Training Builds Community.

First-Time Marathoners

Yes! Now is the perfect time to start working toward a January marathon. What an amazing goal! Give yourself many months to build up your mileage safely.

STEP THREE: YOUR JULY 2025 BASE-TRAINING PRE-TRAINING TRAINING PLAN!

Can you run or run/walk 4 days every week? And can you cover 3 miles fairly consistently in your long runs? That’s where our July Pre-Training or Base Training plan starts!

The regular, formal marathon training plan for our January race will start in mid September. It starts with long runs of 6 miles, and it assumes you can cover at least 16 miles total every week. If you are not quite there yet, here’s your chance! Get started in July, with this special “fixin’ to get ready” plan from our amazing training team!

STEP TWO: Read this super informative post by our very own Co-Medical Director, Dr. Joe Colasurdo! He tells it like it is, people…. a marathon is a serious goal. You’ll be sooooo proud of yourself when you finish the Classic City Marathon!

TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP: Register for Your First Marathon!

• If you have never run a full marathon before, get a $10 discount for the 2026 Classic City Marathon if you register during June 2025! Use code FIRSTMARATHON when you register. Then follow us here and on Instagram for training info and support!

• First-time marathoners, you also have the chance during June 2025 to win a fabulous First-Time Marathoner’s Starter Kit, which includes getting your registration cost reimbursed and expert advice about injury prevention as you start your marathon journey!

• First, register during June 2025 for the 2026 Classic City Marathon. Use the code FIRSTMARATHON for $10 off!

• Then tag us in two different social media posts. Share about your goal of running your first full marathon. (If you don’t do social media, share with two real people in person!)

• By June 30, 2025, email “I’m going to run my first marathon!” to anne@classiccitymarathon.com. Tell us where your two posts are, or tell us about your goals as a new marathoner. (We just want to know that you are for real.)

• We will put you in a drawing for a fabulous First-Time Marathoner’s Starter Kit prize! The one lucky winner of the drawing will receive free registration; a free consultation with a foot and ankle specialist for runners, Dr. Joe Colasurdo; and a water bottle, lots of GU, and other fun stuff!

(Details: “Free registration” means that your registration cost, not including the cost of the optional event insurance, will be reimbursed. “Free consultation with a foot and ankle specialist” means one free 15-minute consultation, on Zoom or in person, with the Classic City Marathon Association’s Medical Director, Dr. Joe Colasurdo, who offers expert guidance on injury prevention and running-related foot care at 26 Foot & Ankle in Watkinsville, GA. “A water bottle, lots of GU, and other fun stuff” means one water bottle we picked, some GU brand nutritional supplements for runners we picked and in the flavors we anticipate providing during the race, and other stuff that we think is fun!)

Questions? Email us!

Free Training Runs in Athens for All Registered Runners!

The Athens Road Runners club will provide free organized long runs in Athens every Saturday during the weeks leading up to race day, for all registered runners preparing for the marathon, half marathon, or marathon relay distances.

Beginning in approximately September 2025, all registered runners will receive an email from our Training Team every week with details about the Saturday runs.

Watch here for more information about your training community!

Free Training Plans!

No matter where you are training, you can prepare for race day by following a schedule designed specifically for the Classic City Marathon or Half Marathon by Athens Road Runners’ very own Coach Al Jeffers. Or prepare to run a leg of the relay with our “Couch to 10K” program, designed by our Association Director and our Course Designer! The long run is scheduled for Saturday in all our training plans, to coincide with the Athens Road Runners Saturday runs.

2025 Training Plans remain linked below. Watch for our 2026 plans soon!

• Novice Half Marathon Training Plan. Perfect for a first-time half marathoner aiming to finish the distance. Two rest days every week.

• Intermediate Half Marathon Training Plan. Includes some race-pace tempo workouts and a bit more distance. Try the intermediate plan if you have finished a half marathon before and want to be improving your time.

• Novice Marathon Training Plan. Ideally suited to the first-time marathoner. You can do this! Steady increases in mileage, with plenty of rest and recovery, will prepare you to finish the Classic City Marathon with a smile!

• Intermediate Marathon Training Plan. For the experienced distance runner who is targeting a specific finish time or trying to improve on a previous marathon. Includes race-pace tempo workouts, more mileage overall, and three 20-mile runs.