Your plan in four answers
Set for February 7, 2027, about 15 weeks out.
- Distances
- Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Terrain
- Rolling
- Taper starts
- January 26, 2027
Course
The Meia Maratona de Cascais course
All three races start on Passeio Dom Luís I at Baía de Cascais, the bay beside the old town. The half first heads east along Avenida 25 de Abril and Avenida Infante Dom Henrique towards Estoril, turns at the Álvaro Raul Canas da Mota roundabout, then swings west onto the Estrada do Guincho, the Atlantic coast road past Cabo Raso, to a turnaround by the Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho.
Read the full course notes
The return follows the same coast road, passes the Guia roundabout and drops down Avenida Rei Humberto II de Itália to the finish on the Passeio. There are no big hills: the road stays close to sea level with short rises and dips, but the open stretch towards Guincho is exposed to the ocean wind, which is why the organisers call the course challenging. The 10 km turns at Forte de São Jorge de Oitavos and finishes inside Marina de Cascais, and the 5 km also finishes in the marina.
- Terrain
- Rolling
- Distances
- Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Early February in Cascais usually means 10–14 °C at the 9:00 start, with afternoon highs around 15–16 °C. Rain falls on about ten days in a typical February and the Atlantic wind can be strong on the Guincho road, so bring a layer you can discard and tuck in behind other runners on the exposed stretch.
What to train for
The Guincho road rewards runners who hold effort, not pace, into the wind: do some long runs on an exposed route and let your pace drop on headwind sections while keeping your breathing steady.
Once a week add 6 to 8 x 1 minute uphill so the short rises near Guia feel easy late in the race.
Build tempo runs of 20 to 30 minutes at half marathon pace and long runs of 18 to 20 km in the final month. Practise running in a group, because sitting in a pack on the windy stretch saves real energy.
Sample week
A sample Meia Maratona de Cascais 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 km at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 8–10 km
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 11 km with 6 km at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 6 km, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 16–19 km easy
- Sunday
- Easy run, 6 km, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Meia Maratona de Cascais
Start the taper ten to fourteen days 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. With the race on February 7, 2027, your taper starts around January 26, 2027.
Also in Claude
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Build me a training plan for the Montepio Meia Maratona de Cascais (Half marathon) on February 7, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Meia Maratona de Cascais training questions
How long should I train for the Meia Maratona de Cascais?
Most runners give a half marathon twelve to sixteen 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 Meia Maratona de Cascais course hilly?
Rolling. All three races start on Passeio Dom Luís I at Baía de Cascais, the bay beside the old town.
What is the weather usually like at the Meia Maratona de Cascais?
Early February in Cascais usually means 10–14 °C at the 9:00 start, with afternoon highs around 15–16 °C. Rain falls on about ten days in a typical February and the Atlantic wind can be strong on the Guincho road, so bring a layer you can discard and tuck in behind other runners on the exposed stretch.
When should I start tapering for the Meia Maratona de Cascais?
Start the taper ten to fourteen days 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. With the race on February 7, 2027, your taper starts around January 26, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Meia Maratona de Cascais 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.