How to Choose a Marathon Training Plan
Oct 30, 2025
Jason Schmitt
You've registered for a marathon. Now you need a training plan.
The options are overwhelming. Hal Higdon. Pete Pfitzinger. Hansons Method. Jack Daniels. Jeff Galloway. Some promise fast times. Others emphasize injury prevention. A few claim to revolutionize marathon training entirely.
Here's the truth: most established training plans work. The real question isn't which plan is best—it's which plan is best for you, your schedule, and your current fitness.
This guide breaks down the most popular marathon training plans and helps you find the right match.
Start Here: Five Questions to Ask Before Choosing
Before you dive into specific plans, take an honest inventory of where you're starting from.
What's your current weekly mileage?
Look at the past month. What have you actually been running?
Under 15 miles/week: You need gradual progression
15-30 miles/week: Most beginner and intermediate plans work
30-45 miles/week: You're ready for intermediate to advanced plans
45+ miles/week: Advanced plans are within reach
How many marathons have you completed?
Zero: Stick with beginner plans
1-2 marathons: Beginner or intermediate plans fit
3+ marathons: Intermediate to advanced plans make sense
How many days per week can you run?
Be realistic about your schedule, work commitments, and family obligations.
3-4 days: Limited but viable options exist
5 days: The sweet spot for most plans
6+ days: High-volume plans become possible
When is your race?
Less than 12 weeks: Choose conservative options
12-16 weeks: Standard training window
18-20 weeks: Ideal timeframe
20+ weeks: Build a base before structured training
What's your goal?
Finish the distance: Conservative, gradual plans
Hit a specific time: Structured training with quality work
PR or qualify for Boston: Advanced plans with high volume
For First-Time Marathoners
Your first marathon is about learning—learning what your body can handle, how to fuel for distance, and what marathon pace actually feels like.
Choose a plan that gets you to the finish line healthy. There's plenty of time to chase speed later.
Hal Higdon Novice 1: The Gold Standard
Hal Higdon's Novice 1 has guided more first-timers across marathon finish lines than perhaps any other plan.
The basics:
18 weeks
4 days of running per week
Peaks at 40 miles weekly
Longest run: 20 miles
Free at halhigdon.com
The structure:
Run short during the week. Go long on weekends. The long run builds gradually from 6 miles to 20 miles. Cross-training is optional on Sundays. Rest days on Monday and Friday.
Why it works:
The progression gives your body time to adapt. Four running days fit most schedules. The weekend long run teaches you what marathon distance feels like.
Potential drawbacks:
Very basic structure. No speed work or tempo runs. Some runners finish feeling they could have trained harder.
Best for: First-time marathoners who want a proven, straightforward approach that fits a busy life.
Jeff Galloway Run-Walk: Built for Injury Prevention
The run-walk method produces 98% completion rates and significantly fewer injuries than continuous running plans.
The basics:
24-30 weeks
3-4 days per week
Longest run: 26 miles
Free schedules at jeffgalloway.com
The strategy:
Take walk breaks from the start—not when you're tired, but as a planned part of every run. The specific ratio depends on your goal pace:
8-minute miles: 4 min running / 30 sec walking
10-minute miles: 2 min running / 30 sec walking
12-minute miles: 1 min running / 30 sec walking
Why it works:
Walk breaks prevent the cumulative damage that causes overuse injuries. You can actually run longer in training because the breaks allow brief recovery without stopping forward progress.
Potential drawbacks:
Some runners struggle mentally with planned walk breaks. Race day requires timing your breaks strategically.
Best for: Injury-prone runners, those returning from time off, runners over 40, or anyone prioritizing finishing healthy over finishing fast.
Nike Run Club: App-Based Flexibility
Audio-coached training that adapts to your schedule.
The basics:
18 weeks (8-week option available)
3, 4, or 5 days per week—you choose
Peaks at moderate mileage
Longest run: 20 miles
Free with Nike Run Club app
The approach:
Choose how many days you can run weekly. The app structures workouts accordingly. Every run includes audio coaching with pacing guidance and motivation.
Why it works:
The flexibility is unmatched. Running 3 days one week and 5 the next? The app adjusts. Audio coaching keeps you engaged and accountable.
Potential drawbacks:
Requires smartphone dependency. Some runners prefer written plans with specific pace guidelines.
Best for: Runners who want flexibility, learn better through audio, or travel frequently for work.
Hansons Beginner: Higher Volume Option
Despite the name, this isn't for complete beginners. It's for first-time marathoners already running 20-30 miles weekly.
The basics:
18 weeks
6 days per week (Wednesday rest)
Peaks at 48-55 miles weekly
Longest run: 16 miles
Free schedule at hansons-running.com
The philosophy:
Cumulative fatigue replaces extreme long runs. You run 16 miles on already-tired legs, simulating the feeling of marathon miles 20-26. Endurance comes from consistency and volume, not single long efforts.
Weekly structure: Monday easy, Tuesday speed/strength workout, Wednesday rest, Thursday tempo at marathon pace, Friday easy, Saturday easy, Sunday long run.
Why it works:
Capping long runs at 16 miles reduces injury risk while building endurance through accumulated weekly volume. The regular marathon-pace work directly prepares you for race day.
Potential drawbacks:
Six days per week requires commitment. Mid-week tempo runs need longer weekday sessions. Some struggle mentally without 20-mile training runs.
Best for: First-timers already running 20+ miles weekly who can commit to six running days and want race-specific training.
Quick Comparison: First-Timer Plans
The First-Timer's Decision
Most first-time marathoners should start with Hal Higdon Novice 1. It's proven, simple, and manageable alongside normal life.
Worried about injury? Choose Galloway's run-walk method.
Want app-based coaching? Nike Run Club delivers flexibility.
Already running high mileage? Hansons Beginner provides structure for that volume.
Your first marathon goal is straightforward: cross the finish line healthy and excited to do it again.
For Intermediate Runners: Building Speed
You've finished a marathon or two. You understand the distance. Now it's time to get faster.
Intermediate training shifts from "can I finish?" to "how fast can I finish?" That requires quality workouts: tempo runs, intervals, and race-pace practice.
Hal Higdon Intermediate 1: Steady Progression
The natural next step from Novice plans, adding quality work while maintaining familiar structure.
The basics:
18 weeks
5 days per week
Peaks at 48 miles weekly
Longest run: 20 miles
Free at halhigdon.com
The structure:
Long runs progress from 8 to 20 miles. Tuesday tempo runs at half-marathon pace develop lactate threshold. Thursday pace runs at marathon goal pace build race-specific fitness.
Why it works:
The structure feels familiar if you used Higdon before. Tempo runs improve your ability to sustain harder efforts. Marathon-pace practice teaches your body what goal pace should feel like.
Potential drawbacks:
Still relatively conservative. Quality work is limited compared to more aggressive plans.
Best for: Runners who used Higdon for their first marathon and want natural progression. Target moderate improvement (15-30 minutes faster). Value familiarity over aggressive training.
Hansons Marathon Method: Race-Specific Training
The Hansons approach excels for intermediate runners chasing specific time goals.
The basics:
18 weeks
6 days per week (Wednesday rest)
Peaks at 48-63 miles
Longest run: 16 miles
Free schedule at hansons-running.com
The approach:
Three "Something of Substance" (SOS) workouts weekly:
Tuesday: Speed work (weeks 1-9) transitions to strength intervals (weeks 10-16). Early plan focuses on shorter intervals at 5K pace. Later shifts to longer intervals at 10K pace.
Thursday: Tempo runs at goal marathon pace, building from 5 to 10 miles. This is direct race preparation.
Sunday: Long runs progress from 10 to 16 miles, repeated three times before taper.
Between SOS days, run easy recovery miles.
The 16-mile approach:
Long runs cap at 16 miles, always run on Saturday-Sunday legs (meaning you ran the day before). Accumulated fatigue from six running days makes those 16 miles simulate race conditions without extreme recovery demands.
Why it works:
Weekly marathon-pace work directly prepares you for race day. You practice sustaining goal pace for months. Cumulative fatigue builds durability without injury risk from 20+ mile runs.
Potential drawbacks:
Six days weekly is non-negotiable. Mid-week tempo runs require 90+ minute weekday sessions. Some struggle mentally without 20-mile training runs.
Best for: Runners targeting specific finish times who can commit to six days weekly and want structured, race-specific training.
Greg McMillan Running: Data-Driven Personalization
Training that adapts to your personal physiology using recent race times.
The basics:
16 weeks typically
5-6 days per week
Variable peak mileage
Paid subscription required
Available at mcmillanrunning.com
The approach:
Plug a recent race time into the McMillan Calculator. It generates specific paces for every workout type: recovery runs, long runs, tempo runs, speed intervals, race pace.
McMillan identifies your runner type:
Speedsters need endurance work
Combo runners are balanced
Endurance monsters need speed development
Plans adjust emphasis based on your type.
Unique feature: Most runs prescribed by time rather than distance. "Run 60 minutes" naturally adapts to your fitness—faster runners cover more distance in that time.
Why it works:
Personalization removes guesswork. Every pace tailored to current fitness. Runner type classification addresses your actual weaknesses.
Potential drawbacks:
Requires paid subscription. Needs recent race time for accuracy. Less proven track record than classic Higdon/Pfitzinger/Hansons approaches.
Best for: Data-driven runners who want personalized training. Those willing to invest in coaching-style guidance. Runners with recent race times to input.
Pfitzinger 18/55: Serious Training
The entry point to advanced marathon training, though strong intermediate runners use it successfully.
The basics:
18 weeks
5-6 days per week
Peaks at 55 miles weekly
Longest run: 20 miles (three times)
~$25 for "Advanced Marathoning" book
The philosophy:
Focus on lactate threshold development and medium-long runs. Two quality sessions weekly plus long run. Remaining days feature recovery runs and medium-long runs (10-14 miles).
Weekly structure includes:
Recovery runs: 4-8 miles easy
Medium-long runs: 11-15 miles steady
Lactate threshold sessions: tempo with miles at 15K-half marathon pace
Long runs: 16-20 miles, some with marathon-pace segments
VO2max intervals: shorter, faster intervals at 5K pace
Why it works:
Medium-long runs mid-week build volume without recovery cost of back-to-back long runs. Lactate threshold work improves sustained hard effort ability. Progressive phases: endurance, lactate threshold + endurance, race prep, taper.
Potential drawbacks:
Medium-long runs require significant mid-week time. A 14-mile Tuesday morning needs schedule commitment. Mileage ramps quickly—week one starts at 33 miles with 12-mile long run.
Best for: Runners comfortable at 30-35 miles weekly. Those who can schedule 60-90 minute weekday runs. Targeting sub-4:00 marathon times.
