Your plan in four answers
Set for September 18, 2027, about 47 weeks out.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K
- Terrain
- Rolling
- Taper starts
- August 31, 2027
Course
The Oslo Marathon course
Every race starts and finishes at Rådhusplassen, the square in front of Oslo City Hall on the harbour. The half marathon loop takes in Aker Brygge, Akershus Fortress and Akershusstranda, the western districts of Frogner and Skøyen, Bislett and the main street Karl Johan, and marathoners run it twice, passing Frognerparken as well.
Read the full course notes
On the 2026 course the half climbed about 175 m and the marathon about 350 m, so the route is rolling rather than flat, with the rises spread across each lap; the 2027 course will be presented closer to race day. Races are spread through the day: the marathon at 09:00, the half at 13:00 and 10 for Grete, named after Grete Waitz, at 16:20, with the 10 km carrying only about 50 m of climbing. Marathoners must reach halfway inside 3 hours to start the second lap, and the overall limit is 6 hours.
- Terrain
- Rolling
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K
- Weather on race day
- Mid-September in Oslo is usually cool and fresh, around 8–13 °C for the 09:00 marathon start and 12–16 °C for the afternoon races. Showers are common and a breeze off the fjord can be felt along the waterfront, so bring a throwaway layer to the start. These are kind temperatures for a steady pace; drink at the stations even if you do not feel thirsty.
What to train for
With about 350 m of climbing over two laps, do your long runs on rolling roads rather than flat paths, building to 30–34 km with the final 8–10 km at goal pace.
Add a weekly hill session such as 6–8 x 2 minutes uphill at half marathon effort.
Run the first lap with restraint, because the same rises come round again on tired legs, and practise negative-split long runs to rehearse it. Half and 10 km runners with afternoon starts should rehearse a race-day breakfast and lunch before a midday or late-afternoon session.
Sample week
A sample Oslo 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
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Oslo 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. With the race on September 18, 2027, your taper starts around August 31, 2027.
Also in Claude
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Add AthleteSpace to Claude once, then paste this prompt and put in your own numbers.
Build me a training plan for the DNB Oslo Marathon on September 18, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Oslo Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Oslo 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 Oslo Marathon course hilly?
Rolling. Every race starts and finishes at Rådhusplassen, the square in front of Oslo City Hall on the harbour.
What is the weather usually like at the Oslo Marathon?
Mid-September in Oslo is usually cool and fresh, around 8–13 °C for the 09:00 marathon start and 12–16 °C for the afternoon races. Showers are common and a breeze off the fjord can be felt along the waterfront, so bring a throwaway layer to the start. These are kind temperatures for a steady pace; drink at the stations even if you do not feel thirsty.
When should I start tapering for the Oslo 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. With the race on September 18, 2027, your taper starts around August 31, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Oslo 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.