Your plan in four answers
Beat The Blerch has not announced its next date, so we have estimated September. Change the date below once you know it.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
Course
The Beat The Blerch course
All four distances start at Tolt-MacDonald Park in Carnation, about 35 minutes east of Seattle, and run out and back on the gravel Snoqualmie Valley Trail through mossy evergreen forest. It is a flat course, a friendly place to chase a personal best or finish your first race.
Read the full course notes
Starts are staggered: in 2026 the marathon went at 8:00 a.m., the half at 9:00 a.m. and the 10K at 9:30 a.m. in waves of about 150 to 200 runners, and the 5K at noon, with the course closing at 3:00 p.m. Marathon aid stations sat at miles 1.8, 4.6, 8.2, 11.2, 13, 16, 19, 20.5 and 23.5, and the race, created by The Oatmeal, is famous for birthday cake, Nutella sandwiches and couches on the course for anyone the Blerch tempts to sit down.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Mid-September in the Snoqualmie Valley is usually mild and mostly dry, with mornings around 50–58 °F and afternoons in the low to mid 70s. The forest canopy keeps much of the trail shaded, but later starters, especially the noon 5K, can feel some warmth, so drink early. Morning valley fog or an early autumn shower are both possible.
What to train for
Flat gravel rewards steady pacing, so practice even splits on a rail trail or gravel path to get used to the slightly softer footing.
Marathoners should build to 18 to 20 mile long runs with the final 4 to 6 miles at goal pace, and the out-and-back layout makes it easy to rehearse a negative split: start conservatively and press after the turnaround.
Half and 10K runners can add a weekly tempo run of 20 to 30 minutes at threshold effort on a similar surface. If you plan to enjoy the cake, eat something solid on a long run first so race day holds no surprises.
Sample week
A sample Beat The Blerch 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 Beat The Blerch
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 Beat The Blerch (Marathon) in September. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Beat The Blerch training questions
How long should I train for the Beat The Blerch?
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 Beat The Blerch course hilly?
Flat. All four distances start at Tolt-MacDonald Park in Carnation, about 35 minutes east of Seattle, and run out and back on the gravel Snoqualmie Valley Trail through mossy evergreen forest.
What is the weather usually like at the Beat The Blerch?
Mid-September in the Snoqualmie Valley is usually mild and mostly dry, with mornings around 50–58 °F and afternoons in the low to mid 70s. The forest canopy keeps much of the trail shaded, but later starters, especially the noon 5K, can feel some warmth, so drink early. Morning valley fog or an early autumn shower are both possible.
When should I start tapering for the Beat The Blerch?
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 Beat The Blerch 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.