Your plan in four answers
Set for March 7, 2027, about 19 weeks out.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
- Taper starts
- February 17, 2027
Course
The One City Marathon course
The marathon is a point-to-point course that runs the entire length of Newport News, from the start at Newport News Park to a downtown finish near Newport News Shipbuilding, the yard that builds the US Navy's aircraft carriers. Along the way it takes in the Virginia Peninsula's parks, waterways and historic neighborhoods, and it is a USATF-certified Boston qualifier.
Read the full course notes
The half marathon follows the second half of the marathon course and is billed as fast and flat, finishing at the same downtown line. Both start at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, with water stations about every 2 miles and a 7-hour limit (16:00 per mile) checked at miles 6.5, 13.1, 18 and 23. The Maritime 5K runs the day before, Saturday at 8:00 a.m.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Early March on the Virginia Peninsula is usually chilly at the 7:00 a.m. start, around 35–50 °F, and it can be breezy near the water, with rain possible. Bring a throwaway layer and gloves; cool air suits an even marathon pace once you warm up.
What to train for
A flat, point-to-point course rewards patient, even pacing: in long runs, hold the first 10 miles 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than goal before settling in.
Build to 18 to 20 miles with the last 6 at marathon pace, and do key winter workouts outdoors when safe so cold, windy mornings feel familiar.
Gatorade is at alternate stations early and at every station from about mile 16, with chews at miles 14 and 20, so train with similar fuel. Half marathoners should add a weekly tempo of 4 to 6 miles at half marathon effort.
Sample week
A sample One City 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 One City 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 March 7, 2027, your taper starts around February 17, 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 Newport News One City Marathon on March 7, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
One City Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the One City 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 One City Marathon course hilly?
Flat. The marathon is a point-to-point course that runs the entire length of Newport News, from the start at Newport News Park to a downtown finish near Newport News Shipbuilding, the yard that builds the US Navy's aircraft carriers.
What is the weather usually like at the One City Marathon?
Early March on the Virginia Peninsula is usually chilly at the 7:00 a.m. start, around 35–50 °F, and it can be breezy near the water, with rain possible. Bring a throwaway layer and gloves; cool air suits an even marathon pace once you warm up.
When should I start tapering for the One City 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 March 7, 2027, your taper starts around February 17, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a One City 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.