Training Schedules

These are sample schedules. Be flexible. Long runs are on Saturdays in the schedule, but may be switched to other days.

First-Time Marathoner


This is a bare minimum schedule (from a 15-mile-per-week base for at least one month to a peak of 35 miles per week). 

    M T W Th F Sat Sun Total
Base   off 3 off 3 off 6 3 15
Week                  
1   off 3 off 3 off 8 3 17
2   off 4 off 4 off 6 4 18
3   off 3 off 4 off 10 3 20
4   off 5 off 4 off 8 4 21
5   off 4 off 3 off 13 3 23
6   off 4 4 4 off 8 4 24
7   off 4 4 4 off 15 off 27
8   off 4 4 4 off 10 3 25
9   off 3 4 4 off 16 3 30
10   off 5 5 5 off 12 3 30
11   off 4 4 4 off 18 3 33
12   off 5 6 5 3 12 4 35
13   off 4 4 4 off 20 3 35
14   off 5 6 5 off 12 4 32
15   off 4 4 4 off 20 3 35
16   off 4 4 4 3 15 3 33
17   off 4 4 4 off 6 5 23
18   off 4 4 3 off 2 26.2 13+race

First-time and Casual Marathoner


This the preferred schedule most first-time and experienced marathoners who choose train moderately (from 20-mile-per-week base for at least one month to a peak of 40 miles perweek).


    M T W Th F Sat Sun Total
Base   off 3 4 4 off 6 3 20
Week                  
1   off 3 4 4 off 8 3 22
2   off 4 4 4 off 8 4 24
3   off 4 4 4 off 10 4 26
4   off 4 4 4 off 8 4 24
5   off 4 4 4 off 13 3 28
6   off 4 5 4 off 10 4 27
7   off 4 4 4 off 15 3 30
8   off 5 5 4 off 12 4 30
9   off 4 4 4 off 18 3 33
10   off 6 5 4 4 12 4 35
11   3 5 5 5 off 20 off 38
12   5 6 off 6 4 13 6 40
13   off 6 5 5 4 20 off 40
14   4 6 5 6 off 13 6 40
15   off 4 4 4 4 20 off 36
16   4 4 3 4 off 15 3 33
17   off 5 4 5 off 4 6 24
18   off 4 4 4 off 2 26.2 14+race

Basic Marathoner


This is the recommended schedule for the average veteran marathoner (from a 25-mile-per-week base for at least one month to a peak of 45 miles per week).


    M T W Th F Sat Sun Total
Base   off 4 4 4 off 10 3 25
Week                  
1   off 4 4 3 off 13 3 27
2   off 5 5 5 off 10 5 30
3   off 4 4 3 3 15 3 32
4   off 5 5 5 3 12 4 34
5   off 5 4 4 off 18 4 35
6   off 5 6 5 4 13 4 37
7   off 6 5 5 3 18 3 40
8   off 6 6 6 6 13 5 42
9   off 6 6 6 4 20 3 45
10   off 6 6 6 6 13 5 42
11   off 6 6 6 4 20 3 45
12   off 6 6 6 6 13 5 42
13   off 6 6 6 4 20 3 45
14   off 6 6 6 6 13 5 42
15   off 5 6 5 4 22 3 45
16   off 5 5 4 3 15 3 35
17   off 5 5 5 off 8 4 27
18   off 4 4 3 off 3 26.2 14+race

Competitive Marathoner


This is a schedule for veteran marathoners aiming to improve race time (from a 30-mile-per-week base for at least one month to a peak of 50 miles per week).


    M T W Th F Sat Sun Total
Base   off 5 5 5 off 10 5 30
Week                  
1   off 6 5 5 off 13 3 32
2   off 5 4 5 3 13 3 33
3   off 5 5 4 4 15 3 36
4   off 5 6 5 4 13 5 38
5   5 5 6 5 off 15 4 40
6   6 6 6 6 off 13 6 43
7   off 6 6 6 6 18 5 47
8   6 6 6 6 off 15 4 43
9   off 6 6 8 5 20 5 50
10   off 6 6 8 6 15 5 46
11   off 6 6 8 6 20 4 50
12   off 6 6 8 6 13 6 45
13   off 6 6 8 4 22 4 50
14   off 6 6 8 6 15 4 45
15   off 5 6 5 off 22 4 42
16   off 5 5 6 5 15 4 40
17   off 5 5 4 4 8 4 30
18   off 4 4 3 off 3 26.2 14+race


Advanced Marathoner A


This is a schedule for advanced runners who have the time, energy, and experience to handle the more difficult workload (from a 40-mile-per-week base for at least one month to a peak of 60 miles per week).


    M T W Th F Sat Sun Total
Base   off 6 6 5 5 12 6 40
Week                  
1   off 6 5 6 5 15 5 42
2   off 6 6 6 5 18 4 45
3   off 6 6 6 4 20 5 47
4   off 6 6 8 6 15 6 47
5   off 6 6 6 6 20 6 50
6   off 6 6 8 6 13 6 45
7   off 8 8 8 6 20 5 55
8   off 8 8 8 7 13 6 50
9   off 8 8 8 8 20 8 60
10   off 8 8 8 8 15 6 53
11   off 8 8 8 8 22 6 60
12   off 8 8 8 8 15 6 53
13   off 8 8 8 8 23 5 60
14   off 8 8 8 8 15 8 55
15   off 8 7 6 6 22 6 55
16   off 6 8 6 5 15 5 45
17   off 6 6 6 5 8 4 35
18   off 5 4 3 off 3 26.2 15+race

Advanced Marathoner B


This is a schedule for advanced runners who have the time, energy, and experience to handle an even more difficult workload (from a 50-mile-per-week base for at least one month to a peak of 70 miles per week). It can be adjusted to 80+ miles per week and may require some two-a-day sessions. 


    M T W Th F Sat Sun Total
Base   off 8 8 8 6 12 8 50
Week                  
1   off 8 7 8 7 15 7 52
2   off 8 7 8 7 18 7 55
3   4 8 8 8 7 15 7 57
4   off 8 7 8 7 20 7 57
5   5 8 8 8 8 15 8 60
6   off 8 8 8 8 20 8 60
7   off 8 8 8 8 15 8 55
8   4 8 8 8 6 22 6 62
9   8 8 10 8 8 15 8 65
10   6 8 8 8 7 20 8 65
11   10 8 10 8 8 16 8 68
12   10 8 8 8 6 22 8 70
13   10 8 10 8 8 16 10 70
14   8 8 10 8 6 23 7 70
15   10 8 10 8 8 16 10 70
16   off 8 8 8 8 20 8 60
17   off 8 7 8 6 10 6 45
18   off 5 4 3 off 3 26.2 15+race


Text © Robert H. Glover and Associates, Inc. 2009. The ING New York City Marathon Training Program is adapted from The Runner's Handbook and The Competitive Runner's Handbook.