Marathon Program

Marathon Training Program

Here’s an 18-week training plan to help you prepare for a marathon race (26.2 miles). The plan gradually increases in intensity to build endurance, speed, and overall running fitness. It’s suitable for beginners or those looking to improve their marathon time.

How This Works

This 16-week plan isn’t just about running 26.2 miles — it’s about learning to manage effort over time, build durability, and stay mentally sharp late in the race.

Training revolves around three core elements:

Easy mileage to develop your aerobic engine
Quality effort (intervals, tempo, or marathon-pace runs) to train efficiency and resilience
The long run — the foundation of the entire training cycle

Progression is gradual and strategic. Some weeks challenge you with volume, others with intensity, and others focus on recovery so you can keep stacking fitness without breaking down.

The marathon rewards patience more than speed. Respect recovery, fuel long runs, prioritize sleep, and train your pacing discipline — those habits matter as much as the miles. When you do that, race day becomes a celebration of all the work you put in.

Key Concepts

This plan uses three main types of workouts: long runs, intervals, and tempo runs.
Together, they build your engine, your speed, and your ability to hold a strong pace for the full 5K.

Long Runs 🐉

Long runs are the cornerstone of endurance training. They improve your aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and mental stamina.

Keep the pace comfortable and conversational. You should be able to talk in full sentences without gasping for air. The goal is time on feet and smooth, steady effort.

Interval Runs 👯

Interval training alternates fast running with easier recovery. This improves your ability to run faster for longer by challenging your anaerobic system.

A classic session is the 400-meter repeat (about a quarter mile): run 400m hard, then jog or walk 200m to recover.

You can also use time-based intervals, like:

Run 1:00 fast, walk 1:00 easy
Run 0:45 fast, walk 1:30 easy
Run 0:30 fast, walk 2:00 easy

Repeat that sequence 4+ times, keeping the fast segments controlled, not all-out sprints.

Tempo Runs 🐎

Tempo runs are “comfortably hard” — faster than your easy pace, but sustainable for the full duration of the workout.

These sessions help raise your lactate threshold (the point where fatigue builds quickly), which means you can hold a faster pace for longer on race day.

Hill Repeats 🐏

Hill repeats are an excellent way to build strength, power, and speed. Running uphill forces you to engage more muscle fibers, particularly in the legs and core, while also improving your cardiovascular fitness.

Find a hill with a moderate incline and run up at a hard effort, then jog or walk back down for recovery. Repeat the cycle multiple times, gradually increasing the number of repetitions as you get stronger.

Before You Begin

Warmups 🔥

A proper warm-up prepares your body and nervous system for running. It gradually elevates your heart rate, increases blood flow to your muscles, and wakes up your coordination.

Start each run with 5 minutes of easy walking or light jogging. As you progress, you can add simple drills (skips, high knees, butt kicks, leg swings) to dial in your form.

Cooldowns ❄️

Cooling down helps your body transition smoothly from effort to rest. It gradually lowers your heart rate and can reduce post-run heaviness and dizziness.

After each run, walk for 5–10 minutes. When you have time, follow it with a short stretching or mobility session and some deep, relaxed breathing.

Cross Training and Recovery

Strength work, gentle yoga, and breathwork all support better posture, resilience, and focus on the run. If you want guided support, pair this plan with:

Final Tips 🏁

Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night whenever possible.
Fuel with plenty of carbs and protein — you’re asking more from your body now.
Keep a simple log of miles, how you felt, and any notes. Patterns matter.
During workouts, it’s okay to slow down or walk — just try to stay in motion and finish the session.

The Program

Follow the weeks in order. If a week feels too hard, it’s better to repeat it than to push through exhausted. Consistency beats heroics.

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Cross	3 mi run	5 mi run	3 mi run	Rest	5 mi pace	8
2	Cross	3 mi run	5 mi run	3 mi run	Rest	5 mi run	9
3	Cross	3 mi run	5 mi run	3 mi run	Rest	5 mi pace	6
4	Cross	3 mi run	6 mi run	3 mi run	Rest	6 mi pace	11
5	Cross	3 mi run	6 mi run	3 mi run	Rest	6 mi run	12
6	Cross	3 mi run	5 mi run	3 mi run	Rest	6 mi pace	9
7	Cross	4 mi run	7 mi run	4 mi run	Rest	7 mi pace	14
8	Cross	4 mi run	7 mi run	4 mi run	Rest	7 mi run	15
9	Cross	4 mi run	5 mi run	4 mi run	Rest	Rest	Half Marathon
10	Cross	4 mi run	8 mi run	4 mi run	Rest	8 mi pace	17
11	Cross	5 mi run	8 mi run	5 mi run	Rest	8 mi run	18
12	Cross	5 mi run	5 mi run	5 mi run	Rest	8 mi pace	13
13	Cross	5 mi run	8 mi run	5 mi run	Rest	5 mi pace	20
14	Cross	5 mi run	5 mi run	5 mi run	Rest	8 mi run	12
15	Cross	5 mi run	8 mi run	5 mi run	Rest	5 mi pace	20
16	Cross	5 mi run	6 mi run	5 mi run	Rest	4 mi pace	12
17	Cross	4 mi run	5 mi run	4 mi run	Rest	3 mi run	8
18	Cross	3 mi run	4 mi run	Rest	Rest	2 mi run	Marathon

Next Steps

When you finish this 8-week block, take a moment to actually recognize the work you just put in. Even if it wasn’t perfect — you showed up, you got stronger, and you’re not the same runner who started.

Celebrate the Win 🎉

Take a recovery week — light movement, easy miles, sleep, and good food.
Save your race bib or log your final 26.2 time to mark the moment.
If you didn’t race yet, pick a local marathon and give yourself something fun to train toward.

Keep Your Fitness Growing 🔁

Repeat the final 2–3 weeks to sharpen your speed and aim for a new PR.
Build into the 10K Training Program to level up your endurance.
Run this program again — using faster paces on intervals and tempos for an advanced challenge.

Take Care of Your Body 💆

Feeling beat-up? → a few weeks of Yoga I: Stillness + light jogging.
Feeling strong? → Strength Training Program to build power for your next race cycle.
Mental fatigue? → easy trail miles with no watch — run for vibes, not metrics.

Training isn't about perfection — it’s about momentum. Take what you built here and carry it into whatever challenge calls to you next.

Up Next

Running 101

Running Programs

Fundamentals

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