Training lead time
The goal is finishing, not a time. Pick your race and enter how many kilometres you run in a week; we work out how long it takes to reach the level this race asks for without rushing the build.
The list filters as you type
Be realistic; a day count you cannot keep up breaks the plan from the start.
Your average over the last few months. If you run hills, count every 100 m of climbing as 1 km.
Time needed before the race
3 months
14 weeks · 10 weeks building, 2 weeks taper, 2 weeks spare
- Your peak week reaches 55 effort km and your longest run 32 km.
A typical week at peak
Long run32 km
The session that defines the week; run it on ground close to the race and rehearse your fuelling here.
Tempo8 km
Uncomfortable but controlled; the band where talking gets hard and breathing stays under control.
Intervals8 km
Short fast repeats with recoveries; it sharpens fitness without adding much volume.
Easy run8 km
A pace you can talk at; most of the volume comes from here and it is what lets you recover.
The kilometres shown are the peak week; early weeks start proportionally smaller and grow gradually.
The calculation answers one question: how many weeks does it take to climb from your current weekly volume to the peak week this race asks for? Weekly growth is capped at 10 per cent, one week in four is treated as an easy week, and the plan ends with 1 to 3 taper weeks depending on race size plus 2 spare weeks for illness or disruption. Distance and climbing are converted to effort kilometres first, counting every 100 metres of gain as 1 kilometre. The peak week target is a common coaching convention for finish focused runners, not a measured threshold. This page does not promise you will avoid injury; it only shows how long an unhurried build takes.
These are general ranges and assume normal conditions. Trail, heat, elevation gain, wind and technical ground all make the real time longer.
Frequently asked questions
(9)
How many months should I train for a marathon?
For someone running 30 kilometres a week the calculation gives 14 weeks, about 3 months. At 50 kilometres a week 8 weeks is enough. The difference comes entirely from the starting volume: the shorter the climb, the shorter the preparation.
How long do I need to prepare for an ultra marathon?
For a 60 to 70 kilometre mountain ultra, someone running 30 kilometres a week needs 19 to 20 weeks, roughly 4.5 months. Climbing is counted in, so it takes longer than a flat race over the same distance.
What is the 10 per cent rule?
It is the habit of not raising weekly running volume more than 10 per cent above the previous week. It is a common safety margin rather than a law; the point is to leave muscle, tendon and bone time to adapt. The lead time on this page is built on that rate of increase.
Why is every fourth week easy?
Adaptation happens while recovering, not while loading. Building for three weeks and cutting volume in the fourth is a common pattern, which is why the calendar runs about a third longer than the build weeks alone.
How long should the taper be?
This page allows 1 to 3 weeks depending on race size: 1 for short races, 2 at marathon scale, 3 for long ultras. Volume drops during the taper while intensity is kept; the aim is to shed fatigue without losing fitness.
What if I do not have enough time before the race?
If fewer weeks remain than the plan needs, speeding up the build is the riskiest option. Moving to a shorter course at the same event or postponing to a later date are the two safer choices. If you race anyway, fix the goal at finishing and write the walking breaks into the plan from the start.
How do I include climbing in my weekly kilometres?
Count every 100 metres of elevation gain as 1 kilometre and add it to the total. Running 30 kilometres with 800 metres of climbing in a week makes 38 effort kilometres. The race side uses the same conversion, so the two numbers are comparable.
Should my peak week match the race distance?
For short races the peak week is bigger than the race, for long ultras it is smaller. At 42 kilometres the peak week sits a little above race distance; beyond 100 effort kilometres nobody carries weekly volume equal to the race, and trying to would be wear rather than preparation.
Does this apply if I do not run at all yet?
No. Starting from nothing you need a few months of base first, three days a week of 20 to 30 minute run walk sessions; this page measures the preparation built on top of that base. Entering zero makes the calculation assume the lowest volume and stretch the answer accordingly.