16-Week Richmond Marathon Training Plan

Richmond, VANovember 14, 2026

Start around July 25, 2026. The calendar below gives each phase a real date, then the course guidance shows where to make the build specific to Richmond Marathon.

The Richmond Marathon hands out pickle juice at mile 23 and finishes on a downhill at 5th and Tredegar, above Brown's Island and the Canal Walk. In between it runs along and across the James River on a rolling route that climbs 685 feet and drops 813, and roughly 5,000 people finish it each November.

Race day
November 14, 2026
Start window
July 25, 2026
Runway
16 weeks
Course
Rolling Hills · Loop
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 Richmond 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

Jul 26, 2026–Aug 22, 2026

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

Build

Weeks 5–10

Aug 23, 2026–Oct 3, 2026

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

Peak

Weeks 11–13

Oct 4, 2026–Oct 24, 2026

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

Taper

Weeks 14–16

Oct 25, 2026–Nov 14, 2026

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

Make the window specific to Richmond 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 the Richmond Marathon

Train for the Richmond Marathon on rolling terrain, and finish your long runs downhill. The course descends 813 feet against 685 of climbing and delivers its final drop right at the line, so quads that can still absorb a descent at mile 26 are worth more here than a few extra seconds of threshold fitness.

In practice: one hilly long run a week from about week five, on a route with 100 to 200 foot rises rather than one long climb. Run the descents at goal effort with a short quick stride. Then, in your last three long runs, arrange the route so the final mile runs downhill, and run that mile fast.

The river crossings are the other thing to prepare for. Bridge miles are open ground with nothing to break the wind, so if the day is breezy you will feel it. Do a few long runs on exposed roads instead of sheltered trails so wind is not a novelty on race day.

November mornings are cold at the start, 43F on average, and the gun goes at 7 a.m. Practice running the first three miles slightly underdressed rather than shedding layers at mile 6.

Richmond Marathon course facts

Course
Loop · Rolling Hills · Road/Pavement
Elevation gain / loss
685 ft gain, 813 ft loss
Highest / lowest point
274 ft / 48 ft
Marathon finishers
4,943 in 2025 (large field)
Boston qualifier
Certified Boston qualifying course
Finishers running a qualifying time
8.4% in 2025
Typical race morning
43°F at the start, 75% humidity, clear
Race day high / low
61°F / 39°F on average

Sources

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 November 14, 2026.

Build My Plan

16-week Richmond Marathon plan questions, answered.

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

The 2026 Richmond Marathon is scheduled for November 14, 2026, so the 16-week window opens around July 25, 2026. 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 Richmond 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 Richmond 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 for the Richmond Marathon on rolling terrain, and finish your long runs downhill. The course descends 813 feet against 685 of climbing and delivers its final drop right at the line, so quads that can still absorb a descent at mile 26 are worth more here than a few extra seconds of threshold fitness.

What if the 16-week Richmond 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 Richmond Marathon good for a first marathon?

Yes, and the organizers say so directly. The course is rolling rather than hilly, stays open seven hours at 16:02 per mile with published checkpoint times, and has aid every two miles. With around 5,000 finishers you will have company the whole way, which matters more than most first-timers expect.

Is the Richmond Marathon hilly?

Rolling rather than hilly. The Richmond Marathon moves between 48 and 274 feet with 685 feet of climbing and 813 feet of descent across 26.2 miles, and the race itself describes 'some rolling hills'. The part everyone remembers is the finish, which runs downhill to 5th and Tredegar.

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.