Marathon training plan: 18 weeks to the start line
A marathon is a four-month project, and the hard part is managing it: rising mileage, long runs every weekend, fuelling, niggles and life getting in the way. This prompt has your todo.is agent build an 18-week marathon training plan for your race, with weekly volume, paces and a taper, and check in each week to adjust.
The prompt
- Build me an 18-week marathon training plan for [RACE NAME AND DATE]. Running history: [RUNNING HISTORY]. Recent result: [RECENT RESULT]. Goal: [GOAL]. I can run [RUNS PER WEEK] days a week and my longest weekday run can be [MAX WEEKDAY TIME]. Build weekly distance gradually with a cutback week every 3rd or 4th week, long runs up to 30 to 32 km, marathon-pace segments in long runs, one quality session a week and a 3-week taper. Add a fuelling and hydration plan to practise, a race-week checklist and pacing for race day. Give me Excel with dates, distances and paces. Every Sunday at 20:00 send me next week's runs on WhatsApp and ask about any pain or missed runs.
What to change
- [RACE NAME AND DATE]: E.g. "City Marathon, Sunday 19 October".
- [RUNNING HISTORY]: E.g. "running 3 years, 2 half marathons, about 35 km a week now".
- [RECENT RESULT]: E.g. "half marathon in 1:52".
- [GOAL]: E.g. "finish feeling good", "under 4:00".
- [RUNS PER WEEK]: E.g. "5".
- [MAX WEEKDAY TIME]: E.g. "75 minutes".
Example result
- 18-week marathon plan: goal under 4:00
- City Marathon, Sunday 19 October · half in 1:52 · 35 km a week now · 5 runs a week
- Paces
- • Easy and long runs: 6:15 to 6:50 min/km
- • Marathon pace (MP): 5:35 min/km (3:56)
- • Tempo: about 5:10 min/km · Intervals: about 4:55 min/km
- Week shape
- • Tue: quality · Wed: easy · Thu: medium-long easy · Fri: rest or easy 5 km · Sun: long run
- Phase 1, base (weeks 1 to 6): about 38 to 50 km a week
- • Long runs 16, 18, 20, cutback 16, 22, 24 km
- • Tuesday: 6 to 8 x 400 to 800 m, or tempo 20 to 30 min
- • Cutback in week 4: about 25% less volume
- Phase 2, build (weeks 7 to 12): about 50 to 60 km
- • Long runs 26 with last 6 km at MP · cutback 20 · 28 · 30 with 10 km at MP · cutback 22 · 30
- • Tuesday: 3 x 3 km at tempo, or 5 x 1 km intervals
- Phase 3, peak (weeks 13 to 15): about 60 to 65 km
- • Long runs 32 km easy · 26 km with 16 km at MP · 32 km easy
- • Thursday medium-long run up to 16 km
- Phase 4, taper (weeks 16 to 18)
- • Week 16: about 75% volume, long run 24 km
- • Week 17: about 60%, long run 16 km with 8 km at MP
- • Race week: short MP session Tuesday, easy jogs, rest Saturday
- Fuelling plan
- • From week 5, practise taking carbs every 30 to 40 minutes on long runs over 90 minutes
- • Many runners aim for about 30 to 60 g of carbs an hour; find what your stomach handles
- • Use the same gels or drink the race offers, or carry your own
- Race-day pacing
- • 0 to 10 km: 5:40, slower than goal on purpose
- • 10 to 32 km: 5:35, fuel on schedule
- • 32 km to finish: hold pace; speed up only after 38 km
- Warning signs
- • Pain that changes how you run or gets worse during a run: stop and rest, see a physio if it lasts
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add your race, history, recent result, goal, run days and weekday time.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp so the weekly updates arrive there.
- You get an Excel plan for all 18 weeks, and each Sunday evening a message with the week ahead.
- Answer the weekly check-in. Mention missed runs or niggles and your agent adjusts the coming weeks.
Tips for a better result
- Spend about 80% of your running at easy pace. Marathons are won by aerobic base, not daily hard runs.
- Treat cutback weeks as part of the plan. That's when the training sinks in.
- Rehearse everything on a long run: race shoes, kit, breakfast, gels and start time.
- Ask your agent to plan race-weekend travel and find hotels near the start, then book what you choose.
marathon training plan: FAQ
- How long does it take to train for a marathon? Most plans run 16 to 20 weeks for runners who already run regularly and have done a half marathon. New runners should build a base for several months first.
- How far should my longest training run be? Many plans peak at 30 to 32 km, about 3 to 4 weeks before the race. Running the full distance in training adds risk without much benefit for most people.
- How many kilometres a week do I need for a marathon? Many first-time marathoners peak at about 50 to 70 km a week. More can help experienced runners, but only if built up slowly.
- Should I see a doctor before training for a marathon? If you have a heart condition, other health issues or are new to hard exercise, get a check-up first. See a physio for pain that doesn't settle.
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