12 Week Marathon Training Plan

12 weeks·4 days / wk·marathon·intermediate

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Weeks: 12
Sessions: 48
Peak week: 38.5 mi; week 9
Long run: 19 mi; week 9
Taper: 3 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	24.5 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 6 mi 6 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	26.5 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 5.5 mi 5.5 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	28.5 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 5.5 mi 5.5 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	22 mi	Long run 10 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 27 Easy + 6 strides 4 mi 4 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 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 30 Easy run 4 mi 4 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 mi	4 · 3 key	30.5 mi	Long run 15 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 3 Tempo 24 min 5.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 24 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 5 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 6 Intervals 4 × 1000 m 6 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 4 × 1000 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 8 Long run 15 mi 15 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
06	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 16.5 mi	4 · 3 key	33.5 mi	Long run 16.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 10 Tempo 26 min 6 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 26 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 12 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 13 Intervals 4 × 1000 m 6 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 4 × 1000 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 15 Long run 16.5 mi 16.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
07	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 18 mi	4 · 3 key	36.5 mi	Long run 18 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 17 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 19 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 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 mi 11.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Last 6 mi @ marathon pace · 8:25/mi
08	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 13 mi	4 · 1 key	27 mi	Long run 13 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 24 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 Thu Nov 26 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 27 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 29 Long run 13 mi 13 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
09	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 19 mi	4 · 3 key	38.5 mi	Long run 19 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 1 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 Dec 3 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 4 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 Dec 6 Long run with marathon-pace finish 19 mi 12.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Last 6.5 mi @ marathon pace · 8:25/mi
10	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 14.5 mi	4 · 2 key	31 mi	Long run 14.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 8 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 10 Easy run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 11 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 Sun Dec 13 Long run 14.5 mi 14.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
11	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 10.5 mi	4 · 2 key	25 mi	Long run 10.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 15 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 17 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 18 Easy + 6 strides 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Sun Dec 20 Long run 10.5 mi 10.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
12	Race week — marathonRace 26 mi	4 · 1 key	12.5 mi	Race 26 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 22 Easy + 4 strides 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 4 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Dec 24 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 25 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Dec 27 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

Week 1 of this 12 week marathon training plan totals 24.5 mi; the biggest week, week 9, reaches 38.5 mi. Halfway, week 6 carries 33.5 mi with a 16.5 mi long run. That is 336 mi over 48 runs for an intermediate marathon runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (22 mi) and week 8 (27 mi).

The long run tops out at 19 mi in week 9; 16 key sessions include 3 hill, 3 fartlek, 6 tempo and 4 interval workouts. Easy running at 9:28–10:25/mi is 73% of the 336 mi; 6 threshold sessions run at 7:53/mi. Marathon pace (8:25/mi) ends the late long runs, up to 19 mi in week 9.

The 3-week taper takes race week to 12.5 mi, 68% under week 9's 38.5 mi, after 336 mi. Projected finish after 12 weeks and 336 mi: 3:40:33 for the marathon (8:25/mi).

4 sessions and 24.5 mi open this 12-week plan, topped by a 11 mi Sunday.

The phases run base weeks 1–3 (24.5–28.5 mi), build weeks 5–6 (30.5–33.5 mi), peak weeks 7–9 (36.5–38.5 mi), taper weeks 10–11 (25–31 mi) and race week 12 (12.5 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the 12 week marathon training plan?

24.5 → 33.5 mi (week 6) → 38.5 mi (week 9); 336 mi overall.

What pace are the easy runs on this 12-week marathon plan?

9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42, for 73% of 336 mi.

What is the longest run in the 12 week marathon training plan?

19 mi in week 9, up from 11 mi in week 1.

Does the 12 week marathon training plan work with 3 runs a week?

36 runs instead of 48: switch to 3 days and the 19-mi long run stays.

Keep exploring

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