12-Week San Antonio Marathon Training Plan

San Antonio, TXDecember 6, 2026

Start around September 13, 2026. The calendar below gives each phase a real date, then the course guidance shows where to make the build specific to San Antonio Marathon.

The San Antonio Marathon climbs 909 feet. That's a lot of climbing for a race most people file under flat because it's Texas. It descends 902 feet as well, so you finish where you started at Hemisfair with a net elevation change of about seven feet, upward.

Race day
December 6, 2026
Start window
September 13, 2026
Runway
12 weeks
Course
Rolling Hills · Loop
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 San Antonio 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 14, 2026–Sep 27, 2026

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

Build

Weeks 3–7

Sep 28, 2026–Nov 1, 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 2, 2026–Nov 22, 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 23, 2026–Dec 6, 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 San Antonio 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 San Antonio Marathon

Humidity is the first thing to train for. A December start near 61F with 86% humidity sounds mild and doesn't run mild, because sweat won't evaporate and your effort at any given pace sits higher than the thermometer suggests. Rehearse your fluid and sodium plan in humid conditions, not just warm ones.

Then train rollers in both directions. 909 feet of climbing across a loop means the same amount of descending, most of it arriving in short pieces. Run long runs on rolling ground and specifically practice controlled downhills after two hours, when your quads have already been working.

Last, resist the early pace. On a loop with no net drop, whatever you gain in the first ten miles gets repaid with interest. Run negative split long runs until holding back for an hour feels normal instead of feeling like you're leaving something behind.

San Antonio Marathon course facts

Course
Loop · Rolling Hills · Road/Pavement
Elevation gain / loss
909 ft gain, 902 ft loss
Highest / lowest point
814 ft / 622 ft
Marathon finishers
3,335 in 2025 (large field)
Boston qualifier
Certified Boston qualifying course
Finishers running a qualifying time
1.9% in 2025
Typical race morning
61°F at the start, 86% humidity, partially cloudy
Race day high / low
66°F / 44°F on average

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 6, 2026.

Build My Plan

12-week San Antonio Marathon plan questions, answered.

When should I start a 12-week San Antonio Marathon plan?

The 2026 San Antonio Marathon is scheduled for December 6, 2026, so the 12-week window opens around September 13, 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 San Antonio 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 San Antonio 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. Humidity is the first thing to train for. A December start near 61F with 86% humidity sounds mild and doesn't run mild, because sweat won't evaporate and your effort at any given pace sits higher than the thermometer suggests. Rehearse your fluid and sodium plan in humid conditions, not just warm ones.

What if the 12-week San Antonio 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.

Is the San Antonio Marathon flat?

No, and that's the most common mistake runners make about it. The loop climbs 909 feet and descends 902, running between 622 and 814 feet, for a net change of about seven feet. Nothing is steep, but the constant rolling adds up and the bill arrives after mile 20.

How hot is the San Antonio Marathon in December?

Warmer and much stickier than most winter marathons. Race morning norms are near 61F with 86% humidity, an average high of 66F and an average low of 44F. Humidity rather than temperature is what slows people here, because sweat stops evaporating and perceived effort climbs at any given pace.