Marathon training plan

Did you know that almost 100,000 people take part in marathons in the UK every year? Marathon running is getting ever more popular - which is no surprise given the huge sense of achievement that comes with running a marathon, the excitement of the day, not to mention the physical and mental health benefits of running.

Whether you’ve run a 42.2km event before, or are taking part for the first time, it’s really important to have a marathon training plan. In this guide, we’ve pulled together insights from experts and scientific research to provide a marathon training schedule you can use for your upcoming race. 

In this marathon plan, we’ll be focusing on traditional distance marathons of 42.2km (or 26.2 miles). If you’re training for a longer or shorter distance, you can still use the information in this guide, but will need to modify the plan as appropriate. 

Our 16 week marathon training plan can be found below. But first, some key information about training for a marathon. 

What are the benefits of following a marathon training plan?

If you have signed up for a marathon, we would strongly advise you to follow an appropriate marathon training program. Everyone is different, but following a plan will provide multiple benefits and ensure your body is prepared for this serious endurance event. 

Here are some of the key benefits of following a marathon training plan:

• Health and safety: If you enter a marathon with minimal training, you have a high chance of injury or exhaustion. Although marathons are fun, they are also serious endurance events and your body needs to be conditioned to be prepared for this challenge. Studies show that people who enter marathons with less training are at higher risk of health problems.

• Gives you time to adapt: A marathon plan of an appropriate duration gives your body time to recover and adapt.  

• Consistency: Marathon training plans gradually increase distance, intensity and speed. By sticking closely to the training plan, you will notice regular improvements. 

• Makes the race more enjoyable: Running a marathon is undeniably tough. But if you’ve followed a marathon running plan, your mind and body will be much more ready and prepared for the event. This can make the experience much more positive and enjoyable. 

• Means you have a clear ‘baseline’ for future marathons: By following our 16 week marathon training plan, you will know exactly how many kilometres/miles you cover in training, how many rest days you had, and how many speed training sessions you did. You can then use this information to plan for your next marathon. If you want to go faster in future, you could tweak our plan by adding in various speed training exercises. You could then see what effect this has on your race time. 

Need for speed: How to finish marathons faster

Your health and marathon training

Running marathons provides multiple health benefits, and the vast majority of people who take part don’t experience any problems. All the same, it’s advisable to have a check-up with your doctor before starting training for a marathon - particularly if you have less running experience. They can perform heart and blood pressure checks to make sure long distance running is safe for you. 

How a marathon training plan conditions your body

A marathon is a major endurance test, so it’s essential to get your body conditioned (‘ready’) for the race ahead. The idea behind a marathon training programme is fairly simple – it’s about gradually building up distance and intensity to help improve your stamina while also giving your body enough time to rest and repair.

The typical training plan will take somewhere between 16 and 20 weeks. Each week will be a combination of shorter runs plus one weekly long run which gets incrementally longer over the course of your training. You’ll also have at least two days of rest per week – and sometimes mix in one or two non-impact exercises such as swimming or cycling. The final three weeks before the race will see you ‘taper’ down the amount of running you do – leaving your body time to recover before the big day.

Scientific studiesshowthat appropriate conditioning for marathon training will result in:

• Improved maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 Max)

• Higher lactate threshold

• Better running economy

• Improved marathon completion times

• Improved aerobic and anaerobic threshold

Build your skills: Transitioning from a 10k to a marathon

Nutrition and your marathon training

The general advice for eating during your training is to simply follow a healthy, balanced diet. You may have pictured yourself eating tons of carb-heavy foods like pasta, but the main goal is to eat a good mix of all food groups. 

Eating a healthy diet while training for a marathon will achieve a few key things:

• Helps build up energy stores (glycogen) in your muscles

• Helps your muscles repair from small tears and damage during training

• Makes your bones and tendons stronger

• Supports your nervous system

• Means you have the nutrients your body needs to fight inflammation

Tips for a marathon training diet

Generally speaking, you can get all the nutrition you need when training for a marathon from a balanced diet (here’s the NHS’s guide to eating well).

Aim for the following:

• At least five portions of fruit or veg per day

• Meals should be based around a starchy food like bread, rice or pasta

• Include some dairy (or alternatives) each day, such as milk, cheese or yoghurt

• Include protein from beans, pulses, nuts, meat, eggs or fish

• Drink plenty of fluids

• If you drink alcohol, reduce your intake during marathon training

For ideas about what to eat in the run up to the marathon and on the day itself, read our marathon nutrition guide. 

How long to train for a marathon?

The average training schedule for a marathon usually lasts between 16 and 20 weeks. Different runners find that different amounts of time suit them best - and with experience you might decide that a shorter or longer number of weeks works for you.

Ideally, the longer you can set aside for training, the better. That being said, marathon training requires regular and fairly intense practice, so it can get in the way of social events or you may struggle with fitting your training around work. During a 16-week marathon training plan, you should get enough time to condition your body, but without too much disruption. 

Read more: How long does it take to train for a marathon?

What if I miss a few days of my marathon training programme?

Don’t worry! Unless you’re a professional athlete, life is likely to occasionally get in the way of your training sessions. If you’ve missed a couple of shorter runs, you can probably just carry on with the plan as it was. On the other hand, missing out longer runs is a bit more of a problem – it will be worth adjusting your schedule to get those key long runs in there.

One study into the effect of training disruptions on marathon performance found that disruptions of less than seven days had relatively little impact on marathon times. But longer disruptions did result in slower race times. 

Is there any equipment you need for marathon training?

When you’re training for a marathon, it’s worth investing in reliable sports equipment that can make your training more comfortable and productive. This includes:

• Long distance running shoes

• Lightweight road running clothes

• Compressionbase layers

• Rain jackets

• Running gloves

• Cushioned running socks

• Running hats

• Running watches or pedometers

• Running sunglasses

• Running headphones

• Running bottles

• Hydration bags and bottle belts

• Downloading a running app to track distances

A marathon training plan in 16 weeks

The following 16 week marathon training plan is designed for people who have less long distance running experience (if you’re more experienced, increase the speeds and distances as required).

• Note that we’ve described running and jogging – these are obviously subjective activities. On a scale of 1–10, where 1 is strolling and 10 is sprinting, a jog should feel around 4-5, a run 6–7.

• We’ve used miles as the unit of distance - if you prefer kilometres, convert the distance to km, and round to the nearest full kilometre. 

By following this marathon training plan, your mind and body will be ready and confident for all 26.2 miles when race day arrives.