Daniels Gold Plan – Marathon
Jack Daniels
About the plan
The Gold Plan – Marathon is an adaptation of Jack Daniels' 16-week elite program, aimed at the marathon (26.2 miles / 42 km). It keeps the original quality structure (intervals, repetitions and threshold) and the high weekly volume (60-75 miles / 96-120 km), with three main adjustments: progressive long runs with final stretches at marathon pace, double threshold sessions (two threshold runs on the same day, morning and afternoon) placed in key weeks of the specific phase, and a two-week taper leading up to the race. The double threshold should be run at a controlled (sub-threshold) pace: comfortably hard, finishing each session feeling that you could do more. Recommended for advanced runners who train 6-7 days a week, with some double days.
The plan in numbers
- Duration
- 16 weeks
- Runs per week
- 7
- Weekly volume
- 5 mi · 7h 35m → 8.1 mi · 9h 22m
- Longest run
- 5 mi · 2h 2m
Week 1 starts at 5 mi · 7h 35m and volume builds to 8.1 mi · 9h 22m in week 2, the heaviest of the plan.
A typical week has 7 runs, and the longest session reaches 5 mi · 2h 2m (Repetition, week 2).
Over the final 14 weeks volume drops from 8.1 mi · 9h 22m to 4h 1m so you arrive at the race rested.
Race day (26 mi) falls on Sunday of week 16; the week holds 4h 1m of running before it.
Key workouts
The quality sessions that come up most in this plan:
- Threshold17 sessions across 13 weeks
- Interval11 sessions across 11 weeks
- Marathon11 sessions across 11 weeks
- Repetition7 sessions across 7 weeks
Who it's for
Elite level. To start safely you should already be running about 5 mi · 7h 35m per week and be comfortable with a 2h session — that is what week 1 asks for.
Week 1 — workout preview
5 mi · 7h 35m this week
1h 15m
5 mi · 30 min
1h
1h
50 min
1h
2h
Week 2 — the heaviest of the plan
8.1 mi · 9h 22m this week
1h 15m
3.1 mi · 50 min
1h
1h
5 mi · 2h 2m
2h
1h 15m
Plan Structure
16 weeks · 112 workouts · 0 rest days
See the full plan
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