Your plan in four answers
Set for April 10, 2027, about 24 weeks out.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Taper starts
- March 23, 2027
Course
The Mountain Man Memorial March course
The Mountain Man Memorial March starts and finishes at Pi Beta Phi Elementary School on Cherokee Orchard Road in Gatlinburg, with every event going off at 8:00 a.m. Alongside the full and half marathon runs, the 10K and the 5K, the day includes military and civilian marches with heavy and light ruck divisions, all honoring America's fallen servicemembers and their Gold Star Families.
Read the full course notes
The route travels from Gatlinburg into the Smoky Mountains on paved road, gravel road and other uneven terrain, with flat stretches, rolling hills and steep climbs. Water, snacks, medical aid and support staff are on the course, but the organizers strongly advise carrying your own water and fuel. It is a moving, community-centered day in the mountains, with Gold Star Families welcomed at the event.
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Weather on race day
- April in Gatlinburg is mild but changeable: Wanderlog lists an average high of 67 °F and a low of 46 °F, with a 42% chance of rain on a typical day. Mountain mornings at an 8:00 a.m. start can feel cool, so dress in layers you can shed as you climb. Gravel and pavement can turn slick after spring showers, so choose shoes with good grip.
What to train for
Climbing is the main event here, so add a weekly hill session such as 6 to 8 x 2 to 3 minutes uphill at a strong effort, with easy jogs down.
Do part of your long runs on gravel or uneven ground so your ankles and feet are ready for the mixed surfaces.
Practice carrying your own water and eating on the move, since self-support is encouraged. Pace by effort rather than by the watch on the steep sections, and if you march with a ruck, check the official weight rules and train with that load well before April.
Sample week
A sample Mountain Man Memorial March 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
- Hill repeats: 10 × 90 s up a steady grade, jog back down
- 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 on hilly ground, steady effort on the climbs
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Mountain Man Memorial March
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 hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on April 10, 2027, your taper starts around March 23, 2027.
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 Mountain Man Memorial March (Marathon) on April 10, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Mountain Man Memorial March training questions
How long should I train for the Mountain Man Memorial March?
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 Mountain Man Memorial March course hilly?
Hilly. The Mountain Man Memorial March starts and finishes at Pi Beta Phi Elementary School on Cherokee Orchard Road in Gatlinburg, with every event going off at 8:00 a.m.
What is the weather usually like at the Mountain Man Memorial March?
April in Gatlinburg is mild but changeable: Wanderlog lists an average high of 67 °F and a low of 46 °F, with a 42% chance of rain on a typical day. Mountain mornings at an 8:00 a.m. start can feel cool, so dress in layers you can shed as you climb. Gravel and pavement can turn slick after spring showers, so choose shoes with good grip.
When should I start tapering for the Mountain Man Memorial March?
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 hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on April 10, 2027, your taper starts around March 23, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Mountain Man Memorial March 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.