Atlanta, GA · March
Atlanta Marathon Training Plan
A free 5k, half marathon, and marathon plan for the Publix Atlanta 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
- 5K, Half marathon, Marathon
- Course
- Hilly
- Usually held
- Each March
The Atlanta Marathon course
Atlanta's hills are not a rumour, and no course through this city avoids them: the terrain rolls without ever flattening out, and the climbing is relentless in the way that only a course with no flat sections can be. The Atlanta Track Club moved the race to a new date and a new course for 2027, so check the current map before you plan splits. It is a poor choice for a personal best and a very good one for learning to race terrain.
Weather on race day
Late February or early March in Atlanta typically starts in the 40s and finishes in the 50s. It is a cool, often grey morning, which is exactly what a course this hilly needs.
What to train for
Downhill running as much as climbing. Atlanta gives back every foot it takes, and the descents are what wreck quads by mile 18. Include deliberate downhill repeats in the build, not just hill climbs, and set a goal based on effort rather than a flat-course time.
Registration and official details: Atlanta Marathon official site
Atlanta Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Atlanta 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 Atlanta Marathon course hilly?
Hilly. Atlanta's hills are not a rumour, and no course through this city avoids them: the terrain rolls without ever flattening out, and the climbing is relentless in the way that only a course with no flat sections can be. The Atlanta Track Club moved the race to a new date and a new course for 2027, so check the current map before you plan splits. It is a poor choice for a personal best and a very good one for learning to race terrain.
What is the weather usually like at the Atlanta Marathon?
Late February or early March in Atlanta typically starts in the 40s and finishes in the 50s. It is a cool, often grey morning, which is exactly what a course this hilly needs.
Do I need an account to get a Atlanta 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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