London Marathon training plan: course, start dates, and plan options
London, United KingdomApril 25, 2027
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.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
If you’ve won the ballot, or earned your place another way, the buildup deserves the bib. Stride matches you to a plan for your goal and experience, mapped week by week from today to race day.
212 days to race day
London Marathon · April 25, 2027 · about 30 weeks out
Your plan starts with your race and works backward. Every week lands on a real calendar, with race day at the end.
When to start training for the London Marathon 2027
Race day is April 25, 2027, which is 212 days from today. Counting back from that date, here is when each length of build starts.
- 30-week buildStart September 27, 2026
- 24-week buildStart November 8, 2026
- 18-week buildStart December 20, 2026
- 16-week buildStart January 3, 2027
- 12-week buildshortest Stride acceptsStart January 31, 2027
You have about 30 weeks until race day, so there is still room for a full build. Stride reads the runway you actually have and maps every week from today to April 25, 2027.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
Let’s find the plan for you.
Your race, current mileage, longest run, marathon experience, and available days decide the best fit. Stride maps the plan you choose to race day at the London Marathon.
- Stride Run-Walk FinisherThree sessions a week with planned walk breaks, cover the full distance before race day.
- Stride First MarathonThe classic four-day first-marathon build: easy running and one weekly long run, no speedwork.
- Stride First Marathon PlusA first-marathon build with a little more volume and weekly race-pace miles.
- Stride 6-Day FinisherFinish your first marathon on frequency: six easy-leaning runs a week, no monster long runs.
- Stride 5-Day Pace BuilderFive days a week with race-pace runs before your long runs, built for a mid-pack time goal.
- Stride 6-Day RhythmSix days a week with three quality sessions, steady fatigue that teaches you to finish strong.
- Stride Time-Based FoundationFive time-based runs a week, mostly easy, the injury-averse way to a strong finish.
- Stride Time-Based BuilderSix time-based runs a week at a strict 80% easy / 20% hard split, chase a time goal without breaking.
- Stride 3-Day Cross-TrainThree runs plus two cross-training days over 24 weeks, marathon fitness on a busy schedule.
- Stride 3-Day QualityExactly three hard runs plus two mandatory cross-training sessions, every workout counts.
- Stride 6-Day CumulativeThe six-day cumulative-fatigue build with quality from week two, for PR chasers with a base.
- Stride Threshold 55The serious BQ/PR build to 55 miles a week: threshold work, medium-long runs, and 20-milers.
- Stride Threshold 70The high-mileage BQ/PR build to 70 miles a week for veterans with a deep base.
- Stride 2-Quality FlexTwo fixed quality sessions a week, everything else flexible easy running, fits any schedule.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
Choose your London Marathon training window.
Compare 12, 16, 18, and 20 weeks counted back from race day. The 18-week option includes the complete four-day schedule.
The course: Greenwich to The Mall
London starts on the hills of Greenwich and Blackheath and spends its first three miles losing elevation, after which the course is essentially flat and fast the rest of the way. The early landmarks come quickly: the roar around the Cutty Sark near mile 6, then the crossing of Tower Bridge just before halfway, which many runners call the loudest moment of their running lives.
The second half loops through the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf's canyons, where GPS gets unreliable and the mid-race quiet miles live, before rejoining the river for the long run home: the Embankment with Big Ben growing ahead, Birdcage Walk, and the finish on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. Crowds line effectively every meter; London is not a race for anyone who needs silence to concentrate.
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.
Getting in
London's public ballot is famously the most oversubscribed in marathoning; enter it, but don't plan your year around winning it. Other routes: Good For Age entries for fast qualifying times (standards set by age and gender, confirm current ones officially), championship entry for club runners, charity places with fundraising commitments, and international tour packages.
London Marathon questions, answered.
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.
Is London a fast course?
Yes: after the first three downhill miles it's flat, fast, and famously well-supported. Its personal-best potential is comparable to the other flat majors; the main threats are a too-fast start on the Greenwich descent and pacing by GPS in the Canary Wharf canyons.
What's the best moment of the London Marathon?
Ask ten finishers, get two answers: Tower Bridge just before halfway, a wall of sound as you cross the Thames, and the final turn onto The Mall with Buckingham Palace behind the finish line.
When should I start training for the London Marathon 2027?
Race day is April 25, 2027. Counting back from that date, a 20-week build starts around December 6, 2026, a 16-week build around January 3, 2027, and a 12-week build around January 31, 2027. Already inside that window? Stride maps a plan from today to race day, whatever the runway.
How does Stride's London Marathon plan work?
Download the app, pick the London Marathon as your race, and answer a few questions about your recent running and your weekly schedule. Stride matches you to one of 14 marathon plans, maps every week from today to April 25, 2027, adjusts when life gets in the way, and puts you in a feed of runners training for the same race.
Choosing a training app?
A London Marathon buildup is months of your life. See how Stride compares before you commit it to an app.
Find your plan.
Your race, current mileage, recent longest run, goal, and run days determine which plans rank first. Choose one and subscribe, then open every workout in Stride.