Your plan in four answers
Set for September 26, 2027, about 48 weeks out.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 11K
- Terrain
- Flat
- Field
- More than 8,200 participants across all events (2026)
- Taper starts
- September 8, 2027
Course
The Wachaumarathon course
Every distance is a point-to-point run along the Danube through the Wachau valley, finishing in Krems. The marathon starts at 10:00 on the B3 in Emmersdorf an der Donau, runs upstream to Weitenegg for a short loop, then follows the river downstream through Spitz all the way to Krems.
Read the full course notes
The half marathon starts at the same time near the ship landing in Spitz, and the 11 km quarter marathon starts on the B3 in Achleiten, in the heart of the Wachau. The B3 is closed to traffic from 08:00, and the organisers proudly note that there is not a single hill on the route, which makes it easier and faster than most. The marathon has 12 aid stations, and you can leave your own nutrition at the first one.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 11K
- Field
- More than 8,200 participants across all events (2026)
- Weather on race day
- Late September in the Wachau is usually mild: early mornings around 10 °C and an average high of about 20 °C in Krems, with fairly dry weather. The 10:00 start means you race through the warmest part of the day, so dress light, drink at the early stations and adjust your goal pace if the sun is out.
What to train for
With no hills and a downstream point-to-point, this course rewards disciplined, even pacing, so make goal-pace running the core of your preparation.
Build marathon long runs to 30–35 km with the final 10–15 km at goal pace, and every other week run 3 x 5 km at marathon pace with 1 km easy between.
The late 10:00 start is unusual: rehearse long runs at mid-morning, with a proper breakfast about three hours before. Half and quarter marathoners can sharpen with 6 to 8 x 1 km at 10K pace.
Sample week
A sample Wachaumarathon 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 × 1.5 km at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 10–11 km
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 16 km with 10 km at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 6 km, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 26–29 km, the last 6 km at race pace
- Sunday
- Easy run, 6 km, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Wachaumarathon
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. With the race on September 26, 2027, your taper starts around September 8, 2027.
Also in Claude
Ask Claude for this plan
Add AthleteSpace to Claude once, then paste this prompt and put in your own numbers.
Build me a training plan for the WACHAUmarathon by Brooks on September 26, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Wachaumarathon training questions
How long should I train for the Wachaumarathon?
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 Wachaumarathon course hilly?
Flat. Every distance is a point-to-point run along the Danube through the Wachau valley, finishing in Krems.
What is the weather usually like at the Wachaumarathon?
Late September in the Wachau is usually mild: early mornings around 10 °C and an average high of about 20 °C in Krems, with fairly dry weather. The 10:00 start means you race through the warmest part of the day, so dress light, drink at the early stations and adjust your goal pace if the sun is out.
When should I start tapering for the Wachaumarathon?
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. With the race on September 26, 2027, your taper starts around September 8, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Wachaumarathon 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.