Your plan in four answers
Set for April 24, 2027, about 26 weeks out.
- Distances
- 5K, 10K, Half marathon, Marathon
- Sport
- Running
- Taper starts
- April 6, 2027
Course
The Salt Lake City Marathon course
The Salt Lake City Marathon, where urban meets the mountains, starts the marathon and half at the University of Utah Softball Stadium on Wasatch Drive and brings every distance to one finish line downtown at 451 S 200 E. The 10K and 5K start downtown at 451 S 300 E.
Read the full course notes
Along the way you get views of the Wasatch Mountains and pass through several of the city's best-known neighborhoods. Your bib is a free TRAX and FrontRunner ticket on race day, with Medical Center Station near the start and Library Station near the finish, so the easy plan is to park downtown and ride to the start. GU gels are handed out at mile 8 on the shared course and at miles 13.5, 17, 20 and 23 on the full.
- Distances
- 5K, 10K, Half marathon, Marathon
- Weather on race day
- Late April in Salt Lake City averages lows around 45 °F and highs near 66 °F, so an early start feels cool and the day warms quickly. It is also the time of year with the highest chance of a wet day, around 27 percent, so pack a throwaway layer and a rain shell for the start. Gear check is available at every start line and at the post-race party, which makes a warm layer easy to manage.
What to train for
The course runs from the university to downtown with mountain views, so include a weekly run on rolling roads and practice holding a relaxed, steady effort when the road tips down as well as up.
For the marathon, build long runs to 18 to 20 miles and test the gels you plan to use at miles 13.5, 17, 20 and 23.
For the half, long runs of 10 to 12 miles with the last few at goal pace work well. Utah Race Pacers run 1:35 to 3:00 in the half and 3:30 to 5:00 in the full, so pick a group and train at that pace. Every distance has sold out in past years, so register early and plan your build backwards from April 24.
Sample week
A sample Salt Lake 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 Salt Lake 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. With the race on April 24, 2027, your taper starts around April 6, 2027.
Also in Claude
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Build me a training plan for the Salt Lake City Marathon on April 24, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Salt Lake City Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Salt Lake 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 Salt Lake City Marathon course hilly?
The Salt Lake City Marathon, where urban meets the mountains, starts the marathon and half at the University of Utah Softball Stadium on Wasatch Drive and brings every distance to one finish line downtown at 451 S 200 E.
What is the weather usually like at the Salt Lake City Marathon?
Late April in Salt Lake City averages lows around 45 °F and highs near 66 °F, so an early start feels cool and the day warms quickly. It is also the time of year with the highest chance of a wet day, around 27 percent, so pack a throwaway layer and a rain shell for the start. Gear check is available at every start line and at the post-race party, which makes a warm layer easy to manage.
When should I start tapering for the Salt Lake 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. With the race on April 24, 2027, your taper starts around April 6, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Salt Lake 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.