Nashville Marathon Training Plans

Nashville’s 5K and 6.15-mile races start together near Music City Center, where the runners are seen off by thousands of cheering spectators. The 5K and 6.15-mile runners stay together as they head west through downtown. The route turns north for about a half-mile near the Frist Art Museum. The racers arrive at the Tennessee State Capitol and the halfway mark of the 5K as the route swings past the Musicians Hall of Fame. Once the course crosses the Cumberland River, the 5K route swings out and back on Woodland Street before arriving at Nissan Stadium, home to the Tennessee Titans and Major League Soccer’s Nashville SC.

As the 5K runners turn off to the stadium, the 6.15-mile route begins an additional leg into the city’s East End. This detour immediately tasks runners with a long, slow climb of nearly a mile and a half before returning to the finish line via the Historic Edgefield neighborhood. The 6.15-mile route nearly doubles the distance and elevation gain of the 5K, and both routes are quite challenging. Our Nashville 5K training plans and Nashville 6.15-mile training plans are designed to prepare you to conquer the hills. CTP’s training programs include customized, creative workouts that help you build power and endurance.

The Nashville Marathon and Half Marathon begin on Broadway near the Country Music Hall of Fame. In years past, the first mile of the course has featured live music along the entire first mile. The energetic send-off helps racers approach the long, slow climb that unfolds as the route traverses downtown Nashville and heads south. As the road rises, the course passes many of Nashville’s unique cultural landmarks and sights, including Union Station and Music Row. Runners reach the summit of the course’s longest uphill stretch as the route circles Belmont University and the Belmont Mansion. The route then heads downhill before promptly gaining all the elevation back. The elevation back-and-forth ends there for the half marathoners, who enjoy a steady downhill second half that’s punctuated by just a few small kicks. Just before mile 11, the half marathon route branches off to wind through Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park on the way to the finish line near the stadium.

Meanwhile, the marathon participants pass the State Capitol heading north to their halfway mark. As the course heads toward the bend in the Cumberland, it flattens out. This gives tired runners a chance to recover before the road points up again. Mile 16 features a quick detour to run the warning track at the Nashville Sounds’ ballpark before continuing to climb. Once over the river, runners are rewarded with a steady ride through Shelby Park along the Cumberland River to the finish.

Though the Nashville Marathon and Half Marathon courses will require you to drill hills, they both require a different approach to training. Our Nashville Half Marathon training plan is targeted to help runners increase their pace in order to take advantage of the long descent during the second half of their race. On the other hand, a Nashville Marathon training plan focuses on endurance and power, helping runners to go the distance. Every program from Custom Training Plans, including our Nashville 6.15-mile training plans and Nashville 5K training plans, is personalized to provide you with workouts that help you conquer the very course you’ll be running on race day. Whether you’re lining up for your first 6.15-mile race or crushing your 100th marathon, runners who train right and enjoy a challenge will love their customized training plan from CTP.