Marathon Training Plan
This 20-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 17. 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.
It suits a runner who already runs three or four times a week and wants the full runway: a long base, a long build and a three-week taper.
20weeks
- Day one
- Monday 30 November 2026
- Race day
- Sunday 18 April 2027
- Runs a week
- 4
- Peak long run
- 32 km
- 19.9 mi
- Peak week
- 63 km
- 39.1 mi
- Goal pace
- 9:09/mi
- 5:41/km
What does the 20-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 30 November 2026. Base weeks 1-6, Build weeks 7-17, Taper weeks 18-19, race week is week 20. 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 1-6 | |||||
| 1Week 130 Nov - 6 Dec | Mon 30 NovEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 2 DecSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 4 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 6 DecLLong run 16 km 9.9 mi | 38.5 km23.9 mi |
| 2Week 27 Dec - 13 Dec | Mon 7 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 9 DecSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 11 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 13 DecLLong run 17 km 10.6 mi | 39.5 km24.5 mi |
| 3Week 314 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 18 km 11.2 mi | 40.5 km25.2 mi |
| 4Week 421 Dec - 27 DecCutback | Mon 21 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 23 DecSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 25 DecEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 27 DecLLong run 15 km 9.3 mi | 37.5 km23.3 mi |
| 5Week 528 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 20 km 12.4 mi | 42.5 km26.4 mi |
| 6Week 64 Jan - 10 Jan | Mon 4 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 6 JanSEasy 7.5 km + strides | Fri 8 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 10 JanLLong run 21 km 13.0 mi | 43.5 km27.0 mi |
| Build · weeks 7-17 | |||||
| 7Week 711 Jan - 17 Jan | Mon 11 JanEEasy 9 km | Wed 13 JanT3 × 6 min threshold | Fri 15 JanEEasy 9 km | Sun 17 JanLLong run 22 km 13.7 mi | 47.5 km29.5 mi |
| 8Week 818 Jan - 24 JanCutback | Mon 18 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 20 JanM6 km at marathon pace | Fri 22 JanEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 24 JanLLong run 18 km 11.2 mi | 43 km26.7 mi |
| 9Week 925 Jan - 31 Jan | Mon 25 JanEEasy 9 km | Wed 27 JanT3 × 8 min threshold | Fri 29 JanEEasy 9 km | Sun 31 JanLLong run 24 km 14.9 miEasy pace, with the last 8 km at marathon pace. | 51 km31.7 mi |
| 10Week 101 Feb - 7 Feb | Mon 1 FebEEasy 9 km | Wed 3 FebM8 km at marathon pace | Fri 5 FebEEasy 9 km | Sun 7 FebLLong run 25 km 15.5 mi | 55 km34.2 mi |
| 11Week 118 Feb - 14 Feb | Mon 8 FebEEasy 9 km | Wed 10 FebT4 × 8 min threshold | Fri 12 FebEEasy 9 km | Sun 14 FebLLong run 26 km 16.2 miEasy pace, with the last 9 km at marathon pace. | 54.5 km33.9 mi |
| 12Week 1215 Feb - 21 FebCutback | Mon 15 FebEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 17 FebM6 km at marathon pace | Fri 19 FebEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 21 FebLLong run 22 km 13.7 mi | 47 km29.2 mi |
| 13Week 1322 Feb - 28 Feb | Mon 22 FebEEasy 9 km | Wed 24 FebT3 × 10 min threshold | Fri 26 FebEEasy 9 km | Sun 28 FebLLong run 28 km 17.4 miEasy pace, with the last 9 km at marathon pace. | 56 km34.8 mi |
| 14Week 141 Mar - 7 Mar | Mon 1 MarEEasy 9 km | Wed 3 MarM12 km at marathon pace | Fri 5 MarEEasy 9 km | Sun 7 MarLLong run 29 km 18.0 mi | 63 km39.1 mi |
| 15Week 158 Mar - 14 Mar | Mon 8 MarEEasy 9 km | Wed 10 MarT2 × 15 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. | 58 km36.0 mi |
| 16Week 1615 Mar - 21 MarCutback | Mon 15 MarEEasy 7.5 km | Wed 17 MarM6 km at marathon pace | Fri 19 MarEEasy 7.5 km | Sun 21 MarLLong run 25 km 15.5 mi | 50 km31.1 mi |
| 17Week 1722 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 18-19 | |||||
| 18Week 1829 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 |
| 19Week 195 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 20 | |||||
| 20Week 2012 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 20 ends on the race and week 1 starts 139 days earlier. It runs in four phases:
- Base, weeks 1-6. Easy running and strides only. The long run goes 15 to 21 km, and weeks total 37.5 to 43.5 km.
- Build, weeks 7-17. Quality sessions (threshold and marathon pace) join the easy running. The long run goes 18 to 32 km, and weeks total 43 to 63 km.
- Taper, weeks 18-19. Volume comes down but the quality session stays, kept short. The long run is 18 to 22 km.
- Race week, week 20. 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 15 km after 18 km), week 8 (long run 18 km after 22 km), week 12 (long run 22 km after 26 km) and week 16 (long run 25 km after 30 km). The last build week, week 17, is never a cutback.
Taper. The taper lasts three weeks including race week. Against the 63 km peak week, week 18 totals 42.5 km (67%) and week 19 totals 38.5 km (61%), 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. 65 of the plan's 80 runs (81%) are easy runs, strides or long runs, which together cover 81% of its 967 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 40 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 6 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 9 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 8, 6 km at marathon pace. 2 km easy, 6 km steady at marathon pace, 2 km easy.
- L
Long run 19 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 20, 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 54 km (33.6 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: Threshold or Marathon pace | 54 km / 33.6 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 810 km |
| 4 days | 1 a week: Threshold or Marathon pace | 63 km / 39.1 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 967 km |
| 5 days | 2 a week: Threshold + Marathon pace | 81 km / 50.3 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 1173 km |
| 6 days | 2 a week: Threshold + Marathon pace | 90 km / 55.9 mi | 32 km / 19.9 mi | 1331 km |
When should you start a 20-week marathon plan?
Count back from race day. The plan ends on the race, so day one is 20 weeks minus one day before it. For a race on Sunday 18 April 2027:
20 weeks × 7 days = 140 days, ending on race day
Sunday 18 April 2027 minus 139 days
Start on Monday 30 November 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 20-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 17, 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 54 km (33.6 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.