The Training Plan That Takes You From Walking to Your First Marathon

Is the marathon an ambitious first running goal? Sure. But we get why a beginner may want to skip some of the traditional running milestones—the casual 5K you run for fun; the 10K you do to see if you can; the half marathon to test the long-distance waters—and go right to 26.2.

It’s one of those bucket-list accomplishments that feels just a little out of reach.

You know it’s going to be hard. You know the training will hijack your life and potentially challenge you in ways you haven’t experienced. You’ve seen the stat that less than 1 percent of the population finishes a marathon. But all that makes it sound even more appealing.

Determination aside, the marathon distance demands respect. There’s no winging it; you need to put in the training. And if you’re new to running, you’re going to need more preparation than what a standard 16-week training plan can offer.

That’s where this plan comes in to get you ready for race day. Designed by Will Baldwin, USATF- and VDOT-certified run coach, the following zero-to-marathon program spans 24 weeks, taking you from easy, 30-minute walks through a gradual build that peaks with an 18- to 20-mile long run.

By the time you get to race day, you’ll have hundreds of miles under your belt and the confidence that comes from solid, consistent training.

This plan is designed for true beginners, including those just starting their fitness journey or returning to exercise after an extended period of inactivity.

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It kicks off with two weeks of walking before introducing run/walk intervals. You’ll gradually build your mileage and time on feet before doing your first continuous run at Week 11. As noted in the plan, the effort on this 25-minute run, as well as most of the programmed runs, should be “really, really easy and light,” Baldwin says.

The program follows a “three weeks on/one week off” progression. This means you’ll steadily increase mileage and intensity over the course of 24 weeks, but every fourth week will be a “down” week with less work and more rest. “That way, we can avoid overtraining,” Baldwin explains. “Especially through a marathon block, we do build up some residual fatigue, and we want time to clear it so we can actually improve and come back and feel capable of our training.”

In addition to logging easy miles, you’ll do a handful of “quality runs,” including strides and threshold runs, which you perform at a higher intensity than that really easy pace to elicit specific training adaptations. You’ll find guidance on how to do these workouts in the program key, but don’t worry too much about your actual pace or speed. “At this point, it's far more about just having a little bit of differentiation,” Baldwin says. “We’re just starting to play with some of those paces of what hard and easy feel like.”

On days that call for strength training, Baldwin recommends keeping it simple. Pick three to four exercises (we have workouts with step-by-step instructions) and feel free to start with bodyweight movements if you’re new to strength work.

Flex days are an invitation to “choose your own adventure.” You can go for a swim or a bike ride, take a group fitness class, play a sport, or just go for a walk.

It’s fine to be active on a rest day—a walk or gentle yoga class can feel rejuvenating—but avoid structured workouts and strenuous activity. (Save the five-mile hike with friends for a flex day.) And definitely prioritize a good night’s sleep.

Here’s additional info on some of the terms you’ll find in the plan:

• Easy Run—“Most of your running lives here,” Baldwin says. During an easy run, your effort should not exceed a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being a very easy stroll and 10 representing all-out effort. You should be able to carry on a conversation, and if you’re wondering if you’re going too fast, you probably are.
• Strides—A stride is a 20-second acceleration followed by a recovery walk. A stride should feel smooth and fast, but not as fast as a sprint. These get your legs turning over and help you focus on strong form.
• Threshold Pace—Your threshold (or, more specifically, lactate threshold) pace is a comfortably hard pace. It’s about a 7 on an effort scale of 1 to 10. You should only be able to speak in short phrases.
• Marathon Pace—This is your goal effort for the race. It’s harder than an easy run, but easier than threshold pace. It’s about a 6 on an effort scale of 1 to 10.

Forget About Perfection

In 24 weeks, something will disrupt your training, whether it’s an illness, work emergency, travel, or other life priority that comes before running. Keep in mind that no one—not even the coach who designed the training plan—expects you to do every single workout as it’s written. “Almost no one does a plan perfectly,” Baldwin says. “Things happen, and 23 weeks of training is still very, very good. So is 22, and so is 20.”

Don’t get discouraged if you have to skip a workout here and there. And definitely don’t try to make up for missed runs by adding miles to future runs or working harder than what’s prescribed. You’ll just end up more stressed—physically and mentally.

Let It Be Easy

If the first few weeks of training feel pretty easy, that’s great. The beginning of a training block is all about establishing structure, building endurance, and gradually loading the muscles, bones, and connective tissues.

Be patient and resist the urge to go harder just because it feels like you can. Letting the easy weeks stack up prepares your body for the harder work ahead. The marathon involves the long game.

Practice Fueling Early

Stephanie Hnatiuk, registered dietitian and certified run coach, recommends practicing fueling and experimenting with different products, such as gels, gummies, and whole foods, long before race day. She explains that not all carb sources work for every runner, and the digestive system needs time to adapt. “You need to teach your body to be able to send blood flow to both your digestive system and your working muscles,” she says. Otherwise, food just sits in the gut, which can lead to gastrointestinal distress.

“About 60 to 90 grams of carbs per hour is what we want to take in during a marathon, but we don’t just start at 90 grams,” Hnatiuk says, noting that a lot of runners have to start with around 15 grams an hour and slowly work their way up, which happens during training, especially long runs or longer midweek efforts (anything longer than 60 minutes).

LEARN MORE ABOUT MARATHON NUTRITION

Do a Race Before the Race

Megan Sloan, certified run and triathlon coach, recommends doing a race or two before the marathon, as part of your training, just for the experience of participating in an official event. “It reminds you what it’s like to go through the motions on race morning. Some people prefer to wake up and sip their coffee, and then they’ll start their long run once their food digests,” she says. “Well, on race morning, you are at the mercy of their schedule, so it forces you to lock into a plan and commit to it.”

It’s better to get the hang of race-day logistics (and potentially make mistakes) at your local 10K than during the marathon you’ve been training to conquer for six months.

Start With a Slower Pace Group

One of the most common mistakes first-time marathoners (as well as more seasoned road racers) make is starting too fast. It’s easy to do: The energy at the starting line is electric, the hype music is blaring, and you’re practically radiating with nervous energy. But the last thing you want to do is go out too hot and fizzle after a few miles.

To help her runners stick with their intended race pace, Sloan recommends they line up with a slightly slower pace group at the starting line. “Let’s just say they are hoping to crack 4:30, and there are pace group options. I want them to start with the pace group that’s 4:40 or 4:45.”

After a few miles, you can start to gradually pick up the pace and break away. After all, it’s a lot easier to make up time than to try to recover from fatigue.

Not sure what your goal pace should be? Sloan recommends looking at your long run paces, especially for runs 16 miles and longer, and adding a few seconds. So, if you tend to run your long runs at a 10:30 pace, you might aim to keep a 10:40 pace—at least at the start. Again, you can always speed up toward the end of the race if you’re feeling strong.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PACING A MARATHON

Carb-Load for 3 Days Prior

Carb-loading isn’t as simple as downing a plate of spaghetti the night before a race. “It’s actually a three-day process where you are increasing your carbohydrate intake intentionally,” Hnatiuk says.

To maximize your muscle glycogen (the stored form of glucose, the body’s preferred energy source), aim to eat 8 to 12 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight (about 3.5 to 5.5 grams per pound) for the three days leading up to your event, Hnatiuk says.

While that’s a lot of carbs, you still need to be mindful of what you eat, as you’ll want to minimize fat, which takes longer to digest, and fiber, which can land you in the porta-potty line.

As with midrun fueling, it helps to practice in the weeks leading up to the race with a mini carb-load. As your long runs get longer, try doing one day of carb-loading the night before to see which meals do and don’t work for you.

Focus on Process Goals

While it’s a good idea to have a target pace, Hnatiuk cautions against placing too much importance on your finishing time. “For your first marathon, I think it’s a mistake to have a specific performance or time goal,” she says. “There are so many things that can happen during a marathon. You don’t want to have the pressure of a time goal on top of it.”

Instead, she recommends setting process goals, such as sticking to your hydration and fueling plans and following a general pacing strategy, which can be as simple as not starting out too fast or keeping even splits.

Control the Controllables

You can do a lot to plan for the marathon, but there will always be factors that are beyond your control. “Don’t freak out about the weather. Plan for it accordingly, but don’t let it ruin your moment,” Sloan says. The same goes for your assigned start time, the parking situation, crowds, and how well the race is (or isn’t) organized. “Control the controllables,” she says.

Prepare as best you can—for example, laying out your clothes and fuel the night before and giving yourself enough time to get to the start (and making sure you know how to do that)—but accept that there will be hiccups and surprises. Roll with the punches and stay focused on running the race you’ve trained for. Focusing on the hard work you put in and enjoying the race as a celebration just might lead to the best day of your life.

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