Your plan in four answers
Atlantic City Marathon has not announced its next date, so we have estimated October. Change the date below once you know it.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
Course
The Atlantic City Marathon course
All races start and finish on the Boardwalk at Michigan Avenue in front of Bally's, and the organizers describe the course as fast and flat, with eight miles of oceanfront Boardwalk running. Marathoners and half marathoners head inland first, past the Convention Center on Bacharach Boulevard and out Brigantine Boulevard to the marina district behind the Borgata around mile 4, then return to the Boardwalk by the Showboat around mile 8.
Read the full course notes
The half turns around on the Boardwalk at Baton Rouge Avenue, while the marathon continues down Absecon Island through Ventnor and Margate to a turnaround on Atlantic Avenue in Longport before heading back. First run in 1958, it is the third oldest continuing marathon in the United States, and the marathon is a USATF certified Boston qualifier. The marathon course stays open for 6.5 hours and the half for 3.5 hours, with cutoffs at the halfway mark (11:15 a.m.) and at mile 20.5 in Longport (1:00 p.m.).
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Mid-October in Atlantic City is usually mild by the ocean, with normal lows in the mid 50s °F and highs in the mid 60s °F, so expect roughly 52–60 °F at the 8:00 a.m. start. The Boardwalk and island roads are open to the sky and the sea, so a breeze can mean a headwind in one direction: run by effort into it and enjoy the push on the way back.
What to train for
A flat, fast course rewards sustained pace, so build around marathon-pace long runs (the last 6 to 10 miles of an 18 to 20 miler at goal pace) and a weekly tempo run of 5 to 8 miles.
Practice holding effort into a steady wind on open roads, rather than chasing splits.
The out-and-back turnarounds on the Boardwalk and in Longport break the race into segments: rehearse tight turns in training and use the return legs to reel runners in. If you are aiming to finish near the 6.5-hour limit, plan around the cutoffs: halfway by 11:15 a.m. and mile 20.5 by 1:00 p.m.
Sample week
A sample Atlantic City 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 Atlantic City 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.
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Build me a training plan for the AmeriHealth Atlantic City Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & G. Larry James 5K in October. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Atlantic City Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Atlantic City 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 Atlantic City Marathon course hilly?
Flat. All races start and finish on the Boardwalk at Michigan Avenue in front of Bally's, and the organizers describe the course as fast and flat, with eight miles of oceanfront Boardwalk running.
What is the weather usually like at the Atlantic City Marathon?
Mid-October in Atlantic City is usually mild by the ocean, with normal lows in the mid 50s °F and highs in the mid 60s °F, so expect roughly 52–60 °F at the 8:00 a.m. start. The Boardwalk and island roads are open to the sky and the sea, so a breeze can mean a headwind in one direction: run by effort into it and enjoy the push on the way back.
When should I start tapering for the Atlantic City 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 Atlantic City 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.