22 Week Marathon Training Plan for Beginners

Thinking about doing a marathon in a few months? This 22 week marathon training plan will help you arrive at the starting line feeling prepared and ready to tackle the race! This plan is perfect for beginners, as it gives you adequate time to train and prepare yourself for the challenges of the 26.2 mile race.

Feel free to jump to the training plan image and download it – but I highly recommend reading all the info in the post before getting started. The post discusses minimum fitness requirements to start, types of workouts, etc.

Disclaimer: This post was written and reviewed by Chrissy Carroll, RRCA Running Coach and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. It is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individual training advice. Consult a doctor prior to beginning any new exercise program.

Who is this training plan for?

This plan is great for:

• Beginner runners who have built a running base and want to train for a marathon
• Experienced runners doing their first marathon
• Experienced runners who want a simple training plan for a marathon that allows time for other cross training, regardless of whether it’s their first or fortieth race

This plan is not designed to achieve a particular time goal. The number of runs per week is kept to four, and the mileage is intentionally kept on the low side. It’s meant to be beginner friendly, reduce the risk of running injuries, and get you to the finish line.

If you are a more experienced runner looking for an intermediate or advanced plan, I recommend checking out our other free marathon training plans. You may be able to find one that better suits your goals!

What level of fitness do I need to start?

To start this plan, you should be able to comfortably run (or run/walk, if you plan to use that strategy for your race) at least 4 miles. You should have no injuries or medical conditions that affect your ability to run.

If you cannot currently cover 4 miles comfortably, you should focus on building a running base for several months before starting this plan.

Training plan overview

This plan is broken down into 22 weeks, with 4 days of running per week. Those days are broken down as follows:

• Day 1 is an easy short run. 
• Day 2 is variable, meaning it can be either another easy short run, a marathon pace run, or a tempo run.  Descriptions of each are included below. If you do not feel comfortable doing the marathon pace or tempo runs, all miles can be done at an easy pace.
• Day 3 is an easy short run.
• Day 4 is your long run. Long runs progress gradually in mileage over the course of the 22 weeks. Every few weeks, the long run will drop down to allow your body a chance to recover.

I recommend a Mon, Weds, Thurs, Sat schedule for these runs, but you can shift slightly as needed.

With four days of running per week, that leaves an additional three days per week that are open. Two can be used for strength training or cross training as desired. One should be kept a full rest day.

Workout descriptions

Here are the different types of runs you’ll find in this training plan:

• EZ Runs – These are comfortable and should be done at a conversational pace (you could speak to someone in sentences if they were next to you).

• Long Runs – These are the longest run of your week. Complete them at a comfortable, conversational pace. You may find that you need to slow your pace slightly compared to shorter easy runs, simply due to the fact that you’re covering a longer distance. Try slowing down a bit and/or adding in walking breaks as needed.
  • *Note: If you anticipate that your 18-20 mile runs will take longer than 3:00-3:30 minutes and you are prone to injury risk or take longer to recover, you can alternatively cap your long run at 3:00-3:30 and add an extra 3-5 mile comfortably hard run the day before, teaching your body to run long the next day on fatigued legs.

• Marathon Pace – These are listed as X miles @ Marathon Pace (MP). For example, 3 @ MP = 3 miles at your goal marathon pace.

• Tempo Pace – These miles should be run at a “comfortably hard” pace; the pace you could sustain for an hour if pushed. It falls somewhere between 10K pace and half marathon pace, depending on the athlete.

Tips for marathon training

Here are some additional tips you may find helpful as you are training for your race:

• Warming up: You warm up with walking and dynamic movements like butt kicks, side lunges, leg swings, Frankenstein walks, high knees, and hip circles.

• Stretching: Static stretching should be done after a run, while dynamic movements can be done before a run.

• Strength Training: It’s a good idea to include strength training in your routine, as it is known to improve running efficiency and performance. I recommend including 1-2 days per week in your plan if you are able. These can be done on an off-day, or can be done as an AM/PM workout opposite your Day 1 or 3 easy runs. You can use a bodyweight strength training program (squats, calf raises, lunges, etc) or a gym-based strength training program. I do not recommend strength training the day before your long run or the day of your long run.

• Shoes: Proper fitting shoes will go a long way towards making your runs comfortable. I recommend going into a running shoe store where they can analyze your foot and make recommendations for sneakers. You really shouldn’t have to “break in” shoes; they should feel pretty good from the start.

• Fueling During Runs: Start fueling on your long run when they last more than ~75 minutes. The general rule of thumb is 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, starting around the 30–45-minute mark.

• Fueling After Runs: Eating carbs and protein after long runs can be helpful for recovery. If you don’t have a meal planned for the next couple of hours, try a snack after your run that contains both, like Greek yogurt topped with fruit and granola, a smoothie with protein powder, or a tall glass of chocolate milk.

• Injuries: Listen to your body. If you have an injury that is affecting your stride, stop running and see a doctor. Do not brush off injuries, as that can make them worse and prolong recovery.

22 Week Marathon Training Plan

Here’s your 22 week training schedule broken down week by week! You can also download a printable PDF version of this plan rather than the image. And for accessibility purposes, the entire plan is written out in plain text below the image.

Week 1:

• Mon – 3 mile easy run.
• Weds – 2 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat – 4 mile long run.

Week 2:

• Mon – 3 mile easy run.
• Weds – 3 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat – 5 mile long run.

Week 3:

• Mon – 3 mile easy run.
• Weds – 3 mile run as 1 mile easy, 2 miles at marathon pace.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat – 6 mile long run.

Week 4:

• Mon – 3 mile easy run.
• Weds – 2 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat – 4 mile long run.

Week 5:

• Mon – 4 mile easy run.
• Weds – 3 mile run as 1 mile easy, 2 miles at tempo pace.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat – 7 mile long run.

Week 6:

• Mon – 4 mile easy run.
• Weds – 3 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat – 8 mile long run.

Week 7:

• Mon – 4 mile easy run.
• Weds – 4 mile run as 1 mile easy, 3 miles at marathon pace.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat – 9 mile long run.

Week 8:

• Mon – 4 mile easy run.
• Weds – 3 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 4 mile easy run.
• Sat – 6 mile long run.

Week 9:

• Mon – 4 mile easy run.
• Weds – 4 mile run as 1 mile easy, 3 miles at tempo pace.
• Thurs – 4 mile easy run.
• Sat – 10 mile long run.

Week 10:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 4 mile run as 1 mile easy, 3 miles at marathon pace.
• Thurs – 4 mile easy run.
• Sat – 12 mile long run.

Week 11:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 4 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 4 mile easy run.
• Sat – 8 mile long run.

Week 12:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile run as 1 mile easy, 3 miles at tempo pace, 1 mile easy
• Thurs – 4 mile easy run.
• Sat – 13 mile long run.

Week 13:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile run as 1 mile easy, 4 miles at marathon pace.
• Thurs – 4 mile easy run.
• Sat – 14 mile long run.

Week 14:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 5 mile easy run.
• Sat – 10 mile long run.

Week 15:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 4 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 5 mile easy run.
• Sat – 16 mile long run.

Week 16:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile run as 1 mile easy, 3 miles at tempo pace, 1 mile easy
• Thurs – 5 mile easy run.
• Sat – 12 mile long run.

Week 17:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 4 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 5 mile easy run.
• Sat – 18 mile long run. *If you anticipate that this run will take longer than 3:00-3:30 minutes and you are prone to injuries or take longer to recover, you can alternatively add an extra 3-5 mile comfortably hard run on Friday, then run 3:00-3:30 on Saturday, teaching your body to run long on fatigued legs while minimizing injury risk.

Week 18:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile run as 1 mile easy, 4 miles at marathon pace.
• Thurs – 5 mile easy run.
• Sat – 12 mile long run.

Week 19:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 5 mile easy run.
• Sat – 20 mile long run. *If you anticipate that this run will take longer than 3:00-3:30 minutes and you are prone to injuries or take longer to recover, you can alternatively add an extra 3-5 mile comfortably hard run on Friday, then run 3:00-3:30 on Saturday, teaching your body to run long on fatigued legs while minimizing injury risk.

Week 20:

• Mon – 5 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile run as 1 mile easy, 3 miles at tempo pace, 1 mile easy
• Thurs – 5 mile easy run.
• Sat – 12 mile long run

Week 21:

• Mon – 4 mile easy run.
• Weds – 5 mile run as 1 mile easy, 3 miles at tempo pace, 1 mile easy
• Thurs – 4 mile easy run.
• Sat – 8 mile long run

Week 22:

• Mon – 4 mile easy run.
• Weds – 2 mile easy run.
• Thurs – 3 mile easy run.
• Sat or Sun – Race Day! 26.2 mile run!

Good luck on your marathon training – you’ve got this!

Feel free to pin this post to refer to later.