Sample plan

Marc's second marathon, aiming at 3:45.

Marc is 41 and has run for six years: four days a week, around 45 km with a 22 km long run, and a 48:00 10K. His first marathon, two years ago, was 3:58. Fifteen weeks to a winter marathon and a 3:45 target.

Built by Tuin on 7 September 2026

The runner is made up. The plan is not: it is exactly what Tuin built from these numbers, through the same door every athlete's first plan goes through, and nothing in it was edited by hand.

What the coach was told

Goal
Winter marathon
Race day
20 December 2026
Distance
42.2 km
Target
3:45:00
Runs per week
4
Weekly volume
~45 km
Longest run
22 km
Recent effort
10 km · 48:00
Threshold pace
4:50/km

The eight weeks before

Weekly kilometres the coach read before writing a single session — the runs it built on.

45
46
47
48
32
50
49
48

What the coach said, handing it over

Here's your first plan, 15 weeks until the marathon on 20/12, starting tomorrow itself (Tuesday). I'm building from your last 90 days: you've been running ~45 km/week with long runs already of 20-22 km and regular intervals/tempos, so I'm NOT giving you a beginner plan — I'm building on the easy volume you already handle plus ONE quality day per week, gradually ramping up toward your marathon peak. I've assumed two things: (1) that 3:45:00 is a realistic goal for you today, consistent with your recent 10K of 48:00 — if it's more of a "someday" goal, tell me and I'll soften the target pace; (2) that your threshold pace is around 4:55-5:00/km (with easy running at about 6:00-6:15/km and marathon pace at about 5:20/km) — if you have a measured threshold let me know and I'll recalibrate the whole plan on the spot.

Structure: soft base these first 6 weeks (progressive, continuous tempo and cruise rotating on Tuesdays), then a build phase with over/under and ladder work, a marathon-specific block with stretches at goal pace inside the long run, and real taper the last 2 weeks — race week includes a sharpener at marathon pace on Tuesday and short intervals on Saturday, never just easy runs. Strength stays on Friday, 1x/week as you asked, and disappears in race week.

I've put a recovery week every 4 weeks (weeks 4, 8, 11) so fatigue doesn't pile up — it's normal those weeks feel shorter, that's the idea.

The plan, week by week

Week 1from 7 Sept43 km planned

Base - Getting back on pace

  • Tue 8
    Tempo run · 8 km · 35–50 min
    20 min threshold tempo with warm-up and cool-down.
  • Thu 10
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run, conversational.
  • Fri 11
    Strength
    Sentadilla trasera 4 × 5 · pesado ~5RM · Zancada búlgara 3 × 6 c/lado · moderado-pesado · Elevación gemelo (rodilla recta) 3 × 8 · peso corporal+ · Elevación gemelo (rodilla flexionada) 3 × 8 · peso corporal+ · Puente monopodal cadera 3 × 8 c/lado · moderado
  • Sat 12
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 13
    Long · 18 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 95–120 min
    Long run at steady, controlled pace.
Week 2from 14 Sept45 km planned

Base

  • Tue 15
    Progressive run · 9 km · 45–55 min
    Progressive: easy run building up to threshold pace in the final section.
  • Thu 17
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 18
    Strength
    Sentadilla trasera 4 × 5 · pesado · Peso muerto rumano 3 × 6 · moderado-pesado · Elevación gemelo (rodilla recta) 3 × 8 · peso corporal+ · Elevación gemelo (rodilla flexionada) 3 × 8 · peso corporal+ · Plancha lateral 3 × 40s · peso corporal
  • Sat 19
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 20
    Long · 19 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 100–125 min
    Long run at steady pace.
Week 3from 21 Sept45 km planned

Base

  • Tue 22
    Cruise intervals · 3 × 1.6 km · 40–50 min
    Cruise intervals: long reps at threshold pace with short recovery jogs.
  • Thu 24
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 25
    Strength
    Sentadilla búlgara 3 × 6 c/lado · moderado-pesado · Peso muerto rumano 3 × 6 · moderado-pesado · Elevación gemelo (ambas variantes) 3 × 8+8 · peso corporal+ · Puente monopodal cadera 3 × 8 c/lado · moderado
  • Sat 26
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 27
    Long · 20 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 105–130 min
    Long run, approaching your current max.
Week 4from 28 Sept33 km planned

Recovery

  • Tue 29
    Easy · 5 × (30s / 90s) · 5–15 min
    Easy run finishing with short strides.
  • Thu 1
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 2
    Strength
    Sentadilla trasera 3 × 5 · moderado · Elevación gemelo (ambas variantes) 2 × 8+8 · peso corporal+ · Puente monopodal cadera 2 × 8 c/lado · moderado
  • Sat 3
    Easy · 7 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run, short.
  • Sun 4
    Long · 16 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 85–105 min
    Reduced long run, active recovery week.
Week 5from 5 Oct47 km planned

Build

  • Tue 6
    Tempo ladder · 9 km · 40–55 min
    Ladder: 3 km at marathon pace, 2 km at threshold, 1 km at 10K pace, with walking recovery between sections.
  • Thu 8
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 9
    Strength
    Sentadilla trasera 4 × 5 · pesado · Zancada búlgara 3 × 6 c/lado · moderado-pesado · Elevación gemelo (ambas variantes) 3 × 8+8 · peso corporal+ · Puente monopodal cadera 3 × 8 c/lado · moderado
  • Sat 10
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 11
    Long · 21 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 110–135 min
    Long run, new progressive max.
Week 6from 12 Oct49 km planned

Build

  • Tue 13
    Over/unders · 3 × (1 km / 1 km) · 40–55 min
    Over/unders: blocks alternating marathon pace and 10K pace, both are work, no easy jog recovery.
  • Thu 15
    Easy · 10 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 55–70 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 16
    Strength
    Sentadilla trasera 4 × 5 · pesado · Peso muerto rumano 3 × 6 · moderado-pesado · Elevación gemelo (ambas variantes) 3 × 8+8 · peso corporal+ · Plancha lateral 3 × 40s · peso corporal
  • Sat 17
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 18
    Long · 22 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 115–145 min
    Long run, match your current max of 22 km — we'll build gradually from here.
Week 7from 19 Oct51 km planned

Build

  • Tue 20
    Tempo · 10 km @ 4:55-5:05/km · 45–55 min
    Continuous tempo at threshold pace.
  • Thu 22
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 23
    Strength
  • Sat 24
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 25
    Long · 24 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 130–155 min
    Long run 24 km steady pace.
Week 8from 26 Oct42 km planned

Recovery

  • Tue 27
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run with short strides at the end.
  • Thu 29
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 30
    Strength
  • Sat 31
    Easy · 7 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 35–50 min
    Short easy run.
  • Sun 1
    Long · 18 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 95–120 min
    Reduced long run.
Week 9from 2 Nov53 km planned

Marathon specific

  • Tue 3
    Tempo · 10 km @ variable · 50–65 min
    Progressive to threshold pace.
  • Thu 5
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 6
    Strength
  • Sat 7
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 8
    Long · 26 km @ 5:20/km en el tramo · 125–150 min
    Long run 26 km with 13 km at marathon pace at the end.
Week 10from 9 Nov54 km planned

Marathon specific

  • Tue 10
    Tempo · 10 km @ variable · 50–65 min
    Over/under marathon-10K.
  • Thu 12
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 13
    Strength
  • Sat 14
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 15
    Long · 27 km @ 5:50/km base · 140–175 min
    Long run 27 km.
Week 11from 16 Nov44 km planned

Recovery

  • Tue 17
    Tempo · 9 km @ 4:55-5:05/km · 40–50 min
    Reduced cruise intervals.
  • Thu 19
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 20
    Strength
  • Sat 21
    Easy · 7 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 35–50 min
    Short easy run.
  • Sun 22
    Long · 20 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 105–130 min
    Reduced long run 20 km.
Week 12from 23 Nov56 km planned

Marathon specific peak

  • Tue 24
    Tempo · 10 km @ variable · 50–65 min
    Ladder final of the block.
  • Thu 26
    Easy · 9 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 27
    Strength
  • Sat 28
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 29
    Long · 29 km @ 5:20/km en el tramo · 140–170 min
    Maximum long run: 29 km with 16 km at marathon pace.
Week 13from 30 Nov44 km planned

Taper - start

  • Tue 1
    Tempo · 8 km @ 4:55-5:05/km · 35–45 min
    Reduced work at threshold pace, maintaining intensity.
  • Thu 3
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 4
    Strength
  • Sat 5
    Easy · 7 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 35–50 min
    Short easy run.
  • Sun 6
    Long · 21 km @ 5:50-6:00/km · 110–135 min
    Reduced long run 21 km.
Week 14from 7 Dec35 km planned

Taper

  • Tue 8
    Tempo · 8 km @ 5:20/km · 35–50 min
    Short repetitions at marathon pace, low volume.
  • Thu 10
    Easy · 7 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 11
    Strength
  • Sat 12
    Easy · 6 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run, short.
  • Sun 13
    Long · 14 km · 70–90 min
    Short long run with marathon pace workout: 14 km with 3 km at goal pace, plus practice your race fueling.
Week 15from 14 Dec60 km planned

Race week

  • Tue 15
    Cruise intervals · 3 × 1.6 km · 40–50 min
    Sharpener: short repetitions at marathon pace, minimal volume — this keeps the spark, builds nothing. You should finish feeling like you could do it again.
  • Thu 17
    Easy · 6 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run, very relaxed.
  • Sat 19
    Easy · 5 × (25s / 90s) · 20–30 min
    Activation: easy run with 5 short progressions at race pace.
  • Sun 20
    Race day · 42.2 km @ 5:20/km · 205–245 min
    Winter marathon! Start controlled, negative split if you can, and enjoy the work of these months.
The other sample plans
Half marathonUltra trail

Yours would look different

Tuin writes every plan from the runs it can actually see and the goal you set — then keeps rewriting it as your weeks happen. The whole of it is free for 7 days.

Start your free week →
Marc's second marathon, aiming at 3:45. — Sample plan · Tuin