Vancouver, Canada · May
Vancouver Marathon Training Plan
A free half marathon and marathon plan for the BMO Vancouver 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
- Rolling
- Usually held
- Each May
The Vancouver Marathon course
Widely rated one of the most scenic marathons anywhere, running from Queen Elizabeth Park through Kitsilano, around Stanley Park, and finishing downtown. It rolls more than the postcard photographs suggest, with the climb around Camosun and the hills in the early miles supplying most of the difficulty before the flat seawall miles late on.
Weather on race day
Early May in Vancouver is cool and frequently wet: starts in the 40s or 50s, highs in the 50s or 60s. Rain is common and the seawall section is exposed to wind off the water.
What to train for
Front-half hill control and a strong finish on the flat. The elevation is concentrated early, so the race rewards patience through the climbs and the ability to run the seawall miles hard when your legs are already 20 miles in. Train long runs that finish fast after a hilly start.
Registration and official details: Vancouver Marathon official site
Vancouver Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Vancouver 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 Vancouver Marathon course hilly?
Rolling. Widely rated one of the most scenic marathons anywhere, running from Queen Elizabeth Park through Kitsilano, around Stanley Park, and finishing downtown. It rolls more than the postcard photographs suggest, with the climb around Camosun and the hills in the early miles supplying most of the difficulty before the flat seawall miles late on.
What is the weather usually like at the Vancouver Marathon?
Early May in Vancouver is cool and frequently wet: starts in the 40s or 50s, highs in the 50s or 60s. Rain is common and the seawall section is exposed to wind off the water.
Do I need an account to get a Vancouver 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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