The full thing
26.2 with a plan that respects recovery.
Peak weeks around 80 km. Extra time before race day goes into base, not last-minute heroics. Tight timelines still build — with a warning.
- Duration
16 weeks
16 weeks minimum; extra time is added to the base phase
- Peak week
~80 km
Typical week at peak
- Who it is for
Toward 42.2 km
Building on a current 5K, with recovery baked in.
What’s included
- Weekly pattern scaled to the 2–6 days you choose
- Long run as the endurance keystone; easy days carry the volume
- Tempo and intervals capped so hard days never neighbour
- Cutbacks every 4th week; 1–2 week taper
- Watch, outdoor GPS, or treadmill — then save to your health app and Strava
Example week
Peak week · 4 days
Example 4-day week · Easy, Tempo, Easy, Long. You choose how many days and which weekdays.
- TueEasyEasy run
14 km
- ThuTempoTempo
10 km
- SatEasyEasy run
12 km
- SunLong runLong run
32 km · easy, fuelled
Session types
Choose 2–6 days. A four-day week is Easy, Tempo, Easy, Long. Add a fifth day and intervals appear.
Conversational effort. If you cannot speak a sentence, slow down. Most of your weekly miles live here.
Comfortably hard — about 8–10% slower than 5K pace. Tall posture, relaxed shoulders.
Fast but controlled 400m reps at or slightly quicker than 5K pace, with jog recoveries.
Easy endurance on your chosen day. Fuel if you will be out longer than 75 minutes.
Do parkrun? Every plan can keep it on Saturday. How Runese plans around parkrun
Phases
Longer if you have the time
Base
Aerobic work. Extra weeks before a race land here.
Middle
Build
Threshold and speed without stacking fatigue.
Highest load
Peak
Longest long run, still conversational on easy days.
Final 1–2 weeks
Taper
Trust the work. Volume down, rhythm intact.
Download Runese and start your Marathon plan.
Plans, sessions, live tracking, race predictions — on your phone and watch. Available on iPhone and Android.