12-Week Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon Training Plan

Little Rock, ARDecember 5, 2026

Start around September 12, 2026. The calendar below gives each phase a real date, then the course guidance shows where to make the build specific to Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon.

The Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon puts its last climb at mile 26. You cross Two Rivers Bridge to finish, having already crossed it at mile 19, the Big Dam Bridge at miles 1 and 18, and the Clinton Presidential Bridge at mile 9.

Race day
December 5, 2026
Start window
September 12, 2026
Runway
12 weeks
Course
a 19 mile loop east, then a 7 mile loop west
Plan choice
Current training

Does this window fit your starting point?

Use this window when your recent training is steady and the opening week will not be a mileage jump. If you are returning after a long break, twelve weeks is too little room to rebuild and peak at the same time.

  • Your weekly mileage has been consistent for the last six to eight weeks.
  • You have completed recent long runs and do not need to rebuild from three easy miles.
  • You can protect the same number of run days from week one through race week.
  • You are prepared to begin race-specific work early instead of using a long base phase.

The 12-week Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon calendar

These dates define the job of each phase. Your current mileage, recent longest run, experience, goal, and available days still decide the actual workouts inside them.

Settle

Weeks 1–2

Sep 13, 2026–Sep 26, 2026

Hold close to your current volume, establish the weekly rhythm, and make sure the opening load is honest.

Build

Weeks 3–7

Sep 27, 2026–Oct 31, 2026

Grow the long run and weekly work with step-back weeks intact. There is no room to repay missed mileage.

Peak

Weeks 8–10

Nov 1, 2026–Nov 21, 2026

Complete the most race-specific long runs, rehearse fueling, and practice the terrain that will decide the final 10K.

Taper

Weeks 11–12

Nov 22, 2026–Dec 5, 2026

Reduce volume, keep the routine familiar, and arrive on race day without trying to squeeze in one more big week.

Make the window specific to Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon.

Course-specific work starts early in a 12-week build. Put the race's terrain and expected conditions into long runs once the opening weeks feel controlled, without adding extra hard days.

Read the full race guide

How to train for the 3 Bridges Marathon

Train for the 3 Bridges Marathon as a flat race with one specific late demand: short, steep climbs on tired legs. Big Dam Bridge at mile 18 and Two Rivers Bridge at 19 and again at 26 mean your last hour includes ramps you have to power over. Flat goal pace work on its own won't prepare you for that.

So put the hills at the end of the run, never at the start. Every week or two, finish a long run with three or four controlled 60 to 90 second climbs on a bridge, a parking ramp or a highway overpass. Run them at effort rather than sprinting. You're teaching your legs to change gear when they'd rather not, which is what mile 26 asks for here.

The rest is pacing on smooth, level ground. The Arkansas River Trail is paved and mostly flat, so your splits will look identical for hours and early over-pacing stays hidden until it isn't. Do the bulk of your long runs on paved trail at goal pace, and get used to running with only a handful of people in sight.

Let your current training decide the actual plan.

Current mileage, recent longest run, marathon experience, goal, and available days determine which plans rank first. After you choose and subscribe, Stride dates every workout through December 5, 2026.

Build My Plan

12-week Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon plan questions, answered.

When should I start a 12-week Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon plan?

The 2026 Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon is scheduled for December 5, 2026, so the 12-week window opens around September 12, 2026. Treat that as the outside edge of the window, then line week one up with the plan's normal weekly rhythm.

Is a 12-week plan long enough for the Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon?

Use this window when your recent training is steady and the opening week will not be a mileage jump. If you are returning after a long break, twelve weeks is too little room to rebuild and peak at the same time. The course does not change the opening load you can handle, so choose from your current mileage and recent longest run before adding race-specific terrain.

How should I prepare for the Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon course in 12 weeks?

Course-specific work starts early in a 12-week build. Put the race's terrain and expected conditions into long runs once the opening weeks feel controlled, without adding extra hard days. Train for the 3 Bridges Marathon as a flat race with one specific late demand: short, steep climbs on tired legs. Big Dam Bridge at mile 18 and Two Rivers Bridge at 19 and again at 26 mean your last hour includes ramps you have to power over. Flat goal pace work on its own won't prepare you for that.

What if the 12-week Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon window has already started?

Do not double weeks or cram missed mileage into the remaining calendar. Use your current mileage, recent longest run, experience, goal, and available days to choose a plan that can enter at an appropriate point while preserving the taper.

How hard is the 3 Bridges Marathon?

It's an easy profile with hard placement. The organizers describe the course as mostly flat except for the three bridges, run on the paved Arkansas River Trail in Little Rock. The problem is when the climbs arrive: Big Dam Bridge at mile 18, Two Rivers Bridge at mile 19, and Two Rivers again at mile 26.

Which three bridges does the 3 Bridges Marathon cross?

Big Dam Bridge, the Clinton Presidential Bridge and Two Rivers Bridge, all in Little Rock. You cross Big Dam at miles 1 and 18, Clinton Presidential at mile 9, and Two Rivers at miles 19 and 26. That's five crossings in total, and three of them come after mile 17.

Put the 12-week window against your actual race.

Each page counts back from race day, maps the 4 phases to real dates, and applies the window to that course and its typical conditions.