San Antonio Marathon training plan: course, start dates, and plan options
San Antonio, TXDecember 6, 2026
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.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
Lots of climbing and no net change is the hardest profile to pace and the easiest to underestimate. Add a December start that typically sits at 61F with 86% humidity and you get the number that should shape your training: 1.9% of 2025 finishers ran a Boston qualifying time.
73 days to race day
San Antonio Marathon · December 6, 2026 · about 10 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 San Antonio Marathon 2026
Race day is December 6, 2026, which is 73 days from today. Counting back from that date, here is when each length of build starts.
- 30-week buildWindow has passed
- 24-week buildWindow has passed
- 18-week buildWindow has passed
- 16-week buildWindow has passed
- 12-week buildshortest Stride acceptsWindow has passed
You have about 10 weeks until race day, which is inside the shortest build Stride matches. Stride won’t pretend there is room for a responsible full build. You can still use the finder to check your starting point, then choose a later race if this runway is too short.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
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’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 San Antonio 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 San Antonio 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: a downtown loop with 909 feet of hidden climbing
The San Antonio Marathon starts and finishes at Hemisfair in downtown San Antonio at 7:15 a.m., running a loop that takes in Fort Sam Houston, Olmos Park and the Botanical Gardens before returning to the city center. The course is USATF certified and an official Boston qualifier, with a 7 hour limit.
Elevation runs between 622 and 814 feet, with 909 feet of climb against 902 feet of descent. Nothing on that profile is a mountain. It's a long sequence of the city's rolling north side terrain, and the cost is that you never get a stretch long enough to settle into one rhythm.
Support is heavy: 18 water stations, 9 electrolyte stations, 2 gel stations and medical coverage at ten points. On a humid course, that station density is worth planning around rather than carrying everything yourself.
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.
Getting in
Entry runs through RunSignup, and with 3,335 finishers in 2025 this is a large race that isn't a lottery. One thing to check: 2025 is the first year with published finisher counts, so if you're reading older race reports about running a marathon in San Antonio, confirm they describe this event and the current Hemisfair start and finish before planning around them.
Where does the San Antonio Marathon get hard?
The last six miles back into downtown, when 909 feet of accumulated rolling climb and start line humidity that typically sits near 86% finally add up at the same time.
What is the weather like at the San Antonio Marathon?
Early December in San Antonio typically means a 61F start with 86% humidity and a light westerly, an average high of 66F and an average low of 44F. That's a warm, damp start for a winter marathon. If you're training somewhere cold, get a few humid or midday sessions in anyway, because race morning is unlikely to be crisp.
Is the San Antonio Marathon a good Boston qualifier?
San Antonio is USATF certified and an official Boston qualifier, with a net elevation change of about seven feet, so no downhill adjustment applies. Actually qualifying here is rare: 1.9% of 2025 finishers ran qualifying times, a strikingly low share for a certified course. The 909 feet of rolling climb and the humidity are why.
Is the San Antonio Marathon a good first marathon?
A good first marathon, mostly because of the generous 7 hour limit and the 18 water stations on course. A field of 3,335 finishers in 2025 means company the whole way. Respect the humidity: pick a finishing time you'd be happy with on a warm day rather than a cool one.
San Antonio Marathon questions, answered.
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.
Is San Antonio a good Boston qualifier?
It's certified and eligible, but the numbers say it's hard. Just 1.9% of 2025 finishers ran a qualifying time, a very low share for a certified course. Between 909 feet of rolling climb and start line humidity that typically sits near 86%, this is a race to enjoy rather than a course to target.
What is the time limit for the San Antonio Marathon?
Seven hours, which is generous for a road marathon, from a 7:15 a.m. start at Hemisfair. The course carries 18 water stations, 9 electrolyte stations and 2 gel stations, plus medical coverage at ten locations, so a slower finisher is genuinely supported rather than merely tolerated.
Where does the San Antonio Marathon get hard?
The last six miles back into downtown, when 909 feet of accumulated rolling climb and start line humidity that typically sits near 86% finally add up at the same time.
What is the weather like at the San Antonio Marathon?
Early December in San Antonio typically means a 61F start with 86% humidity and a light westerly, an average high of 66F and an average low of 44F. That's a warm, damp start for a winter marathon. If you're training somewhere cold, get a few humid or midday sessions in anyway, because race morning is unlikely to be crisp.
Is the San Antonio Marathon a good Boston qualifier?
San Antonio is USATF certified and an official Boston qualifier, with a net elevation change of about seven feet, so no downhill adjustment applies. Actually qualifying here is rare: 1.9% of 2025 finishers ran qualifying times, a strikingly low share for a certified course. The 909 feet of rolling climb and the humidity are why.
Is the San Antonio Marathon a good first marathon?
A good first marathon, mostly because of the generous 7 hour limit and the 18 water stations on course. A field of 3,335 finishers in 2025 means company the whole way. Respect the humidity: pick a finishing time you'd be happy with on a warm day rather than a cool one.
When should I start training for the San Antonio Marathon 2026?
Race day is December 6, 2026. Counting back from that date, a 20-week build starts around July 19, 2026, a 16-week build around August 16, 2026, and a 12-week build around September 13, 2026. Already inside that window? Stride maps a plan from today to race day, whatever the runway.
How does Stride's San Antonio Marathon plan work?
Download the app, pick the San Antonio 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 December 6, 2026, 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 San Antonio 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.