Your plan in four answers
Top of Utah Marathon has not announced its next date, so we have estimated September. Change the date below once you know it.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
Course
The Top of Utah Marathon course
The races start and finish in historic downtown Logan, where the block from 100 West to Main Street is closed for race day, so there is no early bus to a remote start. The route follows the Logan River Trail past the Logan River Golf Course, then heads out on wide-open country roads and through wetlands on the west side of Cache Valley, including a closed stretch of 600 South, with the Wellsville Mountains and the Cache National Forest in view.
Read the full course notes
The organizers describe the grade as at or near zero for most of the course, and it is a Boston qualifier and Utah's only Olympic Trials marathon qualifier. Logan sits at about 4,500 feet, so the flat profile comes with thinner air than sea-level runners are used to. The marathon starts at 7:10 a.m. and has a 6 hour 20 minute limit.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Weather on race day
- The organizers report typical temperatures of 45–55 °F at the 7:10 a.m. start, with a chance of rain in any year. Cache Valley air is dry and the sun gets strong by late morning, so drink early and use the clothing drops at miles 3, 8, 12, 17 and 22 to shed layers as it warms.
What to train for
With almost no hills, this is a pacing race: build long runs to 20 miles with the last 6 to 8 at goal pace, and add a weekly tempo of 5 to 7 miles to lock in a steady rhythm on long, straight roads.
If you live near sea level, expect goal pace to feel a little harder at 4,500 feet and run the first miles by effort.
Practice taking gels on the move, since full aid with gels comes at miles 3, 8, 12, 17, 23 and 24. Open farm roads can bring wind, so do some long runs on exposed routes.
Sample week
A sample Top of Utah 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
Taper
Tapering for the Top of Utah 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.
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Build me a training plan for the Cytiva Top of Utah Marathon in September. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Top of Utah Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Top of Utah 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 Top of Utah Marathon course hilly?
Flat. The races start and finish in historic downtown Logan, where the block from 100 West to Main Street is closed for race day, so there is no early bus to a remote start.
What is the weather usually like at the Top of Utah Marathon?
The organizers report typical temperatures of 45–55 °F at the 7:10 a.m. start, with a chance of rain in any year. Cache Valley air is dry and the sun gets strong by late morning, so drink early and use the clothing drops at miles 3, 8, 12, 17 and 22 to shed layers as it warms.
When should I start tapering for the Top of Utah 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.
Do I need an account to get a Top of Utah 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.