Boston Marathon Training Plans

The running of the marathon is preceded by the Boston Marathon 5K, held two days before the big race. It’s run on a flat, fast course that takes runners on a mini-tour of the Back Bay area, starting and finishing in the Boston Public Garden. The route heads east on Commonwealth Avenue and returns to the 5K finish via Boylston Street, which offers runners a chance to cross the Boston Marathon finish line in Copley Square. The 5K is a great chance for those who aren’t quite ready for the full marathon distance to get in on the fun, and it’s just as important to train for! CTP can help you put your best foot forward with a Boston Marathon 5K training plan that’s customized to your current fitness level and your race-day goals.

The Boston Marathon is traditionally run on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday of April. The point-to-point course begins in suburban Hopkinton and ends at Copley Square in downtown Boston, passing through eight different towns in total. At the start line in Hopkinton, runners immediately head downhill for the first 5K, a trend interrupted by just a handful of small elevation upticks on the way to Ashland. From there to Wellesley, the road is flat and fast.

The Boston Marathon’s spectator situation is second to none. Over half a million spectators line every inch of the route, offering encouragement, water, and snacks to the racers. One of the most famous examples comes a little over a mile shy of the halfway mark. Runners will begin to hear the famous Wellesley College Scream Tunnel well before the students come into view. For a full quarter-mile, Wellesley students line the course, offering kisses and high-volume cheers as the runners finish off the comparatively mellow first half. Because the second half of the race is so difficult, Boston Marathon training plans from CTP include interval workouts and cross-training. Along with regular mileage, workouts like these can help you drop your average marathon time by increasing your cardiovascular fitness and overall strength.

While the Boston Marathon is run on a net downhill route, it is still considered to be one of the most difficult marathon courses, due partially to the hilly roads within the last third of the course. The section begins with the climb from the Charles River crossing on Washington Street. Though Heartbreak Hill is more famous, the director of the Boston Marathon views this as the course’s most difficult climb. The section of the race between the Charles River crossing and Heartbreak Hill is known as the Newton Hills. As any successful Boston Marathon finisher knows, hill training is a must. Unfortunately, following a generic marathon training plan doesn’t prepare you for course-specific challenges like these, leaving you high and dry come race day. At CTP, we tailor every one of our training plans to address the unique nature of each race, including hill repeats, pace training, and interval workouts that can help you conquer the climbs.

After Heartbreak Hill, runners enjoy a downhill plane to the finish. Training with a CTP Boston Marathon training plan can help you learn how to take advantage of the terrain so you can enter Kenmore Square with a smile. Every year on Marathon Monday, the Red Sox play an early game. It’s scheduled to end in enough time for all of the baseball fans to exit Fenway Park and cheer on the runners during the last mile before the finish line in front of the Boston Public Library.

There are many people around the world who complete marathons each year, but only 35,000 of them will cross the finish line on Boylston Street. Custom Training Plans can help athletes of all abilities with our Boston Marathon training plans and our Boston Marathon 5K training plans. We worked with experts to create training schedules that are appropriate for runners at every level, whether you’re starting your first 5K or aiming for a new personal best on the Boston course. Get started with a customized Boston Marathon training plan or a Boston Marathon 5K training plan today and experience the many advantages Custom Training Plans offer.