Imagine the immense pride that you’ll feel crossing the finish line of your first (or fifth!) marathon. Whether you just signed up for a race and are looking for a training plan, of you have stumbled across this post and are thinking “could I actually do this?” – I’m hoping this 6 month marathon training plan will give you confidence in yourself and help you cross the finish line of that race!
Training for a marathon in 6 months is nice because it gives you a slow, progressive increase in volume to reach your goals. You’ll start with a total weekly mileage of just 9 miles in the first week, and peak around 34 miles a couple weeks out from race day.
[Tweet “Who wants to run a marathon with me? Check out this free 6 month training plan!”]You’ll find the full training plan and everything you need to prepare yourself for training down below – but if you haven’t found a race yet, I just wanted to put in a quick plug for an upcoming event!
Recommended Race for This Training Plan: Big Beach Marathon
Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. As always, all opinions are my own!
Singing up for a race – i.e. putting the money down! – is the best way to get that running mojo flowing and encourage you to stick to a training plan. I know personally, I was feeling a little “bleh” the last two months with my running. We moved, I started two additional new websites, and training kind of fell off track for a little while. The best course of action to motivate me to was to plan out some new races.
I’ll be using this plan as I train for the Big Beach Marathon in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Of course, you can use this plan for whatever race you’d like. But this event stood out to me for a few reasons:
- It’s a fast and flat course – YAY.
- Options for full, half, and relay. Since this is going to be my first full in a few years – and I’ve struggled with a few injuries the last two years – I appreciate that the half option there in case I needed to drop down. (And I think my hubby will be doing the half!).
- 7-hour time limit for the full; 3.5-hour limit for the half. I’m a slow runner, so I really appreciate races that give decent time limits.
- The weather should be ideal for this event – average temperatures in January for the region are highs of 63 and lows of 43. Anywhere in that range is a great running temp.
- You can register for just $75 for the full marathon and $60 for the half marathon through 8/31. Of course you can register any time after that; the prices just increase incrementally.
- Plus, Gulf Shores has been on my bucket list to visit for a while now! Think white sand beaches along the southern coast of Alabama, nature trails and parks, and delicious food.
If you want to join me for this race, start using this training plan next week – the week of August 13th. That will bring you right up to race day on January 27th, 2019!
Everything You Need to Know About This 6 Month Marathon Training Plan
Alright, let’s get down to the good stuff – your training plan! Scroll to the bottom of the post for the plan image that you can print/pin – but be sure to also read all this info so you know exactly how to train for a marathon in 6 months.
Who is this training schedule for?
This plan is for any individual that would like to finish a marathon*. It’s ideal for:
- Beginner runners doing their first marathon
- Experienced runners doing their first marathon (who do not have a specific time goal)
- Experienced runners who want a simple training plan for a marathon, regardless of whether it’s their first or fortieth race
If you’re an experienced runner looking to PR in a marathon, you’ll likely want a higher mileage and/or more customized plan. If you’ve already got a great base, you could try something like our 12 week intermediate marathon training plan.
*Disclaimer: I am not a physician; check with your doctor prior to starting any new exercise program.
What level of fitness do I need to start?
You should be healthy and able to comfortably run (or run/walk) 2 miles right now. You also shouldn’t have any injuries or medical issues that would preclude training. Going from 2 to 26.2 miles in 6 months might seem overwhelming – but your body is amazing at how well it can adapt to training!
If you can’t currently run (or run/walk) 2 miles, work on getting up to that point first before jumping into this plan. Or if you feel like a full marathon might be just a bit too much for you right now, check out my 20 week half marathon training plan.
Training Volume & Plan Length:
This plan is approximately 6 months – broken down into 24 weeks. Yes, I realize that might be a week or two shorter than 6 months, but let’s roll with it. 😉 (If you’re looking for a plan that’s slightly shorter, you can check out a 20 week training plan here).
You’ll run 4 days per week on this plan.
If life gets in the way, you can complete training on 3 days a week by removing “Day 2” from the schedule. In that case, you’ll run Days 1, 3, and 4. However, this will reduce your overall mileage and make the race feel more challenging. (Though I’ve done it before!)
Pace:
This 6 month marathon training plan can be used for running, walking, or a combination of both. Just follow the distance according to your preferred modality. And adjust your specific pace based on the run descriptions below.
Your Weekly Schedule:
The four days of running 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 fartlek session, a marathon pace run, or a midweek long run. Descriptions of each are included below.
- Day 3 is an easy short run.
- Day 4 is your long run.
Workout Descriptions:
Here is a description of each type of run on this plan:
- Easy Short Runs (ESR) – These make up the bulk of your training. You’ll complete them on every Day 1 and Day 3, and on many of your Day 2’s (especially at the beginning, when building a base). They are comfortably paced runs. You should finish these and feel fairly good – not overly tired, sore, or huffing/puffing. Depending on your current fitness level, you might also decide to incorporate some walking breaks into these (and that’s fine!)
- Long Runs – These are (like they sound) the longest run of your week. Complete them at a comfortable, steady pace. You may find that the pace feels more challenging as the runs progress and get longer, simply due to the fact that you’re covering a longer distance. Try slowing down a bit for your long runs and/or adding in walking breaks as needed if you find yourself struggling with the distance. Aim to complete the distance as written, even if you need to walk.
- Midweek Long Run (MWL) – A midweek long run is longer than your easy short runs, but shorter than your main long run. On this training plan, they range from 5-7 miles. Run this at a comfortable pace.
- Fartlek – Fartlek is a Sweedish term for “speed play”. For these runs, you’ll include speed intervals – but keep them fun and playful. Warm up for about 10 minutes at an easy pace. For the rest of the run mileage listed, add in bursts of speedwork as you choose to make your run challenging and fun. For example, you might run fast for one song, then recover for the next. Or you might sprint to the next mailbox, then jog for three more before repeating it again. You can find more fartlek workout ideas here if you need inspiration.
- Marathon Pace (X @ MP) – These runs are listed in your plan as X miles @ Marathon Pace (MP). For example, 4 @ MP = 4 miles at marathon pace. You should run the distance listed and pace yourself at the pace you’d like to run your race.
*Important – if you don’t feel comfortable doing the speedwork (fartlek or marathon pace days), just do the mileage listed each day at an easy pace. That’s fine!
Other Helpful Training Tips:
Warm Up, Cool Down, & Stretching:
- Start each run with a few minutes of walking or easy jogging to warm up. Along the same lines, give yourself a few minutes of walking at the end of a run to cool down.
- Stretch after your runs. If you struggle with tight muscles on a regular basis, consider adding foam rolling.
Strength & Cross Training:
- Try to incorporate some body weight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, and bird-dogs 1-3 days a week. You can do these another time of day on the same day as a short run (i.e. run in AM, do these in PM), or you can do them on a day you don’t run. They’ll simply help maintain strength and balance out training.
- I recommend adding at least 1 day of cross training to your week, whether that’s a bike ride, yoga, swimming, or something else you enjoy. It will exercise different muscle groups and help prevent overuse injuries from running.
Soreness & Injury:
Soreness is generally normal after runs; pain that affects your stride is not. If you experience any injury that is affecting the way you run, be sure to see a doctor for an evaluation.
Your 6 Month Marathon Training Plan
Here’s your 6 month plan broken down week by week!
Share with me: Are you ready to tackle a marathon? What race would you love to complete? What do you think of this 6 month marathon training plan?
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This is super helpful. It almost makes running a marathon look easy 🙂
Haha, *almost* being the key word there, right? 😉
This is so comprehensive! I’ll pass along to my runner friends!
Awesome, thanks Abbey.
I’ve pinned this and will pass along to any of my friends that are looking for a new plan. Looks solid!
Thanks so much! It’s definitely a great doable plan.
This is such a great resource! I love all the info included all in one place!
Thanks Emily!
Saving and will be using next time I get the marathon bug … and will be sharing with family and friends who need training plans.
Let me know the next time you get the marathon bug; maybe we can find a race around here together my friend!
This is a great plan and the Big Beach Marathon looks like a great race! It almost makes me miss being in marathon training mode…lol!
Haha, you can always go into training mode and join me in Alabama this January!
Wonderful post Chrissy! As a matter of coincidence, I was looking for a detailed post that explains how to prepare for a marathon and came across this blog post. I loved the fact that you broke down the entire 6-month training plan week-by-week so that it’s easy to implement. Thanks a lot for this, Chrissy.
Sure thing! Glad you found it helpful Holly!
Hi, are these days consecutive? Meaning you do the four days in a row, then take 3 off?
Hi Dan – Great question – no, avoid too many consecutive days. I’d recommend a schedule like this:
Mon – Day 1
Tues – Day 2
Weds – Rest
Thurs – Day 3
Fri – Rest / Cross Train
Sat – Day 4
Sun – Rest / Cross Train
Hi, thanks for this plan, looks great! A couple of questions:
I’m an experienced runner (3 marathons, lots of 1/2 marathons etc) for the past year, I haven’t run, but have done weights and intense cross-fit-type exercise 3-5 times per week. I’m signed up for a marathon in Jan. 2020 (hoping for < 4 hour finish) so I'll start running again. I plan to continue cross training on Mon/Wed/Sat. Based on this, which days would you suggest I run?
Thanks again!
Hi Hector! Great to hear from you, and it sounds like you’ve got a great fitness base from your weights and cross fit. Based on what you’ve mentioned, I might structure a schedule like one of these two options:
OPTION 1:
Mon – cross training + easy short run
Tues – variable distance run
Weds – cross training
Thurs – easy short run
Fri – long run
Sat – cross training
Sun – REST
OPTION 2:
Mon – cross training
Tues – easy short run
Weds – cross training
Thurs – variable run
Fri – REST
Sat – cross training + easy short run
Sun – long run
You’ll notice in both there’s one day you’d double up – I prefer this so that you still have a full rest day in the week. You can split the workouts into AM/PM or do them back to back.
Thanks so much, Chrissy. You’re providing a wonderful resource–I’ll support you however I can. I’ll keep you posted on my race-prep. All the best to you and yours!
Hello, i want to do a marathon in april 2020. I’m fit and young but don’t have experience in long distance running. I’m doing weight lifting (no cardio) 5times a week on mo-fr and doing soccer practice on wednesday and a game on saturday. How do you think my schedule should look like?
Congrats on wanting to a marathon! Without knowing full details about your age, training schedule, etc – it’s hard to give individual advice and so just keep in mind this is for informational purposes only (standard disclaimer, haha). But if it were me in that kind of scenario, I’d probably pull the weight training back to 2 days a week and sub the soccer game for a short run. So a schedule might look like:
Mon – Rest
Tues – Easy short run
Weds – Weights AM / Soccer practice PM
Thurs – Variable pace run
Fri – Weights
Sat – Soccer game
Sun – Long run
There’s different ways of approaching it but that’s just one idea. I do think it would be hard to do weights 5x/week and still train for a marathon at the same time while also playing soccer. That’d be a lot of time and competing priorities.
Love this training plan! I play Ultimate Frisbee once a week, as well as basketball once a week, which means lots of sprinting two nights out of the week. I am struggling with trying to fit that around when I should be doing my long/short runs. Any thoughts?
Basketball is Thursday and Ultimate Frisbee is Sunday.
Hi there! Great question.
Full disclosure, this is for informational purposes and shouldn’t be construed as individual advice (lol, the things I have to say for legal stuff!) — but here’s what I might do if I were in that scenario:
Mon – Easy short run
Tues – Rest OR Variable (since you’re doing basketball, you could skip the variable run or keep it in depending on your fitness level and preferences)
Weds – Easy short run
Thurs – Basketball
Fri – Rest
Sat – Long run
Sun – Ultimate frisbee
Hi there, I’m a beginner runner in my 40s and used your 20 week half marathon training plan to run my first half marathon this year. I’ve looked at a few marathon training plans, and most of them have 20 miles as the longest run – why is that, I mean why not longer? To think I have to run another 10km longer than my longest run seems a bit daunting. Is it because of the amount of time to safely build up to a longer distance?
Hi Sarah! Great question. It’s mainly because the additional time on your feet after 20 miles for training doesn’t really do much from a preparedness perspective, and only increases injury risk. That’s why most plans cap out at 20 miles. Some advanced plans will include runs in the 20-24 mile range, but that’s generally geared towards fast, experienced runners who are doing major mileage each week. If you’re looking to tackle your first full – a plan that caps at 20 will be just fine. If you can do 20, you can do 26.2 – I promise! 🙂
Hi! I’m 16 years old and I have a relatively active background as I play a lot of sports and with quarantine, I have been working out 6 days a week. I’ve gotten really into the idea of running a marathon and training for it but I am curious as to how many calories would be needed (just an average) do you think in order to train for this and stay healthy? Also, should I continue working out everyday or would that cause injuries or be too much for my body?
Hi Annabelle! Great questions! These are tough to answer because I don’t have a full picture of your medical history, height, weight, etc – all of which impact exercise recommendations and calorie needs. I would recommend seeing a Registered Dietitian in your state to help answer some of these questions for you.
As far as some general information that might help: the number of calories burned with training varies based on your weight and how many miles you’re running. At the lower end of this plan, you’ll be running 9 miles per week, while at the upper end, around 34 miles. If someone burns 100 calories per mile (just an estimate – again, depends on your weight) then they’d be looking at around 900 to 3400 calories burned during these weeks of training. To maintain their weight, these calories would be eaten on top of whatever their normal calorie needs are. All in all, that could equate to anywhere from 2000(ish) to 3000(ish) calories per day on this plan, however that wouldn’t include calories burned from other activity the individual is doing.
As far as how many days to workout – I can’t give you a definitive answer with this info, unfortunately – it depends what type of cross training you’re doing and the intensity. I do generally recommend athletes take at least 1 day a week of rest (or “active rest” – like a light walk outside or comfortable bike ride).
Sorry I can’t give more specific guidance, but if you find an RD / running coach in your area, I bet they can really dive deep into your specific situation, fitness level, medical conditions, and energy needs. <3
I just discovered this and it has me excited for a marathon in December. I’ve been considering it for awhile, but I think you just put me over the top.
One question: I’m running a half marathon 3 weeks before the full, which is the 20-mile long run on your plan. Would you recommend moving the 20-mile run before the half, or the week after, and then only have one week of a shorter run (probably 8 miles) before the full?
Hi Kiel! Great to hear from you, and glad you’re excited about doing a December marathon. It’s hard to give specific advice without knowing your full running/injury history, but there’s a few ways you could approach this. If the half marathon is just “for fun”, you could run a very easy 7 miles before starting the half, and then do the half marathon — which would be equivalent to the 20 miles. If that doesn’t work, I’d probably vote for the 20 miler two weeks out, an 8 miler one week out, and then your race. Just be careful with the back to back half and 20 – if you’re “racing” the half for real, that’s a challenge to your body, as-is the 20 miler. You don’t want to injury yourself so close to the marathon, so be sure to take one of those runs easy. 🙂
Hi, I’m training for the 2021 London Marathon. I can only make 3 days and wondered why you suggest dropping Day 2. Intuitively, I would have dropped either Day 1 or Day 3. Please advise. Thanks
Great question. For many new runners that could be following this to train for their first marathon or who don’t have much running history, I’d rather them focus on the easy mileage to reduce risk of injury. If they cut out Day 1 or 3 instead of Day 2, then two of the three days are relatively challenging in many weeks – that variable day and the long run day. I personally prefer a more conservative approach for new marathoners.
On the flip side, if someone has a solid 6-12 months of a running base and decides to follow this plan, but is limited to 3 days, then keeping day 2 and cutting day 1 or 3 may be feasible, particularly if there’s also some cross training to balance out the runs. But that would be really dependent on running and injury history.
*disclaimer – not individualized advice 🙂