18 Week Marathon Training Plan
This 18-week marathon training plan has four runs a week: two easy runs, one quality session and a long run that builds from 16 km to 32 km (19.9 mi) in week 15. Every fourth week is a lighter cutback week, and the last three weeks, race week included, are the taper. The full dated plan below is a sample for a 4:00:00 goal and a race on Sunday 18 April 2027.
Eighteen weeks gives two extra weeks over a sixteen-week block, which go into a longer base. It suits a first marathon or a runner coming back from a break.
18weeks
- Day one
- Monday 14 December 2026
- Race day
- Sunday 18 April 2027
- Runs a week
- 4
- Peak long run
- 32 km
- 19.9 mi
- Peak week
- 67 km
- 41.6 mi
- Goal pace
- 9:09/mi
- 5:41/km
What does the 18-week plan look like, week by week?
Sample: Marathon goal 4:00:00, 4 days a week, race day Sunday 18 April 2027. Day one is Monday 14 December 2026. Base weeks 1-5, Build weeks 6-15, Taper weeks 16-17, race week is week 18. Distances are in km with miles alongside; each weekly total includes warm-ups and cool-downs, and race week includes the race itself.
- EEasy
- SEasy + strides
- TThreshold
- MMarathon pace
- LLong run
- RRace
- Cutback lighter week
| Week | Mon | Wed | Fri | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base · weeks 1-5 | |||||
| 1Week 114 Dec - 20 Dec | Mon 14 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 16 DecSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 18 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 20 DecLLong run 16 km 9.9 mi | 38.5 km23.9 mi |
| 2Week 221 Dec - 27 Dec | Mon 21 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 23 DecSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 25 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 27 DecLLong run 17 km 10.6 mi | 39.5 km24.5 mi |
| 3Week 328 Dec - 3 Jan | Mon 28 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 30 DecSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 1 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 3 JanLLong run 18 km 11.2 mi | 40.5 km25.2 mi |
| 4Week 44 Jan - 10 JanCutback | Mon 4 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 6 JanSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 8 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 10 JanLLong run 16 km 9.9 mi | 38.5 km23.9 mi |
| 5Week 511 Jan - 17 Jan | Mon 11 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 13 JanSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 15 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 17 JanLLong run 21 km 13.0 mi | 43.5 km27.0 mi |
| Build · weeks 6-15 | |||||
| 6Week 618 Jan - 24 Jan | Mon 18 JanEEasy 9 km | Wed 20 JanM6 km at marathon pace | Fri 22 JanEEasy 9 km | Sun 24 JanLLong run 22 km 13.7 mi | 50 km31.1 mi |
| 7Week 725 Jan - 31 Jan | Mon 25 JanEEasy 9 km | Wed 27 JanT3 × 6 min threshold | Fri 29 JanEEasy 9 km | Sun 31 JanLLong run 23 km 14.3 miEasy pace, with the last 8 km at marathon pace. | 48.5 km30.1 mi |
| 8Week 81 Feb - 7 FebCutback | Mon 1 FebEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 3 FebM6 km at marathon pace | Fri 5 FebEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 7 FebLLong run 19 km 11.8 mi | 44 km27.3 mi |
| 9Week 98 Feb - 14 Feb | Mon 8 FebEEasy 9 km | Wed 10 FebT4 × 8 min threshold | Fri 12 FebEEasy 9 km | Sun 14 FebLLong run 25 km 15.5 miEasy pace, with the last 8 km at marathon pace. | 53.5 km33.2 mi |
| 10Week 1015 Feb - 21 Feb | Mon 15 FebEEasy 9 km | Wed 17 FebM10 km at marathon pace | Fri 19 FebEEasy 9 km | Sun 21 FebLLong run 26 km 16.2 mi | 58 km36.0 mi |
| 11Week 1122 Feb - 28 Feb | Mon 22 FebEEasy 9 km | Wed 24 FebT3 × 10 min threshold | Fri 26 FebEEasy 9 km | Sun 28 FebLLong run 27 km 16.8 miEasy pace, with the last 9 km at marathon pace. | 55 km34.2 mi |
| 12Week 121 Mar - 7 MarCutback | Mon 1 MarEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 3 MarM6 km at marathon pace | Fri 5 MarEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 7 MarLLong run 23 km 14.3 mi | 48 km29.8 mi |
| 13Week 138 Mar - 14 Mar | Mon 8 MarEEasy 9 km | Wed 10 MarT4 × 10 min threshold | Fri 12 MarEEasy 9 km | Sun 14 MarLLong run 30 km 18.6 miEasy pace, with the last 10 km at marathon pace. | 60 km37.3 mi |
| 14Week 1415 Mar - 21 Mar | Mon 15 MarEEasy 9 km | Wed 17 MarM14 km at marathon pace | Fri 19 MarEEasy 9 km | Sun 21 MarLLong run 31 km 19.3 mi | 67 km41.6 mi |
| 15Week 1522 Mar - 28 Mar | Mon 22 MarEEasy 9 km | Wed 24 MarT3 × 12 min threshold | Fri 26 MarEEasy 9 km | Sun 28 MarLLong run 32 km 19.9 miEasy pace, with the last 10 km at marathon pace. | 61 km37.9 mi |
| Taper · weeks 16-17 | |||||
| 16Week 1629 Mar - 4 Apr | Mon 29 MarEEasy 6.5 km | Wed 31 MarT3 × 6 min threshold | Fri 2 AprEEasy 6.5 km | Sun 4 AprLLong run 22 km 13.7 mi | 42.5 km26.4 mi |
| 17Week 175 Apr - 11 Apr | Mon 5 AprEEasy 6.5 km | Wed 7 AprT3 × 6 min threshold | Fri 9 AprEEasy 6.5 km | Sun 11 AprLLong run 18 km 11.2 mi | 38.5 km23.9 mi |
| Race week · week 18 | |||||
| 18Week 1812 Apr - 18 Apr | Mon 12 AprEEasy 5.5 km | Wed 14 AprTRace-week sharpener2 × 5 min at threshold, full recovery. Short and crisp. | Fri 16 AprEEasy 4 km | Sun 18 AprRRace day: Marathon | 57.5 km35.7 mi |
What pace should each run in the plan be?
The paces come from your VDOT, the fitness score a race time implies in Jack Daniels' tables. A 4:00:00 marathon works out at a VDOT of 37.9, which puts easy running at 9:49-11:17 per mile (6:06-7:01 per km). Easy really does mean easy: most of the plan is run at that pace.
| Run type | Per mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|
| Easy and longMost of your running. Conversational, builds the aerobic base. | 9:49-11:17 | 6:06-7:01 |
| Marathon paceSteady sections inside long runs. Teaches race rhythm. | 9:09 | 5:41 |
| ThresholdComfortably hard, about one hour race effort. Raises the pace you can hold. | 8:33 | 5:19 |
| Goal race pace4:00:00 over marathon distance. | 9:09 | 5:41 |
Source: Jack Daniels, Daniels' Running Formula (Human Kinetics), VDOT tables. How we compute them is on the methodology page.
How is this marathon training plan built?
The plan is counted back from race day, so week 18 ends on the race and week 1 starts 125 days earlier. It runs in four phases:
- Base, weeks 1-5. Easy running and strides only. The long run goes 16 to 21 km, and weeks total 38.5 to 43.5 km.
- Build, weeks 6-15. Quality sessions (marathon pace and threshold) join the easy running. The long run goes 19 to 32 km, and weeks total 44 to 67 km.
- Taper, weeks 16-17. Volume comes down but the quality session stays, kept short. The long run is 18 to 22 km.
- Race week, week 18. A short sharpener midweek, easy shakeouts, then the race on Sunday 18 April 2027.
Cutback weeks. Every fourth week is lighter so the training can sink in: week 4 (long run 16 km after 18 km), week 8 (long run 19 km after 23 km) and week 12 (long run 23 km after 27 km). The last build week, week 15, is never a cutback.
Taper. The taper lasts three weeks including race week. Against the 67 km peak week, week 16 totals 42.5 km (63%) and week 17 totals 38.5 km (57%), and race week has 15.3 km of running before the race. A meta-analysis of taper studies found the best results from a taper of 8 to 14 days that cut volume by 41 to 60% while keeping intensity, which is why the quality session stays in.
Source: Bosquet L, Montpetit J, Arvisais D, Mujika I. Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39(8), 2007.
What does each run type in the plan mean?
Each run in the table carries a letter. 58 of the plan's 72 runs (81%) are easy runs, strides or long runs, which together cover 80% of its 884 km. Studies of endurance athletes find the same pattern: around 80% of training sessions are done at low intensity, with the hard work kept to the rest.
- E
Easy 36 runs · 9:49-11:17/mi · 6:06-7:01/km
Conversational running. It builds the aerobic base and lets you recover from the hard days.
First one: week 1, Easy 7.5 km. Conversational pace.
- S
Easy + strides 5 runs · 9:49-11:17/mi · 6:06-7:01/km
An easy run with a few short, relaxed accelerations at the end. Strides keep some leg speed during the base weeks without adding fatigue.
First one: week 1, Easy 7.5 km + strides. Easy run, then 6 × 20 s relaxed fast strides with a walk back.
- T
Threshold 8 runs · 8:33/mi · 5:19/km
Comfortably hard reps, about the effort you could hold for an hour in a race. They raise the pace you can sustain before fatigue builds quickly.
First one: week 7, 3 × 6 min threshold. 3 × 6 min at threshold pace, 1 min jog between.
- M
Marathon pace 5 runs · 9:09/mi · 5:41/km
A steady block at goal marathon pace inside a longer run, so the race rhythm feels familiar on the day.
First one: week 6, 6 km at marathon pace. 2 km easy, 6 km steady at marathon pace, 2 km easy.
- L
Long run 17 runs · 9:49-11:17/mi · 6:06-7:01/km
The longest run of the week, at easy pace. It builds endurance and is the place to rehearse race-day fuel.
First one: week 1, Long run 16 km. Easy pace the whole way. Practise race-day fuel on the longer ones.
- R
Race 1 run
Race day. Start at goal pace, not faster, and let the pace band keep you honest.
First one: week 18, Race day: Marathon. Start at goal pace, not faster. Use the pace band.
Source: Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 5(3), 2010.
How do you adjust the plan for 3, 5 or 6 days a week?
The long run and the phases stay the same; what changes is how many easy runs and quality sessions sit around them. On three days the plan runs Tue, Thu and Sun and keeps one quality session, peaking at 58 km (36.0 mi) a week. On six days it runs Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri and Sun, with threshold and marathon pace in a peak week, and tops out at 90 km (55.9 mi). Add days only when the current number feels easy; the extra runs are easy running, not extra hard sessions.
| Days | Quality sessions | Peak week | Peak long run | Whole plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | 1 a week: Marathon pace or Threshold | 58 km / 36.0 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 743 km |
| 4 days | 1 a week: Marathon pace or Threshold | 67 km / 41.6 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 884 km |
| 5 days | 2 a week: Threshold + Marathon pace | 81 km / 50.3 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 1068 km |
| 6 days | 2 a week: Threshold + Marathon pace | 90 km / 55.9 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 1211 km |
When should you start a 18-week marathon plan?
Count back from race day. The plan ends on the race, so day one is 18 weeks minus one day before it. For a race on Sunday 18 April 2027:
18 weeks × 7 days = 126 days, ending on race day
Sunday 18 April 2027 minus 125 days
Start on Monday 14 December 2026
The planner offers 12, 16, 18 and 20 weeks for a marathon and picks the longest that fits before your race. These are the start dates for the same race day:
| Plan length | Start | Taper |
|---|---|---|
| 12 weeks | Monday 25 January 2027 | 2 weeks |
| 16 weeks | Monday 28 December 2026 | 3 weeks |
| 18 weeks | Monday 14 December 2026 | 3 weeks |
| 20 weeks | Monday 30 November 2026 | 3 weeks |
The planner builds this same plan for your own goal time or a recent race result, counted back from your race date, with your training paces, race-day splits, a pace band and a calendar file.
Open the planner: Marathon 4:00:00Frequently asked questions
How many weeks do you need to train for a marathon?
The planner builds marathon plans from 12 to 20 weeks and picks the longest one that fits before your race. This page shows the 18-week version. If you already run regularly, the shorter end works; if you are newer to running or coming back from a break, give yourself the full 20 weeks.
How long is the longest run in this marathon plan?
32 km (19.9 mi), in week 15, which is three weeks before race day. The long run starts at 16 km and is always run at easy pace, with some later ones finishing with a block at marathon pace.
How many days a week do I need to run?
Three to six. This sample uses 4. On three days the peak week is 58 km (36.0 mi); the long run is the same whatever you choose. Pick the number you can keep up every week, not the most you can manage once.
What should I do if I miss a week?
Pick the plan up at the current week rather than trying to make the missed runs up. If you miss more than a week, rebuild the plan in the planner from today's date: it counts back from race day again and chooses a length that still fits.
Can I print the plan or put it in my calendar?
Yes. The print button lays this table out on Letter or A4 without the site's menus. The planner builds the same plan for your own goal and race date and exports it as a calendar file for Google, Apple or Outlook, plus a printable PDF. No email or account is needed.
Where do the training paces come from?
From the goal time, through Jack Daniels' VDOT formula. A 4:00:00 marathon gives a VDOT of 37.9. If you have a recent race result, enter that in the planner instead: paces based on current fitness are safer than paces based on a hope.