Brighton Marathon Training Plan
Train for the Brighton Marathon: early hills from Preston Park and along the coast road, then a flat, exposed seafront second half to Madeira Drive.
The plan, week by week
Minutes per week. Tap a week.Training specifically for the Brighton Marathon: a plan that accounts for the course profile, typical weather conditions, and the race-specific fitness that separates prepared runners from generic marathon fitness. The marathon is fundamentally an aerobic event with a metabolic ceiling problem. Running out of glycogen — 'the wall' — is a fuelling and pacing failure, not a fitness failure. The training goal is to build a large enough aerobic base, develop fat oxidation efficiency, and practice race-pace running so the body knows what's coming on race day.
Preston Park, the coast road and Madeira Drive
The Brighton Marathon starts in Preston Park and finishes on Madeira Drive on the seafront. The first part winds through the city and out along the coast road to the east, which is the hilliest section of the race. The second half is flatter, along the seafront towards Hove and beyond, and finishes back along the front. Because the hills come early, it's easy to work too hard in the first 15 km. Run them by effort, let your pace drop on the climbs, and save energy for the flat finish.
The long, exposed seafront miles
The flat second half sounds easier than it is. It's open to the wind off the sea and includes long out-and-back stretches where you can see the runners ahead, which some find hard going late in a marathon. Practise long runs with a steady final third and a few kilometres into a headwind. Brighton is run in April, after a winter build, so plan your long runs around the weather and keep the week's fixed point, the long run, whatever the forecast.
Questions
How many days per week does this marathon plan require?
Most sessions in this plan run four to five days per week, including one quality session, a long run, and easy aerobic running. The plan is designed to be adjustable — with Daash, Claude can restructure it around your available days each week.
Do I need a GPS watch to follow this marathon training plan?
A GPS watch or running app is helpful for tracking pace and distance, but not strictly required. Effort-based running (using a scale of 1–10 perceived exertion) works well for easy runs. For quality sessions where specific paces matter, a watch becomes more valuable.
What should I eat before a long run?
For runs under 60–75 minutes, eating beforehand is optional. For longer runs, a light carbohydrate-based meal two to three hours before the session — oats, toast with banana, or a rice-based option — provides fuel without gastrointestinal issues. Avoid high-fat, high-fibre, or unfamiliar foods on long run mornings.
How does Daash adapt the plan if I miss a session?
Daash sees missed sessions in your Garmin data. Tell Claude why — illness, fatigue, life — and it reworks the coming week: redistributing sessions, reducing volume if needed, or adjusting the next quality session, then updates the workouts on your watch.
Do I need to take gels or nutrition during training for a marathon?
For any long run over 90 minutes, practising race nutrition is valuable. Train with the gels, chews, or drinks available at your target race so your gut is adapted before race day. Do not try a new nutrition product for the first time on race morning.