First Marathon Training Plan

20 weeks·4 days / wk·marathon·beginner

Weeks: 20
Sessions: 80
Peak week: 32 mi; week 17
Long run: 15 mi; week 17
Taper: 3 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Paces assume a beginner runner (VDOT 31). 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 6.5 mi	4 · 1 key	15.5 mi	Long run 6.5 mi
Tue Oct 6 Easy + 4 strides 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi 4 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 8:55/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 8 Easy run 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Oct 9 Easy run 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Oct 11 Long run 6.5 mi 6.5 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
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02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 7.5 mi	4 · 1 key	16.5 mi	Long run 7.5 mi
03	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 8 mi	4 · 1 key	18 mi	Long run 8 mi
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 6 mi	4 · 1 key	14.5 mi	Long run 6 mi
05	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 9 mi	4 · 1 key	19.5 mi	Long run 9 mi
06	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 9.5 mi	4 · 1 key	20 mi	Long run 9.5 mi
07	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 10 mi	4 · 2 key	20.5 mi	Long run 10 mi
08	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 7.5 mi	4 · 1 key	17.5 mi	Long run 7.5 mi
09	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 11 mi	4 · 2 key	22.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
10	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 11.5 mi	4 · 2 key	23.5 mi	Long run 11.5 mi
11	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 12 mi	4 · 2 key	25 mi	Long run 12 mi
12	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 9 mi	4 · 1 key	20.5 mi	Long run 9 mi
13	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 13 mi	4 · 2 key	26.5 mi	Long run 13 mi
14	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 13.5 mi	4 · 2 key	28.5 mi	Long run 13.5 mi
15	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 14 mi	4 · 2 key	30 mi	Long run 14 mi
16	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 10 mi	4 · 1 key	23.5 mi	Long run 10 mi
17	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 15 mi	4 · 2 key	32 mi	Long run 15 mi
18	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 11 mi	4 · 2 key	24.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
19	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 8 mi	4 · 2 key	20.5 mi	Long run 8 mi
20	Race week — marathonRace 26 mi	4 · 1 key	10 mi	Race 26 mi

Your paces

Easy / long: 12:00–13:10/mi62–70% VO2max, conversational
Marathon (M): 10:46/mi
Threshold (T): 10:03/micomfortably hard, ~60 min race effort
Interval (I): 9:15/mi3–5 min reps, ~97.5% VO2max
Repetition (R): 8:55/mishort fast reps, mile race pace
marathon race pace: 10:46/mifinish 4:42:21

The numbers

About this plan

This first marathon training plan opens with 15.5 mi in week 1 and peaks at 32 mi in week 17. Halfway, week 10 carries 23.5 mi with a 11.5 mi long run. That is 429 mi over 80 runs for a beginner marathon runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (14.5 mi), week 8 (17.5 mi), week 12 (20.5 mi) and week 16 (23.5 mi).

10 key sessions — 10 tempo — back up a long run that reaches 15 mi in week 17. Easy running at 12:00–13:10/mi is 87% of the 429 mi; 10 threshold sessions run at 10:03/mi. In the peak weeks the long run closes at 10:46/mi, turning 15 mi in week 17 into a dress rehearsal.

Taper: from 32 mi in week 17 down to 10 mi of running in race week. Projected finish after 20 weeks and 429 mi: 4:42:21 for the marathon (10:46/mi).

Week 1, shown in full above, is 15.5 mi: Tuesday — easy + 4 strides, 3 mi; Thursday — easy run, 3 mi; Friday — easy run, 3 mi; Sunday — long run, 6.5 mi.

The phases run base weeks 1–6 (15.5–20 mi), build weeks 7–11 (20.5–25 mi), peak weeks 13–17 (26.5–32 mi), taper weeks 18–19 (20.5–24.5 mi) and race week 20 (10 mi).

Questions

FAQ

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

15.5 mi in week 1, 23.5 mi by week 10 and 32 mi at the peak, week 17: 429 mi total.

How fast should easy runs be on the first marathon training plan?

12:00–13:10/mi at VDOT 31, for 87% of 429 mi.

What is the longest run in the first marathon training plan?

15 mi in week 17, up from 6.5 mi in week 1.

Can I run the first marathon training plan on 3 days a week instead of 4?

60 runs instead of 80: switch to 3 days and the 15-mi long run stays.

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