Hal Higdon Marathon Training
Free 18 week marathon schedules at every level, from a first-marathon Novice plan to twice-weekly speedwork.
First-time marathoners, and anyone who wants a proven schedule without paying for one
Checked against Hal Higdon’s own pages on August 3, 2026.
About Hal Higdon Marathon Training
Hal Higdon's site reports more than a million runners have trained on his free marathon schedules. The core plans run 18 weeks and scale from Novice 1, with 4 run days and a 20 mile peak long run, up to Advanced 2, with 6 run days and speedwork twice a week. The web schedules are free and complete. The Run With Hal app and TrainingPeaks sell interactive versions of the same plans.
- Every core marathon plan peaks with a 20 mile long run and ends with a three week taper.
- Difficulty scales by run days: 4 in Novice, 5 in Intermediate, 6 in Advanced, plus speedwork at the top end.
- Higdon publishes peak long run distances, not peak weekly mileage.
- Half marathon plans exist at every level, from Novice 1 through Advanced.
- Additional variants cover Boston Bound, Personal Best, Senior, and multi-race schedules.
The plans
| Plan | Weeks | Run days | Longest run | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novice 1 (The classic first marathon plan.) | 18 | 4 runs, 1 cross-train | 20 miles | Beginner |
| Novice 2 (For runners with about a year of running and a 15 to 25 mile weekly base.) | 18 | 4 runs, 1 cross-train | 20 miles | Beginner |
| Intermediate 1 (Not recommended for a first marathon per the plan page.) | 18 | 5 runs, 1 cross-train | 20 miles | Intermediate |
| Intermediate 2 (Three 20 mile long runs across the buildup.) | 18 | 5 runs, 1 cross-train | 20 miles | Intermediate |
| Advanced 1 (One weekly speedwork day: hills, 800s, or tempo.) | 18 | 6 runs | 20 miles | Advanced |
| Advanced 2 (Two weekly speedwork days. The toughest plan Hal offers.) | 18 | 6 runs | 20 miles | Advanced |
| Novice Supreme (A 12 week base phase ahead of the Novice 1 buildup. TrainingPeaks only.) | 30 | 4 runs, 1 cross-train | 20 miles | Beginner |
| Marathon 3 (For experienced runners who cannot run more than 3 days a week.) | 24 | 3 runs plus cross-training | 20 miles | Intermediate |
Ways to get it
Free web schedules
Free
Every core marathon and half marathon plan, printable from the site.
Run With Hal app
Free 14 day trial, Hal+ subscription price not published
Interactive and adjustable versions of the plans. Novice Supreme is not in the app.
TrainingPeaks plans
Sold per plan (Novice 1 listed at $39.95)
Structured workouts that sync to watches and the TrainingPeaks calendar.
Common questions
Which Hal Higdon plan should a first-time marathoner use?
Novice 1 is the classic first marathon plan: 18 weeks, 4 run days plus a cross-training day, peaking at a 20 mile long run. Runners with about a year of base can start at Novice 2, and Novice Supreme stretches the buildup to 30 weeks for those starting from limited running.
How long are Hal Higdon's marathon plans?
The core plans are all 18 weeks. Marathon 3 runs 24 weeks on 3 run days a week, and Novice Supreme runs 30 weeks with a built-in base phase.
Are Hal Higdon's plans free?
Yes. The full web schedules are free on halhigdon.com. Paid options add interactivity: the Run With Hal app personalizes the plans after a free 14 day trial, and TrainingPeaks versions sync structured workouts to your watch.