Training plans · Marathon
12-week marathon training plan
Twelve weeks is a short marathon block. It works best for runners who are already fit: coming off a half marathon, or running 40 km a week year-round. This sample uses a Hanson-style structure. That suits a short build, because it gets to quality work quickly and caps the long run.
The plan at a glance
Hanson-style: Cumulative fatigue, capped long run, speed/strength/tempo "SOS" days. 17 quality sessions in total, with every fourth week lighter and a taper into race day.
Week by week
| Week | Phase | km | Key sessions | Long run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | base | 50 | Threshold run 6 km | 14.4 km |
| 2 | base | 54 | Threshold run 6.5 km | 16.2 km |
| 3 | base | 58 | Threshold run 7 km | 18 km |
| 4 | build | 49 | Threshold run 5.9 km, Intervals 5.9 km | 14 km |
| 5 | build | 66 | Threshold run 7.9 km, Intervals 7.9 km | 21.9 km |
| 6 | build | 69 | Threshold run 8.3 km, Intervals 8.3 km | 23.4 km |
| 7 | build | 73 | Threshold run 8.8 km, Intervals 8.8 km | 25.5 km |
| 8 | build | 62 | Threshold run 7.4 km, Intervals 7.4 km | 19.9 km |
| 9 | peak | 81 | Goal-pace run 9.7 km, Intervals 9.7 km | 26 km |
| 10 | peak | 85 | Goal-pace run 10.2 km, Intervals 10.2 km | 26 km |
| 11 | taper | 64 | Easy running | 20.9 km |
| 12 | taper | 34 | Easy running | Race day |
Training paces
Set from a recent half marathon result, not the goal. Enter your own in the generator and they update.
- Easy6:29/km
- Marathon5:38/km
- Threshold5:16/km
- Interval4:48/km
- Repetition4:37/km
- Goal race5:41/km
Check these before you start
You can run 16–18 km today without trouble. You have run most days for at least two months. You have raced a half marathon or 10K recently, so the paces have something real to start from.
If two of those three are true, twelve weeks is workable. If none are, the sample’s first week of 50 km will be a jump, and a longer plan is the safer choice.
When 12 weeks is the right call
A 12-week plan has no room for a long base phase. Here the base is only three weeks, and intervals arrive in week 4.
It is a good fit for a second marathon in the same year. The endurance is still there, and the job is sharpening rather than building.
Why a Hanson-style structure
The Hansons’ idea is cumulative fatigue. You don’t need a 35 km long run if the rest of the week leaves your legs tired going into it. So the long run is capped at 26 km, and the weekly mileage and two quality days do the endurance work.
In the peak week that looks like this: rest Monday, 12.9 km easy on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, a 10.2 km goal-pace run on Wednesday at 5:41/km, 10.2 km of intervals on Friday, and 26 km on Sunday. Saturday’s easy run is what makes Sunday feel like the back half of a race.
For a short block that is a practical trade. Fewer very long runs to recover from means more consistent weeks, and that matters more when there are only twelve of them.
The two-week taper
Week 11 drops to 64 km, with a 21 km long run and no quality days. Race week drops to 34 km including the marathon itself.
Two weeks is short for a taper, and it is enough here because the long runs never went past 26 km. Keep a few strides in your easy runs so your legs remember the pace.
Frequently asked questions
Can a beginner train for a marathon in 12 weeks?
It is possible but risky. Twelve weeks leaves little time to build up the long run safely from scratch. A first-time marathoner is better served by 18–20 weeks; see the first-marathon plan below.
Why is the long run shorter than in other plans?
The Hanson-style approach caps the long run at around 26 km. Endurance comes from weekly volume and back-to-back quality days instead. You start the long run already tired, which simulates the later miles of the race.
What pace should my 12-week plan use?
Paces come from your recent race, not your goal. Enter a half marathon or 10K from the last couple of months. The generator sets easy, threshold, interval and goal paces from it.
What if I only have ten weeks?
Set your real dates and the generator shortens each phase to fit. Below eight weeks it warns that the window is short for a marathon. At that point, consider a later race.