A marathon running plan for a first marathon takes about 16 weeks, four runs a week, and one long run that builds from 14 km to 32 km. This is the plan we use with first-time marathoners at our Samford gym, written by an accredited exercise physiologist, with the strength work, fuelling and taper that get you to the start line healthy.
Before you start a marathon running plan
A marathon plan is not a beginner plan. Before week 1 you should be able to:
- Run 30 to 40 minutes comfortably, three or four times a week
- Have run a 10 km event or a 10 km training run
- Be free of any injury that has stopped you running in the last three months
Not there yet? Start with our running plan for beginners and build up to 10 km first. The marathon will still be there in six months.
How the 16-week marathon plan works
- Four runs a week: two easy runs, one quality session and one long run.
- Most running is easy. About 80 percent of your weekly kilometres should be at a pace you could hold a conversation at.
- Every fourth week is lighter. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 drop the volume so your body can absorb the work.
- The last three weeks are a taper. You run less so you arrive fresh.
The 16-week marathon running plan
| Week | Easy run 1 | Quality session | Easy run 2 | Long run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 km | 6 x 1 min faster, 1 min easy | 6 km | 14 km |
| 2 | 6 km | 20 min steady | 7 km | 16 km |
| 3 | 7 km | 8 x 1 min faster, 1 min easy | 7 km | 18 km |
| 4 (lighter) | 6 km | 15 min steady | 5 km | 14 km |
| 5 | 7 km | 4 x 5 min at half marathon pace | 8 km | 20 km |
| 6 | 8 km | 30 min steady | 8 km | 22 km |
| 7 | 8 km | 5 x 5 min at half marathon pace | 8 km | 24 km |
| 8 (lighter) | 6 km | 20 min steady | 6 km | 18 km |
| 9 | 8 km | 8 km at marathon pace | 8 km | 26 km |
| 10 | 9 km | 3 x 3 km at half marathon pace | 8 km | 28 km |
| 11 | 9 km | 10 km at marathon pace | 9 km | 30 km |
| 12 (lighter) | 7 km | 6 km at marathon pace | 6 km | 21 km |
| 13 | 9 km | 12 km at marathon pace | 9 km | 32 km |
| 14 (taper) | 8 km | 8 km at marathon pace | 7 km | 24 km |
| 15 (taper) | 6 km | 5 km at marathon pace | 6 km | 16 km |
| 16 (race) | 5 km | 3 km at marathon pace | 3 km easy, two days out | Race day: 42.2 km |
Miss a run? Skip it and carry on. Never try to make up lost kilometres by doubling up. If you miss a full week through illness, repeat the previous week before moving on.
Strength training during marathon training
Most marathon training injuries come from doing too much too soon on tissues that are not ready for the load. Two short strength sessions a week, kept up right through the plan, are your best protection. Focus on single-leg work: split squats, step-ups, single-leg calf raises and single-leg Romanian deadlifts, plus a side plank. Drop to one session a week in the taper. Our hip mobility drills make a good warm-up before them.
Fuelling your long runs
Long runs are where you rehearse race day. For anything over 90 minutes, practise taking carbohydrate on the run, such as gels, chews or a sports drink, every 30 to 45 minutes, and use exactly what you plan to use in the race. Eat a familiar, carbohydrate-based breakfast two to three hours before. Our guide to the best pre workout snack covers timing.
Your marathon pace
A reasonable first target is your recent half marathon time doubled, plus 10 to 20 minutes. Most first-timers start too fast. Run the first half at or slightly slower than goal pace, and you will pass a lot of people in the last 10 km.
Signs you need to back off
Normal: heavy legs after a long run, and muscle soreness for a day or two. Our guide to feeling sore after the gym covers what helps. Not normal: pain in one spot on a bone, pain that makes you change how you run, or a niggle that gets worse during a run. Stop, take a few days off, and get it assessed. An exercise physiologist can adjust your plan so one bad week does not end your marathon.