The general recommendation for marathon training is to plan for about 16 to 20 weeks. This timeframe allows your body to gradually adapt to the increasing mileage and intensity, reducing the risk of injury and burnout
. Most marathon training plans fall within this range, though some experienced runners may train effectively in as little as 12 weeks, while beginners starting from little to no running base might need longer, sometimes adding extra months to build a solid running foundation before beginning the official marathon training
. Key points to consider:
- Beginners often benefit from a base-building phase of 6 to 12 weeks before starting marathon-specific training, making the total preparation longer than 20 weeks
- Intermediate and experienced runners can often follow a 12- to 20-week plan depending on their fitness and experience level
- Training plans typically include a mix of long runs, easy runs, speed work, recovery days, and sometimes cross-training
- Gradual mileage increases, often following the 10 percent rule (increasing weekly mileage by no more than 10%), help prevent injury
- Longer or more flexible training cycles can accommodate life events and reduce the risk of overtraining
In summary, if you are starting from a moderate fitness level, expect to train for about 16 to 20 weeks. If you are a complete beginner, plan for a longer preparation period that includes base-building. Experienced runners might complete training in 12 weeks or less depending on their prior conditioning and goals
