Whether you are training for your first or fiftieth marathon, trying to break five hours, or trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, you need a great marathon training plan.
Even though it is important to follow a training plan no matter what running level you are at, if you are a first-time marathon runner then a marathon training plan for beginners is even more crucial to get you to your first marathon fully prepared and injury-free.
In this guide, we have created an 18-week marathon training plan for beginners to do just that.
18-Week Marathon Training Plan For Beginners
Here’s a week-by-week overview of the 18-week training schedule. Each week builds progressively to prepare you for race day.
| Week | Tue | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 4 mi long | 10 mi |
| 2 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 5 mi long | 11 mi |
| 3 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 6 mi long | 13 mi |
| 4 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 4 mi easy | 10 mi |
| 5 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 7 mi long | 14 mi |
| 6 | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 8 mi long | 16 mi |
| 7 | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 4 mi tempo | Cross train | 9 mi long | 17 mi |
| 8 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 5 mi easy | 11 mi |
| 9 | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 5 mi tempo | Cross train | 10 mi long | 19 mi |
| 10 | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 5 mi tempo | Cross train | 12 mi long | 21 mi |
| 11 | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 5 mi intervals | Cross train | 14 mi long | 23 mi |
| 12 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 8 mi long | 14 mi |
| 13 | 5 mi easy | Cross train | 5 mi tempo | Cross train | 16 mi long | 26 mi |
| 14 | 5 mi easy | Cross train | 6 mi intervals | Cross train | 18 mi long | 29 mi |
| 15 | 5 mi easy | Cross train | 5 mi tempo | Cross train | 20 mi long | 30 mi |
| 16 | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 4 mi easy | Cross train | 12 mi long | 20 mi |
| 17 | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 3 mi easy | Cross train | 8 mi long | 14 mi |
| 18 | 3 mi easy | Rest | 2 mi shakeout | Rest | Race Day! | 31 mi |
Want a printable version? You can download this plan and customize it to fit your schedule.
We designed this 18-week marathon training plan for beginners to be approachable to new runners who have some endurance built up but have yet to take on any formal marathon training.
You will need to be able to run 6 miles without stopping before taking on this program. If you are not yet up to that long distance, consider our Couch To Marathon, 6-Month Marathon Training Plan, or 20-Week Marathon Training Plan for beginners. Or, consider a half marathon training plan first.
The beginner marathon training schedule below is designed to be unintimidating. There are no track workouts. You will do some speed work, but it is in the form of fartlek runs.
These can be done on the road, trails, or even a treadmill, so if you do not want to have to go to a track or you feel anxious about timing yourself on a track, a fartlek run is a great way to work on your leg turnover in a more relaxed way.
Like most marathon training plans for beginners, you will gradually progress the distance of your long run, and you will do some tempo runs and a little bit of marathon pace work.
Cross-training workouts are also important to reduce the stress on your musculoskeletal system while still improving your aerobic fitness.
Here are a few tips for the workouts you will find in this beginner marathon training plan:
- Cross Training: Any form of non-running aerobic workout. Examples include cycling, swimming, rowing, elliptical, aqua jogging, and hiking.
- Distance Run: Base-building run to improve your endurance. These should be run at a comfortable pace—something around a 7 out of 10 on a rate of perceived exertion scale or a heart rate around 70-75% of your maximum heart rate.
- Fartlek Run: Distance run involving bursts of fast running (think 5k race pace or faster) without stopping. Take 30-60 seconds of easy running in between each interval based on how you feel.
- Easy Run: Run at a conversational pace to aid recovery from harder workouts. These should be a 6-7 on an RPE scale.
- Strides: Accelerations or sprints at an all-out effort after a run. Walk to recover.
- Long Run: Long endurance workouts to improve physical and mental stamina.
- Threshold Workout and Tempo Run: Run at a pace you can sustain all out for one hour.
Ready to take on your very own marathon training plan for beginners? Let’s go!
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-training: 30-45 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 2-mile run (4 km) with 10 x 30 seconds hard | Distance run: 3 miles (5 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Threshold workout: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 3 x 4 minutes at tempo pace with 90 sec recovery in between | Rest | Long run at an easy pace: 6 miles (10 km) |
| Cross- training: 40-45 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 2-mile run (4 km) with 10 x 30 seconds hard | Distance run: 3 miles (5 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Threshold workout: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 2 x 6 minutes at tempo pace with 90 sec recovery in between | Rest | Long run at an easy pace: 7 miles (11 km) |
| Cross- training: 45 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 10 x 45 seconds hard | Distance run: 3 miles (5 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Threshold workout: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 3 x 7 minutes at tempo pace with 90 sec recovery in between | Rest or 30-min cross training | Long run at an easy pace: 8 miles (12-13 km) |
| Cross- training: 45 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 10 x 45 seconds hard | Distance run: 4 miles (7 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Threshold workout: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 2 x 10 minutes at tempo pace with 90 sec recovery in between | Rest or 30-min cross training | Long run at an easy pace: 9 miles (15 km) |
| Cross- training: 45 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 4-mile run (7 km) with 10 x 60 seconds hard | Distance run: 4 miles (7 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Threshold workout: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 1 x 15 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run at an easy pace: 6 miles (10 km) with the last 2 miles at goal marathon pace |
| Cross- training: 45-60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 4-mile run (7 km) with 10 x 60 seconds hard | Distance run: 4 miles (7 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 20 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) | Long run at an easy pace: 12 miles (19 km) |
| Cross- training: 45-60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 4-mile run (7 km) with 8 x 90 seconds hard | Distance run: 5 miles (8 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 25 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run at an easy pace: 14 miles (22 km) |
| Cross- training: 45-60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 4-mile run (7 km) with 8 x 90 seconds hard | Distance run: 5 miles (8 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 25 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run at an easy pace: 15 miles (24 km) |
| Cross- training: 45-60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 12 x 60 seconds hard | Distance run: 6 miles (10 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 20 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run at an easy pace: 16 miles (25 km) |
| Cross- training: 45-60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 12 x 60 seconds hard | Distance run: 6 miles (10 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 30 minutes at tempo pace | Rest or 30-min cross training | Long run: 10 miles (16 km) with the last 5 miles at goal marathon pace |
| Cross-training: 60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 20 x 45 seconds hard | Distance run: 8 miles (12-13 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 30 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run: 18 miles (29 km) |
| Cross-training: 60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 20 x 45 seconds hard | Distance run: 8 miles (12-13 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 2 x 20 minutes at tempo pace with 90 seconds in between at easy pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run: 20 miles (32 km) |
| Cross-training: 60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 10 x 90 seconds hard | Distance run: 10 miles (16 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 2 x 20 minutes tempo pace with 90 seconds in between at easy pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run: 15 miles (24 km) |
| Cross-training: 60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 6-mile run (10 km) with 10 x 90 seconds hard | Distance run: 8 miles (12-13 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 40 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run: 20-22 miles (32-35 km) |
| Cross-training: 60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 6-mile run (10 km) with 18 x 60 seconds hard | Distance run: 10 miles (16 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 40 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run: 16 miles (25 km) |
| Cross-training: 60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 5-mile run (8 km) with 10 x 60 seconds hard | Distance run: 8 miles (12-13 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Tempo run: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 30 minutes at tempo pace | Rest, 30-min cross training, or easy run: 4-5 miles (7-8 km) and 4 x 75m strides | Long run: 10-12 miles (16-19 km) |
| Cross- training: 45-60 minutes | Fartlek Workout: 4-mile run (7 km) with 12 x 45 seconds hard | Distance run: 5 miles (8 km) at an easy pace | Rest | Threshold workout: Warm up and cool down 1 mile (2 km), 1 x 15 minutes at tempo pace | Rest or 30 minutes of cross-training | Long run at an easy pace: 8 miles (12-13 km) |
| Cross-training: 30-40 minutes | Rest | Distance run: 4 miles (7 km) at an easy pace and then 4 x 50m strides | Rest | Easy run to loosen up: 15-20 minutes and 4 x 75m strides | Marathon! | Rest |
If you’re looking for an intermediate, advanced, or time goal-based marathon training plan, check out some of our other free online marathon training plans.
FAQs
How Long Is a Marathon?
A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42.195 km long.
How Long Does It Take To Train For A Marathon?
You should spend at least three months training for your marathon, although most good training plans are generally four to five months in length. This allows sufficient time to build up the required mileage base, without ramping up too quickly.
How Far Do You Need To Run During Marathon Training?
In terms of distance, most marathon training plans are unlikely to have you running much more than 20 miles (32.2 km) in a single run during your training. You will not usually run the full marathon race distance until race day. In terms of weekly mileage, most plans start with between 10 to 20 mile
How Often Do You Need To Run To Train For A Marathon?
To effectively train for a marathon, your program should include four to five runs per week, although some plans may only include three runs per week. One of these runs should be a longer run that gradually increases in distance each week, and the others should be shorter training runs. Most good sc
What Should I Do If I Get Injured When Training For A Marathon Race?
The most important point is to never run through your injury; you may worsen any damage done and then have to ditch your marathon goals. The good news is that most common running injuries can be diagnosed quickly and easily by a specialist, and often a rehab plan can be put in place that has minimal
What Kind Of Strength Training Should I Be Doing On Cross Training Days?
Cross training – and specifically strength training, or resistance training, is a huge tool in your marathon training toolkit. Not only does it help ward off weaknesses and imbalances that can lead to injury, but also makes you stronger, more powerful, and faster. For the most bang for your buck, we
What Shoes Should I Be Wearing?
Getting a good pair of running shoes is critical to marathon success. You don’t need the latest, carbon-plated, $300 performance shoes. But equally, those old worn trainers in your closet probably aren’t ideal. Here’s our complete guide on how to choose running shoes and here are some recommended ma
How To Customize This Marathon Training Program?
At Marathon Handbook, we aim to help you to run far. With that in mind, all our plans are completely free and fully customizable. Do other commitments mean that you can only train on certain days? Need to trim a couple of weeks off the schedule? No problem, edit the plan as you see fit. Our training
Who Has Designed This Training Plan?
Hi! I’m Thomas, a UESCA-certified running coach and ultra-runner. I’ve worked with hundreds of runners and developed these training plans through ongoing research, my work with other marathon runners, and personal experience. We’ve shared our training plans online for free since 2016. We’re big beli
How Does This Plan Compare With Other Marathon Run Plans Available Online?
Alright, so you’ve probably googled ‘marathon training plan‘ and seen there are many sites offering plans. We’re big fans, and friends, with many of these coaches . . . for years before I became a coach, I followed Hal Higdon‘s training plans for each of my marathons, and credit the Hal Higdon train
Don’t You Have A Marathon Training App?
Actually, we do! We’ve partnered with TrainingPeaks to offer all of our training plans through their app, where you get more in-depth information about each session, follow along with target pace/exertion levels in real time, and log your training directly in the app itself. We do charge for these p
If All This Is Really Free, How Do You Folks Make Money?
We keep ourselves going by charging for a couple of premium products we’ve put out there: our TrainingPeaks Training Plans and our Marathon Training Masterclass. The Masterclass is designed for any runner who really wants to dive deep into their marathon training: it includes over 6 hours of video t
