MARATHON PROGRAM
FOR BEGINNERS
Do you dream of running your very first marathon – and doing it at Helsingborg Marathon? You’re far from alone. With this training program, we want to help you all the way to the finish line and give you the best possible start on your journey to becoming a marathon runner.
The program is based on the assumption that you already run a few times per week and are ready for up to three sessions per week. But most important of all: listen to your body. If you feel worn down – rest. This is a general program that you are welcome to adjust to suit your own needs.
Now your journey begins. Towards the marathon dream. Towards Helsingborg Marathon.
Distance
The distance run is your chance to enjoy running, clear your mind, and find calm in your stride. With a low heart rate and a relaxed pace, you allow your body to adapt to the workload and build strength from the inside out.
Hill
Hill training is one of our favorite sessions — it helps you build both strength and speed while giving your recovery a boost. Choose your hill, regardless of length or incline, and let every step take you closer to becoming a stronger and faster runner.
Intervals
Intervals are the sessions where you truly challenge yourself and take your running to the next level. Through short, intense efforts with easy recovery in between, you increase both speed and oxygen uptake — becoming faster and stronger.
Threshold
Threshold pace is a “comfortably hard” effort where you run fast but controlled — right on the edge where your body can still manage lactate. The goal is to improve endurance so you can sustain a higher pace for longer, roughly at a speed you could maintain for about 60 minutes or at a heart rate around 80–85% of max.
Long run
The long run is a runner’s sacred time — where you build endurance and train your body to stay active for extended periods. The longer the race you’re aiming for, the more important these sessions become, strengthening both your body and the mental resilience that carries you all the way to the finish line.
MARATHON PROGRAM
FOR BEGINNERS
Do you dream of running your very first marathon – and doing it at Helsingborg Marathon? You’re far from alone. With this training program, we want to help you all the way to the finish line and give you the best possible start on your journey to becoming a marathon runner.
The program is based on the assumption that you already run a few times per week and are ready for up to three sessions per week. But most important of all: listen to your body. If you feel worn down – rest. This is a general program that you are welcome to adjust to suit your own needs.
Now your journey begins. Towards the marathon dream. Towards Helsingborg Marathon.
Distance
The distance run is your chance to enjoy running, clear your mind, and find calm in your stride. With a low heart rate and a relaxed pace, you allow your body to adapt to the workload and build strength from the inside out.
Hill
Hill training is one of our favorite sessions — it helps you build both strength and speed while giving your recovery a boost. Choose your hill, regardless of length or incline, and let every step take you closer to becoming a stronger and faster runner.
Intervals
Intervals are the sessions where you truly challenge yourself and take your running to the next level. Through short, intense efforts with easy recovery in between, you increase both speed and oxygen uptake — becoming faster and stronger.
Threshold
Threshold pace is a “comfortably hard” effort where you run fast but controlled — right on the edge where your body can still manage lactate. The goal is to improve endurance so you can sustain a higher pace for longer, roughly at a speed you could maintain for about 60 minutes or at a heart rate around 80–85% of max.
Long run
The long run is a runner’s sacred time — where you build endurance and train your body to stay active for extended periods. The longer the race you’re aiming for, the more important these sessions become, strengthening both your body and the mental resilience that carries you all the way to the finish line.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED
Your starting point
You are new to running and are aiming for your very first marathon. You already train a few times per week and may also complement your running with other forms of training. At this stage, you should be able to handle runs of up to around 10 kilometers – a perfect foundation to build on.
Your training
Over the next 16 weeks, you will train three sessions per week to create the best possible experience at Helsingborg Marathon. 42,195 meters is a long distance, and the journey there is all about consistency. Let your easy sessions be truly easy, so your body holds up and you still have energy left for quality sessions and long runs.
Your goal
Your goal this year is clear – to get through the entire distance and enjoy the race. Run with good judgment – consistency and patience are the keys to standing strong on the starting line and happy at the finish line.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED
Your starting point
You are new to running and are aiming for your very first marathon. You already train a few times per week and may also complement your running with other forms of training. At this stage, you should be able to handle runs of up to around 10 kilometers – a perfect foundation to build on.
Your training
Over the next 16 weeks, you will train three sessions per week to create the best possible experience at Helsingborg Marathon. 42,195 meters is a long distance, and the journey there is all about consistency. Let your easy sessions be truly easy, so your body holds up and you still have energy left for quality sessions and long runs.
Your goal
Your goal this year is clear – to get through the entire distance and enjoy the race. Run with good judgment – consistency and patience are the keys to standing strong on the starting line and happy at the finish line.
BUILD-UP & BASE TRAINING
Now we take off towards Helsingborg Marathon. During the first five weeks, we build a solid foundation with varied sessions that give you the best possible start on your journey toward your goal.
Remember that the foundation is all about calm and control. Your distance runs and long runs should be done at a comfortable pace. When it’s time for hills, threshold sessions, and intervals, you step it up and run at a higher pace. Base training lays the foundation – the rest we build together.
Week 1
Session 1: Easy run 50 min.
Session 2: Hill repeats 10 × 30 sec with walking recovery downhill
Session 3: Long run 75 min.
Week 2
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 10 × 60 sec. Controlled but uncomfortable with 60 sec walking recovery
Session 3: Long run 80 min
Week 3
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Easy run 60 min + 5 strides
Session 3: Long run 85 min
Week 4
Session 1: Hill repeats 2 × 5 × 60 sec with walking recovery downhill
Session 2: Threshold 5 × 2 min + 5 × 1 min. Controlled but uncomfortable, with 60–90 sec walking recovery
Session 3: Long run 90 min
BUILD-UP & BASE TRAINING
Now we take off towards Helsingborg Marathon. During the first five weeks, we build a solid foundation with varied sessions that give you the best possible start on your journey toward your goal.
Remember that the foundation is all about calm and control. Your distance runs and long runs should be done at a comfortable pace. When it’s time for hills, threshold sessions, and intervals, you step it up and run at a higher pace. Base training lays the foundation – the rest we build together.
Week 1
Session 1: Easy run 50 min.
Session 2: Hill repeats 10 × 30 sec with walking recovery downhill
Session 3: Long run 75 min.
Week 2
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 10 × 60 sec. Controlled but uncomfortable with 60 sec walking recovery
Session 3: Long run 80 min
Week 3
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Easy run 60 min + 5 strides
Session 3: Long run 85 min
Week 4
Session 1: Hill repeats 2 × 5 × 60 sec with walking recovery downhill
Session 2: Threshold 5 × 2 min + 5 × 1 min. Controlled but uncomfortable, with 60–90 sec walking recovery
Session 3: Long run 90 min
HILL TRAINING & THRESHOLD
In this training block, we place extra focus on hills and threshold sessions. This is where we build the consistency, running strength, and endurance that truly make a difference. Here we build the base you need to go all the way and reach your dream goal at Helsingborg Marathon.
Week 5
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 5 x 3 min + 5 x 2 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 60–90 sec standing rest
Session 3: Long run 100 min
Week 6
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Hill workout 5–10 x 2 min with jog recovery downhill
Session 3: Long run 100 min
Week 7
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 2 x 10 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 2 min jog recovery
Session 3: Long run 120 min
Week 8
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Intervals 6–8 x “supertousands” (10K pace)
(400 + 300 + 200 + 100 m with 60 sec standing rest)
Session 3: Long run 130 min
HILL TRAINING & THRESHOLD
In this training block, we place extra focus on hills and threshold sessions. This is where we build the consistency, running strength, and endurance that truly make a difference. Here we build the base you need to go all the way and reach your dream goal at Helsingborg Marathon.
Week 5
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 5 x 3 min + 5 x 2 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 60–90 sec standing rest
Session 3: Long run 100 min
Week 6
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Hill workout 5–10 x 2 min with jog recovery downhill
Session 3: Long run 100 min
Week 7
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 2 x 10 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 2 min jog recovery
Session 3: Long run 120 min
Week 8
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Intervals 6–8 x “supertousands” (10K pace)
(400 + 300 + 200 + 100 m with 60 sec standing rest)
Session 3: Long run 130 min
THRESHOLD & SPEED
During this period, we place a strong focus on threshold training to make you resilient and ready to achieve your goal on the first Saturday of September. We also mix in sessions with faster-than-race pace to maintain your speed and help race pace feel increasingly natural and comfortable.
Week 9
Session 1: Easy run 60 min + 10 strides
Session 2: Fartlek 5 km – 60 sec fast / 60 sec easy
Session 3: Long run 140 min
Week 10
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 10 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 2 min jog recovery
Session 3: Long run 150 min
Week 11
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 8 x 3 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 90 sec standing rest
Session 3: Long run 160 min
Week 12
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Fartlek 5 km – 90 sec fast alternating with 45 sec easy
Session 3: Long run 180 min
THRESHOLD & SPEED
During this period, we place a strong focus on threshold training to make you resilient and ready to achieve your goal on the first Saturday of September. We also mix in sessions with faster-than-race pace to maintain your speed and help race pace feel increasingly natural and comfortable.
Week 9
Session 1: Easy run 60 min + 10 strides
Session 2: Fartlek 5 km – 60 sec fast / 60 sec easy
Session 3: Long run 140 min
Week 10
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 10 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 2 min jog recovery
Session 3: Long run 150 min
Week 11
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 8 x 3 min (controlled but uncomfortable) with 90 sec standing rest
Session 3: Long run 160 min
Week 12
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Fartlek 5 km – 90 sec fast alternating with 45 sec easy
Session 3: Long run 180 min
THRESHOLD & PEAKING
With just four weeks left until the big goal, the focus now shifts to threshold sessions before we move into the final tapering phase. Most of the work is done – now it’s about training smart and avoiding unnecessary injuries in the final weeks.
This is where it counts – on the first Saturday of September, you’re ready to set a new personal record at Helsingborg Marathon!
Weel 13
Session 1: Easy run 75 min
Session 2: Hill workout 5 x 2 min + 5 x 1 min with jog recovery downhill
Session 3: Long run 150 min
Week 14
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 3 km (marathon pace) with 1 km jog recovery
Session 3: Long run 120 min
Week 15
Session 1: Easy run 75 min
Session 2: Fartlek 5 km – 60 sec fast / 60 sec easy
Session 3: Long run 90 min
Week 16
Session 1: Easy run 45 min
Session 2: Easy run 30 min + 5 strides
Session 3: Helsingborg Marathon
THRESHOLD & PEAKING
With just four weeks left until the big goal, the focus now shifts to threshold sessions before we move into the final tapering phase. Most of the work is done – now it’s about training smart and avoiding unnecessary injuries in the final weeks.
This is where it counts – on the first Saturday of September, you’re ready to set a new personal record at Helsingborg Marathon!
Weel 13
Session 1: Easy run 75 min
Session 2: Hill workout 5 x 2 min + 5 x 1 min with jog recovery downhill
Session 3: Long run 150 min
Week 14
Session 1: Easy run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 3 km (marathon pace) with 1 km jog recovery
Session 3: Long run 120 min
Week 15
Session 1: Easy run 75 min
Session 2: Fartlek 5 km – 60 sec fast / 60 sec easy
Session 3: Long run 90 min
Week 16
Session 1: Easy run 45 min
Session 2: Easy run 30 min + 5 strides
Session 3: Helsingborg Marathon
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Head over to our FAQ to find answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Head over to our FAQ to find answers to the most frequently asked questions.
