Your plan in four answers
Set for December 13, 2026, about 7 weeks out.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
- Taper starts
- November 25, 2026
Course
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon course
This is a point-to-point run along the Mississippi coast: the marathon starts at Henderson Point in Pass Christian and the half starts near Jones Park in Gulfport, both at 7:00 a.m., and both race east on Highway 90 to the finish in Biloxi. Runners start in the eastbound lanes of Highway 90 and stay beside the Gulf almost the whole way, with open beach views on one side and historic homes on the other.
Read the full course notes
The course is flat and fast, USATF certified (MS20007MS for the marathon) and a Boston qualifier, with course records of 2:18:03 and 2:43:36. Runners ride race shuttles from Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi to the starts (about 24 miles to the marathon start), and gear check carries your bag to the finish. The time limit is 6 hours at a 13:45 per mile pace, and not every road is closed to traffic, so stay alert to course marshals.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Mid-December on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is usually cool, around 45–55 °F at the 7:00 a.m. start with highs near 62 °F, and December is one of the wetter months, with rain on about 9 days. The course hugs the open beach for 26 miles, so wind off the water can be a factor; the organisers advise staying in warm clothes until the last minute, and an even early pace pays off if you meet a headwind.
What to train for
A flat, exposed point-to-point course rewards steady pacing and the strength to hold form into a breeze.
Do your goal-pace long runs on open, flat roads and run some of them into the wind to learn to keep effort, not pace, even.
Build to 18 to 20 mile long runs with the final 6 to 8 at marathon pace, plus a weekly 5 to 8 mile tempo to raise the pace you can sustain. The early shuttle means a 4:45 to 5:45 a.m. departure, so rehearse an early breakfast and a long wait in the cold before at least two long runs.
Sample week
A sample Mississippi Gulf Coast 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
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Mississippi Gulf Coast 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. With the race on December 13, 2026, your taper starts around November 25, 2026.
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Build me a training plan for the Keesler Federal Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon on December 13, 2026. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Mississippi Gulf Coast 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 Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon course hilly?
Flat. This is a point-to-point run along the Mississippi coast: the marathon starts at Henderson Point in Pass Christian and the half starts near Jones Park in Gulfport, both at 7:00 a.m., and both race east on Highway 90 to the finish in Biloxi.
What is the weather usually like at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon?
Mid-December on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is usually cool, around 45–55 °F at the 7:00 a.m. start with highs near 62 °F, and December is one of the wetter months, with rain on about 9 days. The course hugs the open beach for 26 miles, so wind off the water can be a factor; the organisers advise staying in warm clothes until the last minute, and an even early pace pays off if you meet a headwind.
When should I start tapering for the Mississippi Gulf Coast 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. With the race on December 13, 2026, your taper starts around November 25, 2026.
Do I need an account to get a Mississippi Gulf Coast 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.