Paris Marathon Training Plan
Train for the Paris Marathon: Champs-Élysées to Avenue Foch, with tunnels along the Seine, cobbles, and the Bois de Boulogne in the final kilometres.
The plan, week by week
Minutes per week. Tap a week.Training specifically for the Paris 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.
Champs-Élysées to Avenue Foch
The Paris Marathon starts on the Champs-Élysées and finishes on Avenue Foch, a few hundred metres away. In between it runs east through the city to the Bois de Vincennes, back west along the Seine past the Eiffel Tower, and through the Bois de Boulogne in the final kilometres. It is a big race, with tens of thousands of runners, so the first few kilometres are crowded. Start in your own pen, accept a slower opening kilometre, and save the passing for later when the road opens up.
The tunnels, the cobbles and the two woods
Paris is flatter than its reputation, but it isn't smooth. The run along the Seine dips through road tunnels and underpasses, where GPS watches lose signal and show odd paces, so run those sections by effort and trust your average rather than the live number. There are patches of cobbles and some gentle rises in both woods, and the Bois de Boulogne comes when you are tired. Include long runs on mixed surfaces and a few rolling routes, so the last 7 km don't come as a surprise.
A spring race with variable weather
Paris is run in April, so your build runs through winter into spring. The weather on the day can be anything from cool and grey to warm enough to slow everyone down, so have two pacing plans: your goal pace for a cool morning, and a few seconds per kilometre slower if it is warm. Practise drinking from cups on your long runs, and decide in advance whether you will use the race's drinks and food or carry your own.
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.