h 52m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 10Build

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
1h 57m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 11Build

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
2h 3m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 12BuildCutback

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
1h 49m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 13Build

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
2h 13m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 14Build

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
2h 18m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 15Build

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
2h 24m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 16BuildCutback

Add quality while protecting recovery.

Long session
2h 6m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Tempo or cruise intervals / Long-run progression
Week 17Peak

Train race-specific pacing and fueling.

Long session
2h 34m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Marathon-pace blocks / Long run with controlled finish
Week 18Peak

Train race-specific pacing and fueling.

Long session
2h 39m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Marathon-pace blocks / Long run with controlled finish
Week 19Peak

Train race-specific pacing and fueling.

Long session
2h 45m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Marathon-pace blocks / Long run with controlled finish
Week 20PeakCutback

Train race-specific pacing and fueling.

Long session
2h 24m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Marathon-pace blocks / Long run with controlled finish
Week 21Peak

Train race-specific pacing and fueling.

Long session
2h 55m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Marathon-pace blocks / Long run with controlled finish
Week 22Taper

Reduce load; keep rhythm; arrive fresh.

Long session
2h 20m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Short tempo + strides / Easy aerobic + sleep focus
Week 23Taper

Reduce load; keep rhythm; arrive fresh.

Long session
1h 45m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
Short tempo + strides / Easy aerobic + sleep focus
Week 24Taper

Reduce load; keep rhythm; arrive fresh.

Long session
1h 19m long run (fueling practice every 20–30 min)
Key workouts
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

When sleep, scheduling, pain, or fatigue changes, use these rules to adjust the week.

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.

Loading pace calculator…
Loading fueling planner…
Running pace calculator
Open the calculator with defaults tuned to this plan.
Marathon fueling planner
Open the calculator with defaults tuned to this plan.
Marathon training plan PDF
Open the calculator with defaults tuned to this plan.

Evidence (high level)

Why this structure works

  • • Consistency beats hero sessions: durable aerobic volume is the engine.
  • • Cutback weeks create space to absorb training before fatigue builds too far.
  • • 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 strength sessions per week can support durability. Keep them consistent and avoid soreness before 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 Plans: 12–24 Weeks

Choose a 12–24 week marathon plan using running consistency, long-run readiness, recovery, schedule and race-date checks, including a 26-week runway.

Running Pace Calculator (with Splits)

Convert distance and time into pace per kilometre or mile and generate a splits table for workouts and race planning.

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.

Sources