Indianapolis, IN · November

Monumental Marathon Training Plan

A free 5k, half marathon, and marathon plan for the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, built around the course and your current fitness. Answer four questions and you will see every week of it. No account, no email, no card.

Distances
5K, Half marathon, Marathon
Course
Flat
Usually held
Each November

The Monumental Marathon course

Genuinely flat, well organised, and held in early November, which is why it produces an enormous number of Boston qualifiers each year. The course runs out of downtown Indianapolis through the north side neighbourhoods and back to a finish beneath the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Its whole appeal is that nothing about it gets in the way.

Weather on race day

Early November in Indianapolis is usually cold and still: starts around freezing, finishes in the 40s. These are excellent marathon conditions and a large part of why the race has the reputation it does.

What to train for

Pure marathon-specific fitness. There is no terrain, weather, or altitude to prepare for, which means the race is an honest read on your training. Prioritise long runs with large goal-pace blocks, get the fuelling plan exact, and pace the first 10K to feel too easy.

Registration and official details: Monumental Marathon official site

Monumental Marathon training questions

How long should I train for the Monumental 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 Monumental Marathon course hilly?

Flat. Genuinely flat, well organised, and held in early November, which is why it produces an enormous number of Boston qualifiers each year. The course runs out of downtown Indianapolis through the north side neighbourhoods and back to a finish beneath the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Its whole appeal is that nothing about it gets in the way.

What is the weather usually like at the Monumental Marathon?

Early November in Indianapolis is usually cold and still: starts around freezing, finishes in the 40s. These are excellent marathon conditions and a large part of why the race has the reputation it does.

Do I need an account to get a Monumental 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.

Other races

All race training plans · Plan for a different race