Boston Marathon training plan

For a plan of at least 16 weeks, start by Monday 28 December 2026. 12 weeks (Monday 25 January 2027) suits a runner who already runs regularly, and 20 weeks (Monday 30 November 2026) gives more room if you run little now. A spring race puts most of the plan in the cold and the dark, so choose run times you can keep on a dark morning. When you set your race, your coach checks the date against your running and tells you if it comes too soon.

Not in the way the drop suggests. The course falls about 140 m (459 ft) from start to finish, but the Newton hills from mile 16 and the hard descent early make it a different race from a flat one.

Run rolling routes when you can, and practise controlled downhill running on easy days. Your coach builds the weeks and the long runs; the climbs ask for legs that are used to both directions.

Run a certified marathon within the qualifying window, at or under the standard for your age and gender. The B.A.A. sets the standards and the window, so check its site for your year.

Skip it with a reason, or just leave it. Missed runs are never made up: next week is planned from what you actually ran.

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.