Twin Cities Marathon training plan: course, start dates, and plan options
Minneapolis, MNOctober 4, 2026
Twin Cities bills itself as the most beautiful urban marathon in America, and in early October, with lakes, river parkways, and full fall color from Minneapolis to St. Paul, it makes a strong case.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
It’s also sneakily honest as a course: mostly gentle for 19 miles, then a long, gradual climb toward Summit Avenue exactly when a marathon starts telling you the truth. Stride matches you to a plan that builds the strength to run that stretch instead of surviving it.
9 days to race day
Twin Cities Marathon · October 4, 2026
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 Twin Cities Marathon 2026
Race day is October 4, 2026, which is 9 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 1 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.
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 Twin Cities 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 Twin Cities 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: lakes, river, and the Summit Avenue grind
The point-to-point route leaves downtown Minneapolis, loops the Chain of Lakes, follows the Mississippi River parkways, and crosses into St. Paul for a finish at the State Capitol. Crowds are steady the whole way, and the fall scenery genuinely helps the middle miles pass.
The defining feature comes late: from roughly mile 20 the course climbs gradually up to Summit Avenue and stays subtly uphill for miles before the final drop to the Capitol. None of it is steep; it’s the timing that makes it hard. A long, shallow climb on marathon-fatigued legs is a different sport from the same climb fresh.
How to train for a late-climbing course
Practice running uphill tired. The single most course-specific thing you can do for Twin Cities is finish long runs on gradual climbs, teaching your body to hold form and effort when glycogen is low. Runners who only do fresh-legged hill repeats get strong; runners who climb at the end of long runs get ready.
An early-October race also means a summer buildup: run by effort through the heat and trust that a cool Minnesota morning returns the pace with interest.
Getting in
Twin Cities uses open registration with a capped field: no lottery, no qualifying standards. Register early in the year if you want certainty; the marathon regularly fills before race week.
Twin Cities Marathon questions, answered.
How long do I need to train for the Twin Cities Marathon?
Most Stride marathon plans run 12 to 20 weeks depending on where you're starting from. Get matched in the app and Stride maps every week from today to race day, including long runs you can point at the course's late climb.
How hard is the hill at the end of Twin Cities?
It's long, not steep: a gradual climb from around mile 20 up to Summit Avenue. It feels hard because of when it arrives, not how it looks. Finish some long runs uphill in training and it becomes a place to pass people.
Is Twin Cities a good first marathon?
Yes: strong organization, steady crowds, gorgeous October scenery, and a course that's fair as long as you respect the late miles. Tell Stride it's your first and you'll get a conservative first-finish build.
Does Twin Cities require a qualifying time?
No. It's open registration with a capped field that typically sells out, so sign up early rather than fast.
When should I start training for the Twin Cities Marathon 2026?
Race day is October 4, 2026. Counting back from that date, a 20-week build starts around May 17, 2026, a 16-week build around June 14, 2026, and a 12-week build around July 12, 2026. Already inside that window? Stride maps a plan from today to race day, whatever the runway.
How does Stride's Twin Cities Marathon plan work?
Download the app, pick the Twin Cities 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 October 4, 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 Twin Cities 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.