10 Week Marathon Training Plan

10 weeks·4 days / wk·marathon·intermediate

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Weeks: 10
Sessions: 40
Peak week: 42.5 mi; week 8
Long run: 20 mi; week 8
Taper: 2 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Paces assume an intermediate runner (VDOT 42). Enter a recent race to personalise them.

Week-by-week training plan
Wk	Focus	Sessions	Volume	Biggest session
01	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 11 mi	4 · 3 key	29.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
Tue Oct 6 Hill repeats 6 × 60 s 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 6 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 8 Easy run 11 mi 11 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 9 Fartlek 5 × 1 min 3.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 5 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 11 Long run 11 mi 11 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 12.5 mi	4 · 3 key	32 mi	Long run 12.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 13 Hill repeats 7 × 60 s 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 7 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 15 Easy run 11 mi 11 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 16 Fartlek 6 × 1 min 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 6 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 18 Long run 12.5 mi 12.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
03	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 14 mi	4 · 3 key	33.5 mi	Long run 14 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 20 Hill repeats 9 × 60 s 5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 9 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 22 Easy run 10.5 mi 10.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 23 Fartlek 7 × 1 min 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 7 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 25 Long run 14 mi 14 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 10 mi	4 · 1 key	24.5 mi	Long run 10 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 27 Easy + 6 strides 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 29 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 30 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 1 Long run 10 mi 10 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
05	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 15.5 mi	4 · 3 key	35.5 mi	Long run 15.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 3 Cruise intervals 4 × 1 mi 7 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 4 × 1 mi · @ threshold 7:53/mi, 60 s jog Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 5 Easy run 6 mi 6 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 6 Intervals 5 × 1000 m 7 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 5 × 1000 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 8 Long run 15.5 mi 15.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
06	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 17 mi	4 · 3 key	37.5 mi	Long run 17 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 10 Cruise intervals 4 × 1 mi 7 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 4 × 1 mi · @ threshold 7:53/mi, 60 s jog Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 12 Easy run 6.5 mi 6.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 13 Intervals 5 × 1000 m 7 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 5 × 1000 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 15 Long run 17 mi 17 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
07	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 18.5 mi	4 · 3 key	40 mi	Long run 18.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 17 Cruise intervals 5 × 1 mi 8 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 5 × 1 mi · @ threshold 7:53/mi, 60 s jog Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 19 Easy run 6.5 mi 6.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 20 Intervals 3 × 1600 m 7 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1600 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 800 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 22 Long run with marathon-pace finish 18.5 mi 12 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Last 6.5 mi @ marathon pace · 8:25/mi
08	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 20 mi	4 · 3 key	42.5 mi	Long run 20 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 24 Cruise intervals 5 × 1 mi 8 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 5 × 1 mi · @ threshold 7:53/mi, 60 s jog Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 26 Easy run 7.5 mi 7.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 27 Intervals 3 × 1600 m 7 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1600 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 800 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 29 Long run with marathon-pace finish 20 mi 13 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Last 7 mi @ marathon pace · 8:25/mi
09	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 15 mi	4 · 2 key	32 mi	Long run 15 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 1 marathon pace 2 × 2 mi 6.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 2 × 2 mi · @ marathon pace 8:25/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 3 Easy run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 4 Easy + 6 strides 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Sun Dec 6 Long run 15 mi 15 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
10	Race week — marathonRace 26 mi	4 · 1 key	15 mi	Race 26 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 8 Easy + 4 strides 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 4 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Dec 10 Easy run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 11 Easy run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Dec 13 Race day: marathon 26 mi marathon — target 3:40:33 · even pace 8:25/mi; first mile no faster than goal pace

Your paces

Easy / long: 9:28–10:25/mi62–70% VO2max, conversational
Marathon (M): 8:25/mi
Threshold (T): 7:53/micomfortably hard, ~60 min race effort
Interval (I): 7:15/mi3–5 min reps, ~97.5% VO2max
Repetition (R): 6:49/mishort fast reps, mile race pace
marathon race pace: 8:25/mifinish 3:40:33

The numbers

About this plan

This 10 week marathon training plan opens with 29.5 mi in week 1 and peaks at 42.5 mi in week 8. Halfway, week 5 carries 35.5 mi with a 15.5 mi long run. That is 322 mi over 40 runs for an intermediate marathon runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (24.5 mi).

15 key sessions — 3 hill, 3 fartlek, 5 tempo and 4 interval — back up a long run that reaches 20 mi in week 8. Easy running at 9:28–10:25/mi is 72% of the 322 mi; 5 threshold sessions run at 7:53/mi. Late long runs, peaking at 20 mi in week 8 of 10, finish at 8:25/mi marathon pace.

Taper: from 42.5 mi in week 8 down to 15 mi of running in race week. A 42.5-mi peak in week 8 points to 3:40:33 for the marathon, 8:25/mi average.

4 sessions and 29.5 mi open this 10-week plan, topped by a 11 mi Thursday.

Structure: base weeks 1–3 (29.5–33.5 mi), build weeks 5–6 (35.5–37.5 mi), peak weeks 7–8 (40–42.5 mi), taper week 9 (32 mi) and race week 10 (15 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the 10 week marathon training plan?

29.5 mi in week 1, 35.5 mi by week 5 and 42.5 mi at the peak, week 8: 322 mi total.

What pace are the easy runs on this 10-week marathon plan?

9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42, for 72% of 322 mi.

What is the longest run in the 10 week marathon training plan?

20 mi in week 8, up from 11 mi in week 1.

Does the 10 week marathon training plan work with 3 runs a week?

It regenerates all 10 weeks around the 20-mi long run at 3 days — about 30 runs.

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