4-Day Jersey City Marathon Training Plan

Jersey City, NJApril 18, 2027

Four runs per week for 18 weeks: two easy runs, one midweek aerobic run, and one long run. The schedule stays fixed; the guidance below shows how to choose terrain, rehearse conditions, and prepare for the Jersey City Marathon course.

The Jersey City Marathon runs you toward the half marathon finish line and then turns you away from it. Both races come north together down Washington Boulevard toward Newport Parkway, and at 4th Street the marathon field shifts across while the half runners peel off to finish. If you have never had to do that at 13 miles, it is worth knowing in advance.

See the full 18-week plan Read the full race guide

Race day: April 18, 2027
18-week window: Around December 13, 2026
Course: Mostly Flat · Multiple Loops
Peak week: 40 miles
Longest run: 20 miles

Your complete Jersey City Marathon schedule

The 18-week window opens around December 13, 2026. Weeks one through 17 keep the normal Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday rhythm. Only race week moves so the marathon lands on its actual weekday. If the window has passed, do not skip ahead or cram missed mileage into the time left.

Open any week to see all seven days. Week 1 is open to start.

1Week 1Foundation · 15 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

3 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30 min easy cross-training or mobility

Thu

Easy

3 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

6 mi long run, conversational effort

2Week 2Foundation · 17 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

3 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30 min easy cross-training or mobility

Thu

Easy

4 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

7 mi long run, conversational effort

3Week 3Recovery week · 15 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

3 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

Rest or 20 min gentle mobility

Thu

Easy

3 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

6 mi long run, conversational effort

4Week 4Build · 19 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

3 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30–40 min easy cross-training

Thu

Easy

5 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run + 4 relaxed strides

Sun

Long run

8 mi long run, conversational effort

5Week 5Build · 22 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

4 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30–40 min easy cross-training

Thu

Easy

5 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

10 mi long run; practice fluids

6Week 6Recovery week · 18 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

3 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training

Thu

Easy

4 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

8 mi long run, conversational effort

7Week 7Build · 25 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

4 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30–40 min easy cross-training

Thu

Quality

6 mi steady run; final 1 mi at planned marathon effort

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

12 mi long run; practice fuel and fluids

8Week 8Recovery week · 23 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

4 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30 min easy cross-training or mobility

Thu

Easy

5 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

4 mi easy run + 4 relaxed strides

Sun

Long run

10 mi long run, conversational effort

9Week 9Build · 29 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

4 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30–40 min easy cross-training

Thu

Quality

7 mi steady run; middle 2 mi at planned marathon effort

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

4 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

14 mi long run; use race-day fuel timing

10Week 10Recovery week · 24 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

4 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training

Thu

Easy

5 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

4 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

11 mi long run, conversational effort

11Week 11Build · 32 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

5 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30–40 min easy cross-training

Thu

Quality

7 mi steady run; final 2 mi at planned marathon effort

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

4 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

16 mi long run; rehearse fuel, fluids, and kit

12Week 12Recovery week · 26 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

4 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training

Thu

Easy

6 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

4 mi easy run + 4 relaxed strides

Sun

Long run

12 mi long run, conversational effort

13Week 13Peak week · 36 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

5 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30 min easy cross-training or mobility

Thu

Quality

8 mi steady run; middle 3 mi at planned marathon effort

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

5 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

18 mi long run; full race-day fueling rehearsal

14Week 14Recovery week · 29 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

5 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training

Thu

Easy

6 mi relaxed aerobic run

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

4 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

14 mi long run, conversational effort

15Week 15Peak week · 40 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

6 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

30 min easy cross-training or mobility

Thu

Quality

9 mi steady run; middle 4 mi at planned marathon effort

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

5 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

20 mi long run; complete race-day rehearsal

16Week 16Taper · 26 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

4 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

25 min easy cross-training or mobility

Thu

Quality

6 mi relaxed run; 2 mi at planned marathon effort

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

4 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

12 mi long run, controlled effort

17Week 17Taper · 18 mi

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

3 mi easy run

Wed

Cross-training

Rest or 20 min gentle mobility

Thu

Easy

4 mi relaxed run + 4 short strides

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

3 mi easy run

Sun

Long run

8 mi long run, conversational effort

18Week 18Taper · 8 mi + race

Mon

Rest

Tue

Easy

3 mi easy run

Wed

Rest

Rest or 15 min gentle mobility

Thu

Easy

3 mi easy run + 4 short strides

Fri

Rest

Sat

Easy

2 mi shakeout, or rest

Sun

Race

Marathon — 26.2 mi

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Run total
Week 1Foundation	Rest	3 mi easy run	30 min easy cross-training or mobility	3 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	3 mi easy run	6 mi long run, conversational effort	15 mi
Week 2Foundation	Rest	3 mi easy run	30 min easy cross-training or mobility	4 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	3 mi easy run	7 mi long run, conversational effort	17 mi
Week 3Recovery week	Rest	3 mi easy run	Rest or 20 min gentle mobility	3 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	3 mi easy run	6 mi long run, conversational effort	15 mi
Week 4Build	Rest	3 mi easy run	30–40 min easy cross-training	5 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	3 mi easy run + 4 relaxed strides	8 mi long run, conversational effort	19 mi
Week 5Build	Rest	4 mi easy run	30–40 min easy cross-training	5 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	3 mi easy run	10 mi long run; practice fluids	22 mi
Week 6Recovery week	Rest	3 mi easy run	Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training	4 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	3 mi easy run	8 mi long run, conversational effort	18 mi
Week 7Build	Rest	4 mi easy run	30–40 min easy cross-training	6 mi steady run; final 1 mi at planned marathon effort	Rest	3 mi easy run	12 mi long run; practice fuel and fluids	25 mi
Week 8Recovery week	Rest	4 mi easy run	30 min easy cross-training or mobility	5 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	4 mi easy run + 4 relaxed strides	10 mi long run, conversational effort	23 mi
Week 9Build	Rest	4 mi easy run	30–40 min easy cross-training	7 mi steady run; middle 2 mi at planned marathon effort	Rest	4 mi easy run	14 mi long run; use race-day fuel timing	29 mi
Week 10Recovery week	Rest	4 mi easy run	Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training	5 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	4 mi easy run	11 mi long run, conversational effort	24 mi
Week 11Build	Rest	5 mi easy run	30–40 min easy cross-training	7 mi steady run; final 2 mi at planned marathon effort	Rest	4 mi easy run	16 mi long run; rehearse fuel, fluids, and kit	32 mi
Week 12Recovery week	Rest	4 mi easy run	Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training	6 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	4 mi easy run + 4 relaxed strides	12 mi long run, conversational effort	26 mi
Week 13Peak week	Rest	5 mi easy run	30 min easy cross-training or mobility	8 mi steady run; middle 3 mi at planned marathon effort	Rest	5 mi easy run	18 mi long run; full race-day fueling rehearsal	36 mi
Week 14Recovery week	Rest	5 mi easy run	Rest or 25 min gentle cross-training	6 mi relaxed aerobic run	Rest	4 mi easy run	14 mi long run, conversational effort	29 mi
Week 15Peak week	Rest	6 mi easy run	30 min easy cross-training or mobility	9 mi steady run; middle 4 mi at planned marathon effort	Rest	5 mi easy run	20 mi long run; complete race-day rehearsal	40 mi
Week 16Taper	Rest	4 mi easy run	25 min easy cross-training or mobility	6 mi relaxed run; 2 mi at planned marathon effort	Rest	4 mi easy run	12 mi long run, controlled effort	26 mi
Week 17Taper	Rest	3 mi easy run	Rest or 20 min gentle mobility	4 mi relaxed run + 4 short strides	Rest	3 mi easy run	8 mi long run, conversational effort	18 mi
Week 18Taper	Rest	3 mi easy run	Rest or 15 min gentle mobility	3 mi easy run + 4 short strides	Rest	2 mi shakeout, or rest	Marathon — 26.2 mi	8 mi + race

This free plan is complete, fixed, and ready to use.

It begins at 15 miles per week, peaks at 40, and asks you to manage schedule changes and missed training yourself.

A Stride plan ranks from your running, then dates to race day.

Current mileage, recent longest run, marathon experience, goal, and available days decide which plans rank first.

Build My Plan

How to use this plan for Jersey City Marathon

The mileage builds your engine. Your long-run route, pacing, fueling, and clothing rehearsals make that fitness specific to this race.

How to train for Jersey City

Training for the Jersey City Marathon is about pacing discipline and wind, not hills. The biggest climb rises roughly 60 feet and lands in the last third, when your legs are already loaded. Everything else is flat, which means people lose time here by starting too fast on ground that offers no resistance at all.

Two rehearsals pay for themselves. Run at least one long run that passes your car or your front door around 13 miles and keep going, because that is structurally what this race does to you at Newport Parkway. And finish long runs into a headwind on open ground instead of setting out into it while you are fresh. Race morning averages a northwest wind near 10 mph, and the closing miles run through Liberty State Park on Burma Road with the harbor on one side and nothing at all to block it.

Keep the plan honest. This free schedule contains no speedwork. Apply the course guidance through route choice and race rehearsal without turning easy days into extra workouts. If your goal calls for marathon-pace work, compare it with First Marathon Plus.

Match the terrain

Do several Jersey City Marathon long runs on uninterrupted flat ground. With few terrain changes to reset your stride, steady pacing and late-run form matter more than hill speed.

Rehearse race morning

Race morning in Jersey City in mid-April has averaged about 53 degrees at the start, overcast, with humidity near 70 percent and a northwest wind around 10 mph, warming toward a daily high near 61. Those are good racing numbers with one variable, and the variable is the wind coming off the harbor. Do your tempo work in the open rather than on sheltered paths so a steady 10 mph headwind is a known quantity.

Prepare for the hard part

The race turns at the Summit Avenue climb in the last third, and then the closing miles run exposed through Liberty State Park on Burma Road, where a northwest wind has nothing to hit but you.

Check the starting line before you commit.

Beginner-friendly does not mean couch-to-marathon. Week one asks for four runs, 15 total miles, and a six-mile long run.

Fifteen miles in week one is close to the volume you already handle.
You can protect four run days most weeks, including a weekend long run.
Your priority is a steady first-marathon build without speedwork.
You can start around December 13, 2026 without forcing the early weeks.

Jersey City Marathon course facts

Course: Multiple Loops · Mostly Flat · Road/Pavement
Elevation gain / loss: 383 ft gain, 383 ft loss
Highest / lowest point: 68 ft / 4 ft
Marathon finishers: 3,111 in 2026 (large field)
Boston qualifier: Certified Boston qualifying course
Finishers running a qualifying time: 16.8% in 2026
Typical race morning: 53°F at the start, 70% humidity, overcast
Race day high / low: 61°F / 45°F on average

Sources

Jersey City Marathon questions, answered.

When should I start this 18-week Jersey City Marathon plan?

The 2027 Jersey City Marathon is scheduled for April 18, 2027, so the 18-week window opens around December 13, 2026. Weeks one through 17 keep the normal weekly rhythm and Sunday long run; only the final race week shifts to the event's actual weekday. If that date has already passed, do not compress 18 weeks of mileage into a shorter window.

How should I adapt the four-day plan for the Jersey City Marathon course?

Do several Jersey City Marathon long runs on uninterrupted flat ground. With few terrain changes to reset your stride, steady pacing and late-run form matter more than hill speed. Training for the Jersey City Marathon is about pacing discipline and wind, not hills. The biggest climb rises roughly 60 feet and lands in the last third, when your legs are already loaded. Everything else is flat, which means people lose time here by starting too fast on ground that offers no resistance at all.

Is four days a week enough to train for the Jersey City Marathon?

Four run days can be enough when 15 miles in week one is not a sudden jump and you can protect the long run most weeks. This schedule builds to a 40-mile peak and a 20-mile long run. A runner chasing an aggressive time or already supporting more volume may fit a higher-mileage plan better.

Is the Jersey City Marathon flat?

Yes, close to it. The Jersey City Marathon runs between 4 and 68 feet above sea level with 383 feet of total climbing. The organizers call it one of the fastest and flattest courses in the United States. The only meaningful rise is Summit Avenue, roughly 60 feet of climb, and it arrives in the last third of the race.

How many loops is the Jersey City Marathon?

Two southern loops from a start on Washington Boulevard in Newport. Each loop runs down through downtown Jersey City and Bergen-Lafayette into Liberty State Park, so you see Burma Road and the Morris Pesin Drive circle twice. The half marathon finishes near Newport Parkway at the end of the first loop while the marathon field continues north and goes around again.

The same four-day schedule, shaped around the course ahead.

Choose your race for its current date, course profile, typical race-morning conditions, and specific long-run guidance.