16-Week London Marathon Training Plan

London, United KingdomApril 25, 2027

Start around January 3, 2027. The calendar below gives each phase a real date, then the course guidance shows where to make the build specific to London Marathon.

London is the hardest major to get into and one of the easiest to love: a fast, flat, point-to-point course from Greenwich to The Mall, lined shoulder-to-shoulder with what might be the best crowds in the sport, past Cutty Sark, over Tower Bridge, and down the Embankment to Buckingham Palace.

Race day
April 25, 2027
Start window
January 3, 2027
Runway
16 weeks
Course
Greenwich to The Mall
Plan choice
Current training

Does this window fit your starting point?

Use this window when you have a running base and want several weeks before the hardest marathon-specific work begins. The extra month over a 12-week plan creates more room for gradual long-run growth and recovery.

  • You run consistently enough that week one is a continuation, not a restart.
  • You want a distinct foundation phase before the biggest long runs.
  • You can protect your planned run days for roughly four months.
  • Your race date leaves the full window without forcing skipped weeks.

The 16-week London 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.

Foundation

Weeks 1–4

Jan 4, 2027–Jan 31, 2027

Establish repeatable weeks, keep most running easy, and begin extending the long run without forcing the pace.

Build

Weeks 5–10

Feb 1, 2027–Mar 14, 2027

Increase the weekly load, preserve step-back weeks, and introduce the terrain and effort the race will require.

Peak

Weeks 11–13

Mar 15, 2027–Apr 4, 2027

Complete the biggest race-specific weeks and use long runs to lock in fueling, pacing, and equipment.

Taper

Weeks 14–16

Apr 5, 2027–Apr 25, 2027

Bring volume down while keeping the weekly rhythm familiar. Training is finished before race week begins.

Make the window specific to London Marathon.

Use the first month to establish consistency, then make long runs progressively more specific to the race's terrain and conditions. The course rehearsal should grow with the plan, not appear all at once in peak week.

Read the full race guide

How to train for London

Train it like the fast course it is: sustained goal-pace segments in long runs, even-split discipline, and a plan for the early downhill miles: the Greenwich descent plus race-day adrenaline is London's classic too-fast start. Practice opening long runs controlled.

A late-April race means a winter buildup with the biggest weeks in February and March. British runners know this dance; everyone else should plan for cold, dark long runs and trust the spring taper. And rehearse crowd discipline: with support this loud for this long, running your own pace amid noise is a genuine skill worth practicing in race-crowded training events.

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 April 25, 2027.

Build My Plan

16-week London Marathon plan questions, answered.

When should I start a 16-week London Marathon plan?

The 2027 London Marathon is scheduled for April 25, 2027, so the 16-week window opens around January 3, 2027. Treat that as the outside edge of the window, then line week one up with the plan's normal weekly rhythm.

Is a 16-week plan long enough for the London Marathon?

Use this window when you have a running base and want several weeks before the hardest marathon-specific work begins. The extra month over a 12-week plan creates more room for gradual long-run growth and recovery. 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 London Marathon course in 16 weeks?

Use the first month to establish consistency, then make long runs progressively more specific to the race's terrain and conditions. The course rehearsal should grow with the plan, not appear all at once in peak week. Train it like the fast course it is: sustained goal-pace segments in long runs, even-split discipline, and a plan for the early downhill miles: the Greenwich descent plus race-day adrenaline is London's classic too-fast start. Practice opening long runs controlled.

What if the 16-week London 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 long do I need to train for the London Marathon?

Most Stride marathon plans run 12 to 20 weeks, putting the heart of a London buildup in the winter months. Get matched in the app and Stride maps every week from today to The Mall.

How do I get into the London Marathon?

The public ballot (heavily oversubscribed), Good For Age qualifying times, championship entry for club runners, or a charity place with a fundraising commitment. Most first-time Londoners get in via charity or years of ballot persistence.

Put the 16-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.