Your plan in four answers
Alsace Vineyard Marathon has not announced its next date, so we have estimated June. Change the date below once you know it.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Terrain
- Rolling
Course
The Alsace Vineyard Marathon course
The Marathon du Vignoble d'Alsace takes you through the vineyards west of Strasbourg: the marathon and 10 km start at the Carrefour Dorlisheim and every race finishes at the Village Marathon in Molsheim. The marathon crosses 17 flower-decked villages, partly along the Route des Vins d'Alsace, on roads and vineyard tracks with about 350 m of climbing.
Read the full course notes
The half marathon starts in Scharrachbergheim and rolls through around ten villages with about 200 m of gain. Along the way you will find 12 gastronomic and wine stops on the marathon and 8 sports aid stations, plus music in the villages.
- Terrain
- Rolling
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Around 21 June, nearby Strasbourg averages highs of about 23 °C and lows of about 13 °C, so the early marathon start is usually cool. The vineyards offer little shade, and the afternoon can warm up quickly for runners finishing later, so carry sun protection and drink at every aid station. There is roughly a one-in-three chance of rain on a given day in late June, while muggy days are uncommon.
What to train for
With 350 m of gain spread over rolling vineyard roads, add hills to your long runs and practice holding an even effort rather than an even pace on the climbs.
Some sections use vineyard tracks, so run part of your training on gravel or packed dirt to get used to the footing.
The marathon has a generous 6 h 30 time limit (4 h 30 for the half), which makes this a friendly first marathon if you pace the early climbs patiently. Plan your fueling around the 8 sports aid stations and treat the gastronomic stops as a bonus, not your nutrition plan.
Sample week
A sample Alsace Vineyard 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 × 1.5 km at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 10–11 km
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 16 km with 10 km at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 6 km, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 26–29 km, the last 6 km at race pace
- Sunday
- Easy run, 6 km, then 6 relaxed strides
Taper
Tapering for the Alsace Vineyard 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 rolls, so keep one short session on undulating ground in the first taper week.
Also in Claude
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Build me a training plan for the Marathon du Vignoble d'Alsace in June. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Alsace Vineyard Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Alsace Vineyard 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 Alsace Vineyard Marathon course hilly?
Rolling. The Marathon du Vignoble d'Alsace takes you through the vineyards west of Strasbourg: the marathon and 10 km start at the Carrefour Dorlisheim and every race finishes at the Village Marathon in Molsheim.
What is the weather usually like at the Alsace Vineyard Marathon?
Around 21 June, nearby Strasbourg averages highs of about 23 °C and lows of about 13 °C, so the early marathon start is usually cool. The vineyards offer little shade, and the afternoon can warm up quickly for runners finishing later, so carry sun protection and drink at every aid station. There is roughly a one-in-three chance of rain on a given day in late June, while muggy days are uncommon.
When should I start tapering for the Alsace Vineyard 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 rolls, so keep one short session on undulating ground in the first taper week.
Do I need an account to get a Alsace Vineyard 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.