What the plan looks like
Two weeks straight from the builder, for a regular runner on 4 days a week whose race time points to about a 3:50 marathon. At that pace, 3 hours of running is about 28 km, so that is where the long run stops.
Free marathon training plan
A week-by-week marathon plan with paces from your own race time, built in about a minute.
Build my planFree. No account. About a minute.
- Plan length
- 4-24weeks
- Counted back from race day
- Running days
- 3-7a week
- Longest run
- 32-35km
- Or 3 hours, whichever is first
- Taper
- 3weeks
- Race week included
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9Build | Rest | 8kmat marathon pace | Rest | 7.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7.5kmeasy | 23kmlong | 50km |
| 15Peak | Rest | 3 × 8 min threshold | Rest | 12kmeasy + strides | Rest | 12kmeasy | 28kmlong, 11 km at marathon pace | 61km |
See all 18 weeks
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Base | Rest | 6kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6kmeasy | 16kmlong | 34km |
| 2Base | Rest | 6.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6.5kmeasy | 17kmlong | 36.5km |
| 3Base | Rest | 7kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7kmeasy | 17.5kmlong | 38.5km |
| 4Base, easier | Rest | 5.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 5.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 5.5kmeasy | 14kmlong | 30.5km |
| 5Base | Rest | 7.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7.5kmeasy | 19kmlong | 41.5km |
| 6Build | Rest | 3 × 5 min threshold | Rest | 8kmeasy + strides | Rest | 8kmeasy | 20.5kmlong | 44km |
| 7Build | Rest | 6kmat marathon pace | Rest | 7.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7.5kmeasy | 21kmlong | 46km |
| 8Build, easier | Rest | 3 × 5 min threshold | Rest | 6kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6kmeasy | 17kmlong | 36.5km |
| 9Build | Rest | 8kmat marathon pace | Rest | 7.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7.5kmeasy | 23kmlong | 50km |
| 10Build | Rest | 4 × 5 min threshold | Rest | 9.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 9.5kmeasy | 24kmlong | 51.5km |
| 11Build | Rest | 10kmat marathon pace | Rest | 7.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7.5kmeasy | 24.5kmlong | 53.5km |
| 12Build, easier | Rest | 3 × 5 min threshold | Rest | 8kmeasy + strides | Rest | 8kmeasy | 19.5kmlong | 43km |
| 13Peak | Rest | 20mintempo | Rest | 11.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 11.5kmeasy | 26.5kmlong, 10.5 km at marathon pace | 57.5km |
| 14Peak | Rest | 11kmat marathon pace | Rest | 8.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 8.5kmeasy | 27kmlong | 59km |
| 15Peak | Rest | 3 × 8 min threshold | Rest | 12kmeasy + strides | Rest | 12kmeasy | 28kmlong, 11 km at marathon pace | 61km |
| 16Taper | Rest | 3 × 1600 m at race pace | Rest | 7kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7kmeasy | 24kmlong | 47.5km |
| 17Taper | Rest | 3 × 1600 m at race pace | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 4.5kmeasy | 18.5kmlong | 37km |
| 18Race week | Rest | 5kmwith race-pace pickups | Rest | 8kmeasy | Rest | 3kmshakeout | Marathon race | 58km |
The four phases
Weeks as in the 18-week sample. A longer or shorter plan stretches or squeezes each phase.
Base
Weeks 1 to 5
Easy running with strides. The long run starts at 16 km and grows a little each week.Build
Weeks 6 to 12
Threshold runs, taking turns with a midweek run at marathon pace, and an easier week every fourth week.Peak
Weeks 13 to 15
The longest runs, 28 km here, every other one finishing at marathon pace.Taper
Weeks 16 to 18
Down to about 80% then 60% of the peak week, then race week. One short race-pace session a week stays.
Paces by goal time
| Goal | Pace /km | Pace /mile | Start from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub 3 hour | 4:15 | 6:51 | 3:05:52 |
| Sub 3:15 | 4:37 | 7:26 | 3:21:58 |
| Sub 3:30 | 4:58 | 8:00 | 3:38:09 |
| Sub 3:45 | 5:19 | 8:34 | 3:54:27 |
| Sub 4 hour | 5:41 | 9:09 | 4:10:50 |
| Sub 4:30 | 6:23 | 10:17 | 4:43:56 |
| Sub 5 hour | 7:06 | 11:26 | 5:17:27 |
Each goal opens its own plan. For any other time, the marathon pace chart covers 2:30 to 6:00, or see all goal plans.
Who it suits
- Runners who can already run about 14 km in one go. That is where a new runner's long run starts.
- First marathon? Give it 18 weeks or more, so the long run can build all the way.
- Not there yet? Run a half marathon plan first.
Racing London or Manchester in 2027?
The London Marathon 2027 plan and the Manchester Marathon 2027 plan have the builder set to race day, the Monday to start, and a pace band for the course.
Marathon training FAQ
How many weeks do I need to train for a marathon?
Run-R builds a plan for any race 4 to 24 weeks away. For the long run to build all the way, allow 12 weeks if you are experienced, 14 if you run regularly and 18 if you are new to running. With fewer, it builds as far as it safely can, and the plan tells you how far that is.
How long should my longest run be for a marathon?
Up to 32 km, or 35 km for experienced runners, and never more than 3 hours. If 3 hours at your easy pace is under 26 km, the long run goes on to 26 km or 3.5 hours, whichever comes first.
How many days a week should I run for a marathon?
Anything from 3 to 7. On 5 days or more, the plan adds a midweek medium-long run. New runners are kept to 5 days at most, and nobody gets more than two hard sessions a week.
When does marathon pace come into the plan?
From the build phase, as a midweek run at marathon pace: 6 km at first, 11 km by the peak in the sample plan. In the peak weeks, every other long run finishes at marathon pace, up to 11 km in the sample, unless you are new to running.
How long is the marathon taper?
3 weeks, counting race week. The two weeks before drop to about 80% then 60% of your biggest week, each with one short race-pace session. Race week is a few short runs, a shakeout and the race.
What if I miss a week of training?
Do not try to make up the distance. Update your plan with the time you missed, and the weeks ahead re-plan from today, starting from what you can run now.
Weighing up other plans? Compare Run-R with Runna, Hal Higdon and Nike Run Club.