Skip to content
Start your 14 free days

New York City Marathon training plan

A New York City Marathon plan for 7 November 2027: five boroughs and five bridges, when to start, and a coach that plans each week from your runs.

Race day: Sunday 7 November 2027 (expected) · New York, USA

Start your 14 free days

No card needed. Then $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year.

Week 1

5 runs4 h 2 min
  • Mon30 minEasy run
  • Tue47 minHill repeats
  • Thu40 minEasy run + strides
  • Sat35 minEasy run
  • Sun90 minLong run

Coach

This first week matches what you're running now, so your body can settle in.

For someone running about 4 h a week now.

The course

  • Staten Island to Central Park

    The race starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn and finishes in Central Park, beside Tavern on the Green.

  • Five boroughs

    Brooklyn takes you to about mile 11. Halfway you cross the Pulaski Bridge into Queens, then the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, a loop into the Bronx and back into Manhattan.

  • The Queensboro Bridge

    Around mile 15.5 the climb up the Queensboro Bridge is one of the hardest points on the course, and many runners tire there.

  • Fifth Avenue to the park

    After the Bronx you run south through Harlem on Fifth Avenue and enter Central Park at 90th Street, before the last mile along Central Park South.

When to start

Count back from race day. The race is always on the first Sunday in November.

The Monday to start on, by plan length
LengthStart bySuits
12 weeksMonday 9 August 2027You run regularly now
16 weeksMonday 12 July 2027A common length for a marathon
20 weeksMonday 14 June 2027More room if you run little now

What matters for the New York City Marathon

  • Hold back in Brooklyn

    The race opens with a bridge and then runs through Brooklyn to about mile 11. Keep it easy: the hard part starts at the Queensboro Bridge.

  • Practise the climbs

    Five bridges mean short, steady climbs on tired legs. Run rolling routes or bridges when you can, and let some long runs finish with steady running.

  • Train through the summer

    A November race puts most of the plan in the summer. Run early or late in the day, and carry water on long runs.

Getting a place

Most places come from a lottery drawn from three pools: the New York City area, national and international. Guaranteed entry is available through the 9+1 programme, time standards, charity teams and other routes.

The organisers' site

Every week to race day

A sample marathon plan, not one for this race: a runner’s weeks to race day if every week goes as planned. Yours is planned from your race, your days and what you run now.
  1. Week 1: 242 minutes, build
  2. Week 2: 264 minutes, build
  3. Week 3: 288 minutes, build
  4. Week 4: 318 minutes, build
  5. Week 5: 318 minutes, build
  6. Week 6: 242 minutes, easier
  7. Week 7: 319 minutes, race-specific
  8. Week 8: 351 minutes, race-specific
  9. Week 9: 379 minutes, race-specific
  10. Week 10: 283 minutes, easier
  11. Week 11: 376 minutes, race-specific
  12. Week 12: 407 minutes, race-specific
  13. Week 13: 418 minutes, race-specific
  14. Week 14: 326 minutes, taper
  15. Week 15: 261 minutes, taper
  16. Week 16: 433 minutes, race week
Running time each week to race day
  1. Week 6 This is an easier week, so your body can absorb the training.
  2. Week 7 A new 4-week cycle starts, focused on race-specific work at your race effort. Race-specific training: sessions at your race effort.
  3. Week 14 Taper: less running, same intensity, so you start the race fresh.

Questions before you start

When should I start training for the New York City Marathon?

For a plan of at least 16 weeks, start by Monday 12 July 2027. 12 weeks (Monday 9 August 2027) suits a runner who already runs regularly, and 20 weeks (Monday 14 June 2027) gives more room if you run little now. A race in the autumn puts most of the plan in the summer, so run early or late in the day and carry water on long runs. The date is expected rather than confirmed, so count back from the organisers' date once it is published. When you set your race, your coach checks the date against your running and tells you if it comes too soon.

Is the New York City Marathon hilly?

It has no long hills, but five bridges, with the Queensboro Bridge around mile 15.5 the hardest, and a run down Fifth Avenue at the end. Plan for short climbs on tired legs.

How do I get into the New York City Marathon?

Mostly through a lottery drawn from three pools: the New York City area, national and international. Guaranteed entry is available through the 9+1 programme, time standards and charity teams.

What if I miss a run?

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

What happens after the 14 days?

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.

Other race plans

Other plans

All plan guides

See your first week in a few questions

Choose marathon, set the days you can run and what you run now. Your plan starts from there, and every week is planned from the one before.

Start your 14 free days

No card needed. Then $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year.