Sixteen weeks to a marathon: build weeks, marathon-pace weeks and a taper, each week planned from the runs you log and how they felt.
Sample plan: 16 weeks to race day, 5 runs a week
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Coach
This first week matches what you're running now, so your body can settle in.
Coach
You completed last week, so this week builds to about 320 minutes.
| Effort | per km | per mile |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 6:57–6:20 | 11:11–10:12 |
| Steady | 6:11–5:45 | 9:57–9:15 |
| Marathon pace | 5:43–5:33 | 9:12–8:56 |
| Threshold | 5:22–5:16 | 8:38–8:29 |
| Intervals | 4:58–4:45 | 8:00–7:39 |
Predicted marathon: 4:09:52
Your coach sets your paces from your current fitness: a recent race, or your usual easy pace to start. Each race or 5K time trial updates them, and so do imported runs that show you're fitter.
The opening weeks aren't filler. They make the peak long runs possible.
Test long-run fueling early enough to change it, not on race day.
Race pace should feel controlled in blocks. If it wrecks the rest of the week, the target or the volume needs to change.
Often, if you already run regularly. When you set the date, your coach checks it against your running and long run, and tells you if the race comes too soon. The runner on this page, at 4 h a week with a 1 h 30 min long run, needs at least 9 weeks.
You choose, from two to six. Your coach spaces your runs through the week so you recover between them.
Your long run grows gradually from what you run now toward what a marathon needs, without big jumps from one week to the next. It peaks a few weeks before race day, then shortens in the taper so you start fresh.
In the weeks before the taper. On this page's road that's from week 6: a marathon-pace session most weeks, and long runs that finish at marathon pace.
In the last weeks before your marathon you run less, at the same intensity, so you start the race fresh.
Unless you subscribe, for $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, your coach stops: no new weeks, logging, check-ins or reminders. You can still see your plan, past weeks and logged runs, and download or delete your data. We never asked for a card, so nothing is charged.
Your plan starts from your race, the days you can run and what you run now. Then every week is planned from the one before.
No card needed. Then $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year.