Your plan in four answers
Appletree Marathon has not announced its next date, so we have estimated August. Change the date below once you know it.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
Course
The Appletree Marathon course
The start and finish sit on historic Officers Row in front of the Grant House, with the post-race party in Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. The route drops from Officers Row past the Army barracks, Pearson Field (billed as the oldest operating airport in the USA) and the Old Apple Tree to the Columbia River, then follows the riverfront east past Marine Park toward Wintler Park, with views of Mount Hood.
Read the full course notes
It is mostly flat, staying between about 10 and 115 feet: the first mile descends to the river and the last mile climbs back about 80 feet to Officers Row, and the marathon map traces the riverfront section twice, passing the start area at halfway. Expect one quarter-mile stretch of gravel and grass behind the fort. The marathon and half are USATF certified and Boston qualifying, roads are closed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and there is a water station roughly every mile.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Late August in Vancouver is usually dry and sunny, with the 7 a.m. marathon start around 55–65 °F and afternoon highs in the low 80s. Marathoners finish in the warmest part of the morning, so start conservatively, drink at the frequent stations and use sunscreen.
What to train for
This is a PR course, so the work is goal-pace fitness plus a strong finish up the final rise.
Build marathon long runs to 18 to 20 miles with the last 4 to 6 at goal pace; half marathoners can do 2 x 3 miles at goal pace inside a 10- to 12-mile run.
Finish key runs with a 2- to 4-minute climb at steady effort to rehearse the rise from the river to Officers Row, and include a short trail section in some runs to get used to the quarter mile of gravel and grass. Running Saturday's Sunset 5K plus Sunday's race earns the BEAST medal; if you go for it, treat the 5K as a relaxed shakeout.
Sample week
A sample Appletree Marathon training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Intervals: 5 × 1 mile at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 6–7 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 10 mi with 6 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 16–18 mi, the last 4 mi at race pace
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Taper
Tapering for the Appletree Marathon
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is flat, so pacing decides the day: rehearse your goal pace in short segments during race week.
Also in Claude
Ask Claude for this plan
Add AthleteSpace to Claude once, then paste this prompt and put in your own numbers.
Build me a training plan for the PeaceHealth Appletree Marathon in August. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Appletree Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Appletree Marathon?
Most runners give a marathon sixteen to twenty weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Appletree Marathon course hilly?
Flat. The start and finish sit on historic Officers Row in front of the Grant House, with the post-race party in Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
What is the weather usually like at the Appletree Marathon?
Late August in Vancouver is usually dry and sunny, with the 7 a.m. marathon start around 55–65 °F and afternoon highs in the low 80s. Marathoners finish in the warmest part of the morning, so start conservatively, drink at the frequent stations and use sunscreen.
When should I start tapering for the Appletree Marathon?
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is flat, so pacing decides the day: rehearse your goal pace in short segments during race week.
Do I need an account to get a Appletree Marathon training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.