Choose a plan that fits the running you do now and the time you can give it. A finish-time target alone can't tell you which plan to pick.
Start with a short record of your recent running. Write down how often you ran, roughly how much time you spent running and your usual longest outing. Use ordinary weeks. One unusually ambitious weekend gives a poor picture of your routine.
Then open the whole plan. The first page tells you how it starts. The later weeks tell you whether you can live with it.
Why following a plan helps
A plan gives each session a place in your wider preparation. You can see how the workload builds, where rest belongs and when training eases off before the race. It also gives you something concrete to talk about when your circumstances change.
That structure only helps if you understand it. If a plan uses terms such as easy, tempo or recovery, read the author's definitions. Ask for an explanation before you choose your own meaning.
The London Marathon training hub offers official resources for different runners. The B.A.A. training page also splits its plans into levels. A beginner label doesn't mean every plan starts from the same point.
Check the first weeks
Compare the opening workload with what you do now. Look at how often you run, the time or distance, the type of session and the gaps between sessions.
If the opening weeks already look like a big jump, work out the gap before you commit. You may need more preparation before the plan starts, a different plan or a later race. A coach can help you weigh those options against your history.
If the race is close, the shortest plan won't fix a mismatch at the start.
Check the busiest weeks
A plan that fits your diary in week one may get hard later. Find its longest midweek session and its biggest overall commitment. Count any strength or cross-training work the author expects.
Turn distances into rough times using your own running. Don't use somebody else's pace. Then add the time around each session. Getting to a route, changing and eating afterwards all take up part of the day.
Check whether the plan assumes a set long-run day. If you need to move sessions, look for the author's advice or ask a coach. Shifting the labels around a calendar can change the recovery between hard sessions.
Compare the plans on one page
Copy this worksheet for two or three candidates. Treat an unanswered row as a question to settle before you choose.
| Question | Plan A | Plan B |
|---|---|---|
| What running does it expect before starting? | ||
| How many running days does it use? | ||
| What is the biggest weekly time commitment? | ||
| What is the longest midweek commitment? | ||
| How does it explain effort and recovery? | ||
| What guidance covers missed sessions? | ||
| Who wrote it, and what support is available? |
Price belongs in your comparison too. Check what support is included, how questions are answered and whether the plan can be adjusted. A higher price alone doesn't show that the starting demands or weekly commitment fit you.
Match it to the race
Read the course and event requirements before you make your final choice. Your preparation might need to cover terrain, time limits or a routine for a later start.
If London or Boston is your target, the London Marathon guide or Boston Marathon guide is a place to start. Follow the organiser links for your edition.
Write down why your plan fits, and what would make you review it. In a difficult week, those notes will help you more than the title on the plan.
Related reading
Prepare with the before-week-one checklist, then compare the full programme with your race and training calendar.