Lesson 17 · Resources · Marathon Plans
Build your marathon
Prepare over 20 weeks with five running days, one controlled quality session and selected marathon-effort sections within long runs. Most running remains easy.
- Length
- 20 weeks
- Running days
- 5 a week
- Approach
- Controlled quality
Before you begin
You have completed a marathon or have equivalent sustained endurance, run five days and about 35–45 km a week, and can run 16 km comfortably.
These starting requirements describe this general plan, not an individual health assessment. Build a consistent base first if they do not fit your current running.
How the plan fits together
Weeks 4, 7, 10, 13 and 16 reduce load. Marathon-effort long-run sections appear only in weeks 6, 11 and 14; the final three weeks taper after a 32 km long outing. No finish time is promised.
No finish-time target or personalised pace is assumed.
Effort, recovery and looking after yourself
Easy means a comfortable effort with room to talk in sentences. Slow down or use walking breaks to keep that effort. No finish time or personal pace is prescribed.
Warm-up and cool-down are included, not extra work. For distance sessions, start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within the listed distance. Timed sessions state their full warm-up, work and cool-down.
Rest days have no scheduled running. Optional gentle movement is a choice, not another workout. If recovery is poor, take rest rather than forcing a session.
Do not double up after missed sessions. If you miss several, reassess your preparation and event date instead of trying to catch up. Stop running when pain develops; seek qualified advice for persistent pain or health concerns.
Practise your own food, drink and equipment choices during preparation. Choose safe routes and a way home if you stop. This general plan cannot assess your health or individual readiness.
Weekly totals separate kilometres and timed session duration. Timed sessions include any walking, warm-up, cool-down and easy recoveries, not just running. Do not add kilometres and minutes together or treat timed sessions as zero distance. A week containing timed sessions has no complete kilometre total without your actual distance.
These general references inform effort, looking after yourself and reducing training before an event. They do not supply or endorse this RGN schedule, promise a result or establish that it is suitable for everyone.
Your 20 weeks
Every day is here. Session times and distances include their warm-up and cool-down; they are not extra work.
Week 116 km Sunday
31 km + 40 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 5 repeats of 2 minutes controlled quicker running and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Keep the easy recoveries genuinely easy.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
16 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 218 km Sunday
34 km + 44 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
7 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 3 repeats of 6 minutes comfortably hard and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Do not chase a prescribed pace.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
18 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 320 km Sunday
37 km + 44 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
7 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 4 repeats of 3 minutes controlled quicker running and 3 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. This is repeatable effort, not maximum speed.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
20 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 415 km Sunday
29 km + 30 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
3 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
30 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 20 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
15 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 522 km Sunday
40 km + 50 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 3 repeats of 8 minutes comfortably hard and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Reduce the work to easy running if recovery is not good.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
22 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 624 km Sunday
42 km + 44 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 4 repeats of 3 minutes controlled quicker running and 3 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. This is repeatable effort, not maximum speed.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
24 km total: 9 km easy, 6 km at controlled marathon effort, then 9 km easy. This is a steady second exposure, not racing or threshold effort. First and last five gentle minutes are inside the listed distance. Use all easy effort instead if recovery is poor.
Week 718 km Sunday
32 km + 35 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
3 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
35 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 25 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
18 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 825 km Sunday
45 km + 44 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 6 repeats of 2 minutes controlled quicker running and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Stay relaxed as the effort changes.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
7 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
25 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 926 km Sunday
47 km + 50 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
9 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 3 repeats of 8 minutes comfortably hard and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Reduce the work to easy running if recovery is not good.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
7 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
26 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1020 km Sunday
37 km + 35 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
7 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
35 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 25 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
20 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1128 km Sunday
49 km + 44 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
9 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 4 repeats of 3 minutes controlled quicker running and 3 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. This is repeatable effort, not maximum speed.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
7 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
28 km total: 10 km easy, 8 km at controlled marathon effort, then 10 km easy. This is a steady second exposure, not racing or threshold effort. First and last five gentle minutes are inside the listed distance. Use all easy effort instead if recovery is poor.
Week 1229 km Sunday
51 km + 50 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
9 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 3 repeats of 8 minutes comfortably hard and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Reduce the work to easy running if recovery is not good.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
29 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1322 km Sunday
39 km + 40 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
7 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
40 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 30 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
22 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1430 km Sunday
53 km + 44 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 6 repeats of 2 minutes controlled quicker running and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Stay relaxed as the effort changes.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
30 km total: 11 km easy, 8 km at controlled marathon effort, then 11 km easy. This is a steady second exposure, not racing or threshold effort. First and last five gentle minutes are inside the listed distance. Use all easy effort instead if recovery is poor.
Week 1531 km Sunday
54 km + 50 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 3 repeats of 8 minutes comfortably hard and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Reduce the work to easy running if recovery is not good.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
31 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1624 km Sunday
42 km + 40 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
40 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 30 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
24 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1732 km Sunday
55 km + 44 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 3 repeats of 6 minutes comfortably hard and 2 minutes easy, then 10 minutes easy. Do not chase a prescribed pace.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
32 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1824 km Sunday
42 km + 34 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
8 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 7 repeats of 1 minute controlled quicker running and 1 minute easy, then 10 minutes easy. Fartlek means changes of effort, not sprinting.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
24 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 1916 km Sunday
30 km + 30 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
3 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
6 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
10 minutes easy, then 5 repeats of 1 minute controlled quicker running and 1 minute easy, then 10 minutes easy. Quicker is purposeful, never a sprint.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
16 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
Week 20Event Sunday
52.2 km + 20 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
3 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
4 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
20 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 10 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
3 km at comfortable conversational effort. Walking breaks are welcome. Start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within this distance, not added on. Take rest instead when you are not recovered.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
Your event day. Start at an effort you can sustain. Walking breaks are welcome. Follow your own event preparation and stop if health or safety concerns arise.
About this plan
Written for RGN as a general marathon plan, not individual coaching or a promise of a result. Later changes never rewrite your saved copy.
General references: CDC guide to relative effort, NHS running injury guidance, Research on tapering in endurance athletes. These sources do not endorse this schedule.