Pittsburgh, PA · May
Pittsburgh Marathon Training Plan
A free half marathon and marathon plan for the DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, built around the course and your current fitness. Answer four questions and you will see every week of it. No account, no email, no card.
- Distances
- Half marathon, Marathon
- Course
- Hilly
- Usually held
- Each May
The Pittsburgh Marathon course
Crosses several of Pittsburgh's bridges and works through the city's neighbourhoods, with the climb up through the Strip District and into the middle miles being the section people remember. The bridges are flatter than they look; the neighbourhood streets between them are not. Crowd support is exceptional.
Weather on race day
Early May in Pittsburgh is usually mild, in the 50s, with a real chance of rain. A warm year in the 70s is the scenario that turns the hilly second half into a much longer day.
What to train for
Hill repeats and downhill conditioning. Pittsburgh climbs and descends constantly, and it is the descents that leave people unable to run the last 10K. Train both directions deliberately and treat the mile-12 climb as the point where your race plan is actually tested.
Registration and official details: Pittsburgh Marathon official site
Pittsburgh Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Pittsburgh Marathon?
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 Pittsburgh Marathon course hilly?
Hilly. Crosses several of Pittsburgh's bridges and works through the city's neighbourhoods, with the climb up through the Strip District and into the middle miles being the section people remember. The bridges are flatter than they look; the neighbourhood streets between them are not. Crowd support is exceptional.
What is the weather usually like at the Pittsburgh Marathon?
Early May in Pittsburgh is usually mild, in the 50s, with a real chance of rain. A warm year in the 70s is the scenario that turns the hilly second half into a much longer day.
Do I need an account to get a Pittsburgh 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.
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