Road or Flat Trail Marathon

Beginner

24 weeks

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) based

Step into a life of running in this beginner-friendly marathon plan.

This plan is for a road or flatter trail marathon length (30-40km) race. It assumes a fairly low level of running fitness, under 10 miles/week, at the beginning of the plan. This plan incorporates gradual increases in running duration that are adjustable based on your level of training and experience.

If you have not been training in the last 6 months or more, we recommend that you extend and repeat certain transition period weeks. This plan supports training that will condition your legs to the pounding of daily running needed to sustain the high workloads in the middle weeks of the plan. We highly suggest this plan for those looking to enter long-distance running.

This plan is based on your RPE, or “Rate of Perceived Exertion,” where workout intensities are guided by how hard you are working based on your perception of effort (how hard the workout feels to you) rather than by heart rate.

Whether you use an RPE-based or heart rate-based training plan, we recommend that you use a chest-strap heart rate monitor and GPS watch to log all your training.

Everyone takes that first step.

Structured progression for newer runners.
Scaleable for more experienced runners.
Training volume given in hours rather than distance to accommodate variations in pace.
Workouts uploaded to your smartwatch or GPS device.*
Email and chat support.
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*Apple Watch syncing is currently not supported for RPE plans.

If you want workout intensity guided by perception of effort, you can purchase the RPE version here.

Leap into long-distance running, whether you've got some experience or are new to running entirely.

Questions?

How can I get the most out of this training plan?

Staying consistent with your training and following the gradual progression will help you succeed in this plan. While running is the priority, completing the strength work and cross-training will help you to be a more well-rounded and healthier athlete. On long runs, practice your race-day nutrition and gear so there are no surprises on race day. Listen to your body and trust that if you train with consistency and diligence, you will succeed!

What should I do prior to starting this plan?

This plan does not assume an extensive running background. If you are starting from a base of less than 10 miles per week, we suggest extending the transition phase of the program to ensure a safe and healthy build-in running duration.

What should I do after I complete this plan?

If you are looking to jump into the world of ultra running, we suggest our Intro to Ultra Marathons plan that will prepare you to run a 50km race.

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