Marathon & half marathon
training plans
Free plans and the guides behind them: how a marathon block is built, how the long run grows, how to taper, fuel and recover, and which paces to train at.
Pick your plan
Week-by-week structures for the marathon and the half, from a first finish to a goal time.
Marathon Training Plan
16-week marathon training plan: phases, peak weekly mileage, key sessions and a 3-week taper. Variants for first-marathoners, sub-4 and sub-3 runners.
Read →12-Week Marathon Training Plan
A 12-week marathon training plan for runners with a base: weekly structure, the long-run progression to 20 miles, peak mileage, the taper and a sample week.
Read →First Marathon Training Plan
A first marathon training plan for beginners: how many weeks you need, weekly structure, the long-run progression to 20 miles, the taper and a sample week.
Read →Half Marathon Training Plan
12-week half marathon training plan: progressive long runs, threshold work and a 2-week taper. Pace targets per goal time and key sessions explained.
Read →Marathon Training Week by Week
Marathon training week by week: how a 16-20 week block splits into base, build, peak and taper phases, what each one focuses on and how the long run grows.
Read →Long run, taper, fueling, recovery
The pieces every marathon plan is built from.
Marathon Long Run Progression
How to progress your marathon long run: add 1-2 miles at a time, take cutback weeks and peak at 18-20 miles three weeks out. With a week-by-week schedule.
Read →Marathon Taper
How to taper for a marathon: cut volume, keep intensity, arrive fresh. A 3-week taper schedule, how much to cut mileage, carb-loading and mistakes to avoid.
Read →Marathon Fueling Strategy
A marathon fueling strategy that works: carbs per hour, when to take gels, hydration, carb-loading, the pre-race breakfast and a race-day fueling timeline.
Read →Marathon Recovery
Marathon recovery week by week: from the finish line to four weeks out, when to run again, the one-day-per-mile guideline and signs you are ready to train.
Read →How hard, how much
Intensity, paces and training load: the reasoning behind the plans.
Zone 2 Running
Zone 2 running explained: why 80% of your training should be slow, how to find the right intensity, and what slow running does to your aerobic engine.
Read →Polarized Training for Runners
Polarized training for runners explained: what Seiler's 80/20 method is, why it beats threshold-heavy training, and how to apply it as a recreational runner.
Read →What is Threshold Pace in Running? Complete Guide
Threshold pace in running explained: definition, how to test it, typical values per ability and how to use threshold pace to train smarter.
Read →VDOT Calculator Explained
VDOT calculator and Daniels' formula explained: what VDOT is, how it's derived from a race time, and how to use it to set training paces.
Read →How to Calculate Running Training Load
Running training load explained: formula, how to calculate it from pace data, typical values per session and how to use the load points for training planning.
Read →Fitness, Fatigue, Form for Runners
Fitness, Fatigue and Form for runners: what each metric means, how to read your training status, and how to peak for race day.
Read →Plans need paces
A plan is only as good as the paces you run it at. To find yours, the pace calculator gives Daniels training paces from a recent race result, and the marathon time predictor turns a 5K, 10K or half marathon into a realistic marathon goal.
A PDF plan doesn't notice when you miss a week.
WattRun builds your plan from your real training data and adjusts it every time you complete or miss a run. Free, no subscription.