Run/Walk Marathon Training Schedule

This 20-week marathon training program is designed to help you run/walk to the finish line of your marathon (26.2 miles). To start this plan, you should have been running/walking for at least four to eight weeks and should have a base mileage of about 12 to 15 miles per week.

This beginner training schedule is a run/walk program, so your workout instructions will be displayed in run/walk intervals. The first number shown will be the number of minutes to run, and the second is the walk amount.

So, for example, 3/1 means run for 3 minutes, then walk for 1 minute. If 3/1 intervals start to get too easy during the early phase of your training, you can shoot for 4/1 (4 minutes running, 1 minute of walking) or 5/1 intervals (5 minutes running, 1 minute of walking). These intervals are incorporated in the later weeks of the plan.

It would be best to start each run with a 5- to 10-minute warm-up walk. Finish up with a 5- to 10-minute cool-down walk. You should do your run intervals at a leisurely, conversational pace. You should finish your runs with overall stretching.

Week 1

Day 1: 2 miles – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: 3 miles – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 3: 4 miles (long run) – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 2 miles recovery walk

Week 2

Day 1: 3 miles – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: 3 miles – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 3: Cross-training or rest
Day 4: 4 miles (long run) – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2.5 miles (recovery walk)

Week 3

Day 1: 3 miles – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 5 miles (long run) – 2/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2 miles (recovery walk)

Week 4

Day 1: 3 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 6 miles (long run) – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2 miles (recovery walk)

Week 5

Day 1: 3 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 7 miles (long run) – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 6

Day 1: 4 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 4 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 8 miles (long run) – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 7

Day 1: 4 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 4 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 9 miles (long run) – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 8

Day 1: 4 miles – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 10 miles (long run) – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 9

Day 1: 5 miles – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 4 miles – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 12 miles (long run) – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 10

Day 1: 4 miles – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: 3 miles – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 3: Cross-training
Day 4: 8 miles (long run) – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 11

Day 1: Cross-training
Day 2: 3 miles – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 3: Cross-training
Day 4: 14 miles (long run) – 4/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2.5 miles (recovery walk)

Week 12

Day 1: 4 miles – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 10 miles (long run) – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 13

Day 1: 4 miles – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 mile – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 15 miles (long run) – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 14

Day 1: 4 miles – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 10 miles (long run) – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 15

Day 1: 4 miles – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 4 miles – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 16 miles (long run) – 5/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 3 miles (recovery walk)

Week 16

Day 1: 4 miles – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 12 miles (long run) – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2.5 miles (recovery walk)

Week 17

Day 1: 4 miles – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 18-20 miles (long run) – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2.5 miles (recovery walk)

Week 18

Day 1: 4 miles – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: Cross-training
Day 3: 3 miles – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 4: 12 miles (long run) – 6/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2.5 miles (recovery walk)

Week 19

Day 1: Cross-training
Day 2: 3 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 3: Cross-training
Day 4: 6 miles (long run) – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 5: 2.5 miles (recovery walk)

Week 20

Day 1: 3 miles – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 2: 20 minutes – 3/1 run/walk intervals
Day 3 (day before race): Walk 20 minutes
Day 4: RACE!

Estimate your marathon pace below.