‍What is a Marathon?

A Marathon is a running event that is 26.2 miles long.  It can take place on any surface - the road, on trails, or even on a track.

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What is the Chicago Marathon?

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is an Abbott World Marathon Major that takes place each year in Chicago, Illinois.  Featuring a flat, fast course on the roads of Chicago, the Chicago Marathon is currently home to the marathon world records.  But the Chicago Marathon isn’t just for the fastest athletes in the world; the city embraces the race and welcomes runners of all ability to take a running tour of 29 neighborhoods in Chicago.  Whether you are a brand-new runner, a back-of-the-pack runner, a runner seeking to set a personal best time, or a runner who loves to experience running in different places, the Chicago Marathon is a great choice for a goal race.

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Why might a Chicago Marathon Training Plan be right for you?

A Chicago Marathon Training Plan is an excellent option if you want to follow a structured plan to race day in Chicago, whether you are a beginner preparing to run your first marathon, you are an experienced athlete wanting to take the next step in your marathon journey, and/or if you want to get a taste of what coaching can offer you. (If you are seeking a more personalized training plan, we invite you to learn more about a Custom-Built Training Plan and/or to contact us.)

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Will a Chicago Marathon Training Plan help me be ready for race day?

These Chicago Marathon Training Plans are written specifically for athletes preparing for the Chicago Marathon by an experienced, professional coach who has coached hundreds of athletes to successful finishes and personal best times and who has personal experience running the Chicago Marathon.   You can trust that the plan you follow will prepare you well for race day!

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How does a Chicago Marathon Training Plan work?

We offer Chicago Marathon Training Plans on two different training platforms: Final Surge and TrainingPeaks.

You can browse our library of Chicago Marathon Training Plans on Final Surge and on TrainingPeaks to see which plan suits you best. Once you select and purchase your Chicago Marathon Training Plan, it is delivered to you via Final Surge or TrainingPeaks (depending on which platform you choose/prefer). You then follow the Chicago Marathon Training Plan independently until the end of the plan.

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How long will my Chicago Marathon Training Plan be?

Each athlete is different in terms of how long they have to prepare for their goal race, what their running training background is like, etc.  For this reason, we offer several different durations of Chiacgo Marathon Training Plans:

• 12-Week Chicago Marathon Training Plans
  
  • <span style="color: #FF6666;">Special Note About 12-Week Chicago Marathon Training Plans:</span> This duration is best suited for athletes who have at least three months of running training experience and who can run at least a half marathon.  12 weeks is NOT a sufficient amount of time to prepare safely for the Chicago Marathon for someone who is new to running or who has not been recently running.
• 20-Week Chicago Marathon Training Plans
• 26-Week Chicago Marathon Training Plans

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What if I have questions about my Chicago Marathon Training Plan?

A Chicago Marathon Training Plan is an independent product, which means that there isn’t any communication or feedback included.  If you have questions or decide that you would like some more feedback that a Chicago Marathon Training Plan offers, you can add on other coaching services such as Consultations.  Consultations are billed in quarter-hour increments.  

You may also upgrade to a Custom-Built Training Plan or Running Coaching for additional charges.  Your current fitness level, abilities, goals, and schedule are accounted for with a Custom-Built Training Plan or with Running Coaching to build a training plan just for you, making either of these options much more individualized services.  Please contact Coach Laura if you would like to purchase additional services or upgrade.

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How much does a Chicago Marathon Training Plan cost?

Pricing varies based on the duration of the Training Plan, but plans start at $29.  Please visit our library of Chicago Marathon Training Plans on Final Surge and on TrainingPeaks to learn more.