16-Week Marathon Training Plan for Beginners
A 16-week marathon plan for beginners: 1–3 sessions a week, building to a 2-hour long session. Every week is below, plus a version with more weekly time to compare. Or let SportPlan build it around your schedule and race date.
26.2 miles / 42.195 km
16 weeks · 0.3–3.7 hours a week · 1–3 sessions per week · longest session 120 min
Take this goal into the plan builder and choose the schedule that fits your week.
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Week-by-week schedule
| Week | Phase | Sessions | Weekly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Base |
| 120 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 2 | Base |
| 115 min · 2 sessions |
| Week 3 | Base |
| 160 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 4 | Base |
| 110 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 5 | Build |
| 170 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 6 | Build |
| 140 min · 2 sessions |
| Week 7 | Build |
| 220 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 8 | Build |
| 135 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 9 | Build |
| 220 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 10 | Specific |
| 150 min · 2 sessions |
| Week 11 | Specific |
| 220 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 12 | Specific |
| 110 min · 2 sessions |
| Week 13 | Specific |
| 200 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 14 | Taper |
| 170 min · 3 sessions |
| Week 15 | Taper |
| 90 min · 2 sessions |
| Week 16 | Taper |
| 20 min · 1 sessions |
Compare the version with more weekly time
16 weeks · 1.8–6.2 hours a week · 3–5 sessions per week · longest session 150 min
| Week | Phase | Sessions | Weekly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Base |
| 275 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 2 | Base |
| 294 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 3 | Base |
| 316 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 4 | Base |
| 255 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 5 | Build |
| 330 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 6 | Build |
| 335 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 7 | Build |
| 345 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 8 | Build |
| 299 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 9 | Build |
| 360 min · 4 sessions |
| Week 10 | Specific |
| 365 min · 4 sessions |
| Week 11 | Specific |
| 364 min · 4 sessions |
| Week 12 | Specific |
| 305 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 13 | Specific |
| 370 min · 4 sessions |
| Week 14 | Taper |
| 330 min · 5 sessions |
| Week 15 | Taper |
| 250 min · 4 sessions |
| Week 16 | Taper |
| 108 min · 3 sessions |
Take this goal into the plan builder and choose the schedule that fits your week.
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Questions about this schedule
How long is this schedule?
The complete schedule contains 16 weeks.
How many sessions are scheduled each week?
The schedule contains 1–3 sessions per week, counting every listed session, including strength and mobility when present.
How long is the longest session?
The longest scheduled training session is 120 minutes. Race day has no estimated duration in this table.
What do the final weeks contain?
The final three weeks all belong to the taper phase. Their complete sessions and durations are listed in the schedule.
Plans by target time
Choose your week count
- 12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners
- Couch to Half Marathon Training Plan: 22-Week Schedule
- 5K to Half Marathon Training Plan: 20-Week Schedule
- 10K to Half Marathon Training Plan: 20-Week Schedule
- 20-Week Marathon Training Plan: High-Volume Schedule
- Couch to Marathon Training Plan: 26-Week Schedule
By sport and distance
- 5K Training Plan for Beginners: 6-Week Schedule
- Couch to 5K Training Plan: 10-Week Schedule
- 10K Training Plan: 10-Week and 8-Week Schedules
- 5K to 10K Training Plan: 16-Week Schedule
- Couch to 10K Training Plan: 18-Week Schedule
- Cycling Training Plan: 10-Week and 12-Week Schedules
- Olympic Triathlon Training Plan: 12-Week Schedule
- Sprint Triathlon Training Plan: 8-Week Schedule
- 70.3 Triathlon Training Plan: 16-Week Half Distance
- Trail Running Training Plan: 12-Week Schedule
- 50K Trail Training Plan: 16-Week Schedule
Calculators and race calendars
Choose a plan by level
This is a general template, not medical advice; check with a doctor before you start a new training load.