With tips from qualified running coaches to help you achieve race day success.

Marathon training, whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced runner, can be very challenging. It’s time-consuming, requires running a lot of miles per week, and without proper preparation and a training plan, makes it more difficult to finish the 26.2-mile event.

This article is a complete marathon training guide, with input from qualified running coaches to help you run your first or best marathon yet.

What you will learn:

  • How many weeks you need to train for a marathon for race day success

  • What training sessions to include in your marathon training plan

  • The importance of nutrition in the build-up and on marathon day

  • Race day tips to help you achieve the result you know you’re capable of 

How long is a marathon?

A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42.1 kilometres.

More than 1 million runners sign up for a marathon each year, often looking for a challenge.

How many weeks do I need to train for a marathon?

“If this is your first marathon, it is essential to give yourself plenty of time (20-24 weeks) to prepare and safely build up the weekly volume of your mileage. Injuries often befall runners who rush their fitness and training,” explains Nelle Fox, UESCA-certified running coach and NASM personal trainer at Magnum Opus Coaching. 

Many new runners make the mistake of signing up for a marathon with too little time or pushing back their training until they have weeks rather than months to train.

Follow a marathon training plan from start to finish for the best results.

How do I know what marathon time to aim for?

If you have never run a marathon before, it can be challenging to determine the ideal pace.

To better predict your marathon time, you need a good understanding of your current fitness level.

You can complete a shorter race, like a half-marathon or a hard training session, and enter your results into a marathon pace calculator. If your estimated finish time is 4 hours and 37 minutes, don’t round down.

Stick to your target pace, and if you’re feeling good on race day, pick up the pace in the second half of the race.

How to train for a marathon for beginners

Marathon training can be overwhelming.

I’ve gathered six tips below, including everything from what sessions to include in your marathon training to what to eat on race day to help you successfully train for and complete your first marathon.

1. Follow a marathon training plan

If you want marathon success, follow a training plan created by a qualified running coach.

A marathon training plan eliminates the guesswork that comes with being a new runner.

Instead of spending your time researching what sessions to include and how many miles to run weekly, you can dedicate your energy to training.

Any good training plan should become progressively more challenging as the weeks pass.

Weeks 1 and 3 of marathon training will look very different from weeks 11 and 13, for example.

One way progressive overload is applied is by increasing the duration of your long run. This is the main session that will help you cover the 26.2-mile distance — more on this session shortly.

If your marathon training plan includes mile repeats or tempo runs, you’ll notice extra repetitions or quicker times as you progress.

By progressively pushing you to run faster or further, you give your body enough stress to stimulate the necessary adaptations to make you a better runner. 

2. Race shorter distances first 

“Race some shorter distances before you go to 26.2. I hear SO many people who haven't run much, but are training for a half or a full marathon,” Kristen Hislop, USAT Level 1 certified triathlon coach, tells STYRKR.

She explains, “My son had done long training runs in workouts, but had 'only' run up to a 10K on the track. I insisted that he do a half-marathon before the full marathon. It was eye-opening. You get to really test nutrition, mental fortitude, pacing and more.”

3. Add various sessions to your training 

“A well-rounded marathon training plan should include a mix of varied key sessions to build aerobic endurance, muscular strength, running efficiency, and durability,” says Melissa Kendter, UESCA-certified running coach.

Many beginner runners and marathon runners make the mistake of ‘just running’ when training.

They go out for a 30 or 40-minute run but don’t follow a specific session or workout.

By adding variety and running at a set intensity, you encourage certain adaptations to improve your cardiovascular and muscular fitness for better results. 

Here are a few essential marathon sessions to include in your training plan:

Easy runs 

Easy runs should make up a large percentage of your time spent running.

Jack Daniels, PhD, in his book Daniels' Running Formula, explains how easy runs improve injury resistance and are especially good for building a base when starting a running program or returning from an extended break.

Easy runs are also excellent at developing the heart muscle to help you run faster and further, even though you don’t feel like you’re running too hard or fast.

Daniels recommends easy runs be no shorter than 30 minutes and no longer than 150 minutes, even if training for a marathon.

Long runs

Running coach Fox explains, "The long run (16-22 miles) is the bread and butter of the marathon, and for more experienced runners, adding a mid week moderate long run (10-14 miles) with increasing amounts of time running at marathon effort can help you lower your time and improve overall performance."

But for those just beginning, start with a long run of 5-6 miles. 

You don’t want to overdo it too soon, and as the weeks progress, you will get fitter and will increase the duration and distance of your weekly long run. By the end of your marathon training block, your longest run will likely be 18-20 miles.

Threshold and speed work

“Tempo runs and threshold runs are sustained efforts to improve stamina and be able to hold faster paces for longer without fatiguing,” says Kendter.

Threshold runs are done at a comfortably hard pace. 

It’s slower than your 5km race pace, and you should be able to hold the intensity for 20 to 30 minutes or longer. In theory, you should be able to hold threshold pace for 60 minutes if rested.

Threshold runs help improve your body's ability to clear blood lactate. This helps your body adapt to slightly more demanding paces, improving your endurance, explains Daniels.

An excellent session is to aim for 20 minutes at tempo pace with a short 5 to 10 minute warm-up and cool down. 

Strides

If you’ve followed a training plan before, you may have done strides.

“Strides are short 20–30 second bursts of fast but relaxed running. These are excellent for sharpening form and leg turnover. Strides can be done after easy runs or before workouts. They help transition the body to faster paces without accumulating fatigue,” says Kendter.

You can do these a few times a week because they are not that taxing. But they also don’t require a dedicated session to perform.

Marathon-pace runs 

Daniels recommends that runners training for a marathon do marathon-pace running. This is running at your estimated marathon race pace. It helps you get used to pacing yourself and is an excellent opportunity to practise eating and drinking, similar to a long run.

He recommends no more than 110 minutes or 18 miles, whichever comes first, for marathon-pace running.

Hill repeats 

“Incorporating hills or hill repeats can significantly improve a marathon training plan.

Hill workouts build leg strength, improve running form, and develop aerobic capacity with less joint stress than traditional speedwork, making them ideal early in a training cycle or for runners tackling hilly race courses,” explains Kendter.

This session should be done on one of your hard running days.

Rest and recovery

When new runners create a marathon training plan, they often fail to incorporate sufficient rest and recovery.

If you go from no running or running a maximum of 2 to 3 times a week to 6 or 7 times a week, your injury risk increases massively. You also risk overtraining.

Whether building a marathon training plan or working with a coach, ensure you have at least 1 full rest day, and if you’re a complete beginner, 2 and maybe even 3.

As your plan progresses and your body becomes used to your weekly mileage, you can remove one of these so you have 1 to 2 rest days a week. But don’t rush it — this is how injuries happen.

Add strength work to reduce injury risk 

Research shows that strength training improves running economy.

It is also thought to reduce injury risk by strengthening weak muscles, like the hips and glutes, which often cause common running injuries like runner’s knee, shin splints, or IT band syndrome.

Kendter recommends incorporating 2 strength sessions per week to improve performance and support your marathon training. She also recommends other cross training activities like cycling, swimming, or elliptical work for active recovery and mental freshness.

4. More isn’t always better

“Some people will do 22 or 24-mile runs for their longest training run. I stop at 18! What is right for one may not be right for you. I love split runs - 10 miles on Friday night and 10 miles on Saturday morning,” says Hislop.

Just because one runner runs more miles doesn’t mean you should do the same.

And while the scientific training principles remain the same, how you respond to exercise varies massively from person to person.

To give you an example, when I used to race a lot of 5km races, I would rarely exceed 35 miles per week, while other runners who ran the same times would run upwards of 60 miles per week.

I tried to increase my weekly mileage, but it was just too much for me to handle. It placed too much strain on my body and hindered my progress. So, as they say, run your own race.

5. Get your nutrition in check

“Whether it is your first marathon or 50th, fueling is essential to master. It is recommended for the marathon distance that you consume 60-90 grams of carbohydrates per hour on training runs exceeding 75-90 minutes. 

Read your labels! Most people are under-fueling their longer training runs and race day, ultimately causing them to fall flat on workouts or hit the dreaded wall around mile 20,” says Fox.

Practice your race day nutrition on your long runs. This includes what you will eat for breakfast and what to eat during the race. For most marathon runners, energy gels, sweets, chews, and energy bars are great options.

If you struggle to eat while running or want to top up your carbs with liquid, you can use a carbohydrate drink mix like MIX+, which contains 30g of carbohydrates and electrolytes to ensure proper hydration and reduce muscle cramps. 

Don’t forget to hydrate

For runs longer than 75 minutes, start drinking water at regular intervals.

Aim for a minimum of 330 ml per hour and drink more if needed. Drink little and often — every 20 to 25 minutes is a good rule of thumb to follow.

If you’re a heavy sweater or running in hot or humid conditions, consider adding electrolytes.

Also, when using an energy gel like GEL30, it’s a good habit to drink a small amount of water. This will help improve gel absorption and also increase your fluid intake to ensure proper hydration.

6. Race day tips 

“On race day, preparation and execution are just as important as training. Remain positive, and start by arriving early to avoid stress, and stick to familiar foods for breakfast, nothing new on race day,” says Kendter.

Continue reading for more on the day tips.

Develop a nutrition and hydration strategy

You can have the best training block coming into your marathon, but not having a proper nutrition and hydration strategy can derail your race.

Aim to eat 60-90g of carbohydrates/hour during the marathon, as recommended by Fox.

Drink plenty of water and add electrolytes if needed.

Eating and drinking should be practised during your weekly long runs to help you get used to fueling and the skill of running while eating and drinking.

Pace yourself

“Pace wisely from the start. Many runners tend to go out too fast and pay for it later. Instead, aim to run the first 6 miles slightly slower than goal pace, then gradually settle in. The first half of the race should be ‘comfortable,’” says Kendter.

Going out too fast or too hard at the beginning will only make your race more challenging.

Break the 26.2 miles into chunks 

Running coach Kendter also gave a few tips on how to prepare mentally:

“Mentally, break the race into chunks, such as 10 miles, 10 miles, 10K, to stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed. Stay relaxed through the early miles, focus on your breath and form, and trust your training. Most importantly, don’t panic if things don’t go exactly to plan. Adapt, stay positive, and keep moving forward.”

Key takeaways:

  • Marathon training requires dedication and a significant time commitment for race day success

  • New runners should give themselves 20-24 weeks to train for a marathon

  • Follow a dedicated marathon training plan from a credible coach with a mix of sessions like easy runs, threshold efforts, and long runs

  • If you’re training without a plan, structure your training accordingly and build in plenty of rest and recovery to prevent injury and overtraining, which is very common in marathon training

  • Practice your race day nutrition during long runs and marathon-pace runs 

  • Consume 60-90g of carbohydrates on runs longer than 75 minutes and on marathon day for energy and to stop you from hitting the wall