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Smarter Plans -
Fewer Injuries -
Better Results
San Francisco Marathon
Training Plans
Custom Training Plans are designed around you and the San Francisco Marathon course. We take into account variables that no other training plans can match because we know how important it is to achieve your specific San Francisco Marathon goals.
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expert plans
Developed by certified coaches with time-tested results.
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Runner Specific
We know you’re unique. Your training plan should match.
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race Specific
Race profile, time of year, and altitude all factor into our plans.
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affordable
Custom plans shouldn’t cost more than the race itself.
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON TRAINING PLANS
SInce 1977, runners have gathered in the Bay Area in to compete in one of the San Francisco Marathon's many races. During the last weekend in July, close to 20,000 people run at least one of the following races: a 5K race, 10K race, half marathon, full marathon, or ultramarathon (52.4 miles). The San Francisco Bay provides a beautiful backdrop for a race of any distance, and Custom Training Plans can help you get ready for your 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, or ultramarathon with training programs that are tailored to your current fitness level and the unique features of the specific course you'll be running. Our San Francisco Ultramarathon training plans, San Francisco Marathon training plans, San Francisco Half Marathon training plans, San Francisco 10K training plans, and San Francisco 5K training plans are designed by professional trainers to help you safely increase your strength and endurance before race day.
The weekend begins on Saturday with the Saturday 5K, run on a largely flat course around the Embarcadero area. This race is particularly well-suited for beginners, as it avoids many of the hills that longer courses will face. If runners are interested in the “Double Up Challenge,” they can take part in the Saturday 5K and any of Sunday’s races, including the Sunday 5K.
Sunday hosts the weekend’s main events, with six different races on the schedule. The 5K and 10K races stay near the start and finish on the Embarcadero, and like Saturday’s 5K, Sunday’s 5K is also relatively flat. As the mileage increases, so do the hills – the 10K course features as much elevation gain as the first half of the marathon in less than half the total distance. Runners who choose to race a half marathon can opt to run either the first or second half of the marathon course. The first half includes punchy hills; the second half features a long, steady climb. The full marathon course forms a loop that starts and finishes near the Ferry Building. The course passes many of San Francisco’s most notable landmarks, including Fisherman’s Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Golden Gate Park. The ultramarathon will follow the full marathon course twice, with only a few minor changes to the second loop.
San Francisco Marathon weekend offers many options, so we do too. When you choose a training program from CTP, you can select a San Francisco Ultramarathon training plan, San Francisco Marathon training plan, San Francisco Half Marathon training plan, San Francisco 10K training plan, or San Francisco 5K training plan that takes your current fitness level and the race’s course-specific features into account. We’ll help you get ready with running workouts that include hill repeats, intervals, and sprints that build the kind of power and endurance you’ll need to conquer the elevations. With Custom Training Plans’ guidance, you can feel confident in your race prep. Whether you’re aiming for a new PR in the 5K or hoping to complete your first marathon, you can trust CTP’s San Francisco Marathon training plans.
Here’s what you’ll receive in your plan package:
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DETAILED DAILY PLAN
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Pace chart
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Lift workouts
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Letter from your coach
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Mobility workouts
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RPE chart
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Podcast
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Weekly motivation email
How it works
- Complete our proprietary runner questionnaire so we can get to know you better.
- Your custom San Francisco Marathon plan is built based on advanced analytics with expert coaching oversight.
- Receive your custom San Francisco Marathon training plan, lifting + mobility guide, a letter from our coaches, and more within 24 hours.
- Finish the San Francisco Marathon with confidence.
Our method
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With the expertise of USATF certified coaches and physical therapists, we built an advanced model to weigh the effects of runner-specific variables on training outcomes.
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We analyzed unique characteristics of hundreds of races across the country to build a “race profile” into our model that accounts for elevation gain, altitude, time of year, and more.
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Our model generates a unique training plan for you and your race, and all plans are reviewed by a coach and hand-tweaked before they make their way to you.