How To Train For A Marathon: Resources, Tips, and Expert Advice

Our home for all things marathon-related: here you can find all our guides, free-to-download training plans, tips, and strategies for your next marathon – we cover all ability levels!

26.2 miles is a serious distance that requires specific training. To that end, we’ve made it our goal to become the home of marathon training online – and you can find everything here.

Marathon Pace Calculator
Marathon Training Plans
Free 5-Day Marathon Bootcamp

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age + Sex


Marathon Training Plans

Click here to browse details of all our marathon training plans in-depth.

Beginner to Intermediate Marathon Training Plans

couch to marathon training plan
6 month marathon training plan
20 week marathon training plan
16 week marathon training plan

Intermediate to Advanced Marathon Training Plans

sub 4-hr marathon training plan
12 week marathon training plan
Sub-3-Hour-Marathon Training Plan
20 week advanced marathon training plan

Marathon Tips And Advice


Marathon Training Guides


Marathon Stats and Information

Marathons Around The World


Marathon-Specific Workouts

Our training plans include several different types of running workouts and cross-training: the following guides detail the different types of workouts you may wish to include in your marathon training.


Marathon Nutrition Guides


Our Top Marathon Training Resources:

marathon training guide

Marathon Training Guide

If you’re looking for a guide to the essentials of marathon training, check out this article I’ve compiled. It covers all the fundamentals that you need to know about!

MARATHON TRAINING BOOTCAMP (1)

FREE 5-Day Marathon Training Bootcamp

Sign up for our free 5-day Marathon Training Bootcamp and I’ll send you exclusive, in-depth training tips and guidance for the next 5 days, straight to your inbox!

Marathon Training Plans

Marathon Training Plans Library

Looking for a marathon training plan? You’re in the right place! We’ve got a large selection of free, downloadable marathon training plans to suit every ability level!

marathon training masterclass

The Marathon Training Masterclass

For those looking to get deep into their marathon training, I’ve developed this Masterclass course – hours of exclusive video content, downloadable guides, cheat sheets, and more!!

Useful Gear Guides and Pace Charts:

Best Marathon Shoes

The Best Marathon Running Shoes

Finding the right pair of running shoes for your marathon can be tough – here are my top recommendations (updated regularly).

Marathon Pace Chart

Marathon Pace Chart

Want to know what speed you need to run to achieve a specific race finish time? Check out our marathon pace charts; in miles or kilometers.

Marathon Training Resources 14

Best GPS Watches For Marathon Training

I believe that a GPS device is an essential part of proper distance running training – regardless of your budget or experience, here are my recommendations.


Further Useful Guides And Advice:


I’ve Also Published A Couple Of eBooks On Marathon Training:

Marathon In 3 Months
4-Hour Marathon

Marathon Essays And Long Form Articles


Articles Originally Published On MarathonTraining.com

Taming the Competitor Within

by Christine Hinton Most runners who fill out the race entry form and line up early on a Saturday morning to test themselves are competitive, to some degree, if only for that day. And for the most part, it is about testing ourselves……

Goal Setting Considerations

By Art Liberman In today’s busy and complex world, we are often faced with many options and choices. Depending upon their relative importance to us, some decisions take a minimal amount of thought while others will require much evaluation and analysis. We may…

How to Choose a Pair of Running Shorts

Perry Dau I’m often asked a wide variety questions regarding running shorts. This article summarizes the many considerations and options related to the purchase of running shorts. Do you wear underwear with the shorts? The intent is NO, running shorts have an integral…

The Science of Carbohydrate Loading

By David Peterson A valid connection between hypoglycemia, fatigue and premature termination of exercise been firmly established and therefore carbohydrate loading is a proven form of boosting running endurance in prolonged events lasting more than two hours in duration. While there are various…

My First Iron Man Triathlon

Dr. Larry Smith I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in such an amazing event as the Iron Man Triathlon. I truly value living in a free and democratic country that is not only war free but beautiful beyond…

Why it’s Not Crazy to Run a Marathon

By Stephanie Teskers Studies show that marathon running isn’t about weight loss because it’s comparable to a crash diet, which typically has disheartening results. Training for a marathon could initiate a lifelong habit of engaging in regular exercise, though there are no statistics…

Loose Hands = Faster Running!

By Tony Zhang During the time I practiced with the Tufts Marathon Team, for about three weeks, I noticed visible improvements for my 200, 400, and 800m runs. At one of the practices, I asked Coach Don Megerle for help on proper running…

Meditation and Running

By Trace Bonner Loosely translated, meditation means bring to the center, specifically the mind. When we allow the mind to find a centered space it feels relaxed and easeful. The way we get the mind to center is usually not easy, due to the…

15 Tips to Overcome Disappointment in Training

By Nate Pennington If you have dealt with disappointment in training or in a race I hope this list of 15 tips to overcome disappointment in training will keep you motivated. Runners are already highly motivated people. If you are a beginner and…

Barefoot Running – Is it Healthy or Harmful?

By Dr. Aaron V. Mares MD, UPMC Sports Medicine Running barefoot, or natural running, has only become trendy in North America in the last few years. Christopher McDougall’s 2009 best-seller Born to Run is oft credited with kicking off the craze in North…

Marathon Training Program: Evaluating Your Race Performance

The marathon is an intriguing event because so many factors come into play in determining how well you will do and how much discomfort you might experience. Did you come face to face with the infamous “wall”? In the days and weeks when…

Marathon Training Program: Psychological Issues

Of all the distance running events, the marathon presents the greatest challenges both physically and mentally. Even after completing all the required training and making it to the race site rested and healthy, arriving at the starting line in less than the ideal…

Marathon Training Program: Experimentation Issues

One beneficial aspect of marathon training that can’t be overlooked is the opportunity to experiment with a variety of miscellaneous concerns (e.g., shoes, nutrition, pacing, etc.) prior to incorporating them into your actual 26.2-mile event. The long run, in particular, is a great…

Marathon Training Program: Stretching

I cannot overstate the necessity and benefits of stretching regularly as part of your running routine, let alone your marathon training program. How we stretch, why we stretch, and when we stretch are the keys to making stretching work for you. There are…