Beginner Marathon Training Plan

For your first marathon, or your first one back

— Last updated: November 03, 2026

This 18-week program is designed for anyone wanting to run a first road marathon, or who is coming back after some time away from racing. It assumes you are not straight off the couch; if you’ve not run a step in several weeks or months, you will need to add a good 4 weeks of consistent, easy mileage. Aim for 3-5 days and 15-20 miles per week to rebuild base fitness. If you know the course will be hilly, try to make some of your weekly miles hilly, too.

Week

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

Sun

Week 1
Target 17-23 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 miles easy

rest or easy XT

4-5 easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4 easy miles or XT

7 easy-moderate miles

Week 2
Target 21-27 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 miles easy

rest or easy XT

5 easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4 easy miles or XT

8 easy-moderate miles

Week 3
Target 22-27 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

6 total: 2 miles easy warm-up - 6 x (1:00 on/1:00 off) - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

5 easy miles

4 easy miles or XT

8 easy-moderate miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

Week 4
Target 19-26 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 miles easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 easy miles

rest & recovery

4-5 miles easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4 easy miles or XT

7 easy-moderate miles

Week 5
Target 25-31 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 miles easy with 6-8 pick-ups at end

6 total: 2 mi easy warm-up - 8 x (1:00 on/1:00 off) - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

6 easy miles

4-5 easy miles or XT

9 easy-moderate miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

Week 6
Target 26-33 miles

rest & recovery

6-7 miles easy with 6-8 pick-ups at end

6-7 total: 2 mi easy warm-up - 10 x (1:00 on/1:00 off) - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

6 miles easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 miles easy miles or XT

10 miles easy-moderate over rolling terrain

Week 7
Target 27-34 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

6-7 total: 2 miles easy warm up- 4 x 2:00 steady - 4 x :30 hard - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

5 miles easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 miles easy or XT

12 total: 4 easy - 10 min steady - 10 min easy - 10 min steady - remainder easy

Week 8
Target 19-25 miles

rest & recovery

4 easy with 4-6 pick-ups at end

5 easy-moderate over rolling terrain

rest & recovery

4 miles easy

4-5 miles easy or XT

6-7 easy-moderate miles over rolling terrain

Week 9
Target 29-36 miles

rest & recovery

6-7 miles easy with 6-8 pick-ups at end

6-7 miles total:
2 mi easy warm up - 4-5 x 3:00 steady - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

5 miles easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 easy miles or XT

12 miles total:
6 easy-moderate - 10 min steady - 5 min easy - 10 min steady - remainder easy-moderate

Week 10
Target 31-38 miles

rest & recovery

6-7 miles easy with 6-8 pick-ups at end

6-7 miles total:
2 mi easy warm up - 4-5 x 3:00 steady - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

5 miles easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 easy miles or XT

14 easy-moderate miles over rolling terrain

Week 11
Target 33-40 miles

rest & recovery

6-7 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

6-7 miles total:
2 mi easy warm up - 15-20 min steady - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

5 miles easy with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 miles easy or XT

16 easy-moderate miles (pick a route similar to race course, ie: rolling vs. flat, out and back vs. loop)

Week 12
Target 23-30 miles

rest & recovery

4 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

5 easy-moderate miles over rolling terrain

rest & recovery

4 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 easy miles or XT

10 easy-moderate miles

Week 13
Target 36-43 miles

rest & recovery

6-7 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

6-7 miles total:
2 mi easy warm up - 4-5 x 3:00 steady - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

6 miles easy

4-5 easy miles or XT

18 easy-moderate miles with 4-5 pick-ups near the end

Week 14
Target 35-40 miles

rest & recovery

5 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

8 total:
2 mi easy - 15-20 min steady - remainder easy

rest or XT or 4 miles @ Z1

6 miles easy

4-5 easy miles or XT

16 total:
6 easy miles - 10 min steady - 5 min easy - 10 min steady - remainder easy-moderate

Week 15
Target 39-44 miles

rest & recovery

5 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

8 total:
2 mi easy - 15-20 min steady - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

6 miles easy

4-5 miles easy or XT

20 easy-moderate miles
(pick a route similar to race course, ie: rolling vs. flat, out and back vs. loop)

Week 16
Target 29-35 miles

rest & recovery

5 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

6-7 total:
2 mi easy - 15-20 min steady - remainder easy

rest or easy XT

6 miles easy

4-5 miles easy or XT

12 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups near the end

Week 17
Target 21-23 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 miles with 4-5 pick-ups at end

4-5 easy miles

rest or easy XT

5 easy miles with 3-4 pick-ups at end

rest & recovery

8 easy miles with 4-5 pick-ups near the end

Week 18
Target 29-35 miles

rest & recovery

4-5 miles with 3-4 pick-ups at end

4 easy miles

Off

3 easy miles with 3-4 pick-ups at end

Race Day 26.2 miles

rest & recovery

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How to run each workout

Easy runs should be conversational for the most part! At the end of these, you should feel like you could definitely keep going.

Easy-moderate efforts are a bit harder, relaxed and fun, but maybe leave you ready to be done at the end of the long runs.

Pick-Ups, also referred to as strides, are short (about 20 seconds) but quick repeats done toward the end of some easy runs. Think smooth and relaxed form, not too fast but accelerating through the effort.

Steady pace, as prescribed for the interval workouts, should not go beyond comfortably hard. It’s okay to want to take a short walk break after, but if you’re hands-on-knees out of breath, you’ve gone too fast. You can push it a little more on the 1:00 intervals, much less on the 10 min sessions during the long runs.

Hard efforts, just given for a few short 30 second intervals, should feel like you’re pushing it. Still not completely out of breath, but definitely requiring a rest after.

XT (cross-training) days can be anything from a long walk, a steeper hike, a 60-minute bike, an easy swim, yoga, mobility work, or strength training.

Rest and Recovery should not be ignored! If anything, an easy walk, restorative yoga, a hot tub soak, or some foam rolling would be appropriate here. Always err on the side of rest!

Scheduling a half-marathon during your marathon build is a great way to experience the race-day atmosphere, get used to any event jitters, test your fueling strategies, push yourself more than you might on a solo run, and have fun with other runners! As noted, a half-marathon would fit nicely into weeks 9, 10 or 14 - choose ONE weekend to replace the long run with a race if you like, and take it a little easier the day before.

Is this plan right for you?

This plan is a good fit if you:

are training for your first road marathon
are coming back to racing after some time away
have been running 3-5 days a week and 15-20 miles a week
can run 4-5 miles comfortably today

Build a base first if you:

haven't run in several weeks or months. Add about four weeks of consistent, easy mileage (3-5 days, 15-20 miles a week) before week 1.

Look at something else if you:

are brand new to running. Start with a 10K or half marathon build first.
are returning from an injury. Talk to a doctor or coach about a gentler build.

If you know your course is hilly, make some of your weekly miles hilly too. As with any plan, check with a doctor before starting if you have a health concern.