Dubai Marathon 2027: your final weeks to January 17, session by session on your Garmin

Your training, timed for January 17

The plan lasts 12 weeks, starting on Mon, October 26. With more time, it can start on September 28 with 4 lead-in weeks.

1. Weeks 1–3

   Base

   Oct 26 → Nov 15

   Settle volume, wake threshold up

2. Weeks 4–7

   Development

   Nov 16 → Dec 13

   Marathon pace comes in, long runs get longer

3. Weeks 8–10

   Specific

   Dec 14 → Jan 3

   Long blocks at marathon pace, 2-hour-plus runs

4. Weeks 11–12

   Taper

   Jan 4 → Jan 17

   Two weeks to arrive fresh

An out-and-back course past the Burj Al Arab

The Dubai Marathon is run as out-and-back stretches on the big seafront roads. On the route published by the organizer (2026 map), the start is near the Police Academy; the course goes out and back along Al Sufouh to the Dubai Media City entrance, then joins Jumeirah Beach Road, past the Burj Al Arab, for an out-and-back section covered twice. The finish is inside the Police Academy grounds, in front of the grandstand.

In practice: several U-turns, and long stretches where you cross other runners. The very early start (5:45 a.m. for the elite, 6:30 a.m. for the mass field) comes before sunrise. The time limit is 6 hours at the finish.

The three key sessions of the final weeks

Between now and January 17, your AI assistant builds the sessions one at a time, from what you have actually run. Three to ask for, which it builds and sends to your Garmin watch, with paces worked out from your MAS:

• — Marathon pace with U-turns: 20 min warm-up, 3 × 3 miles at marathon pace (77–79% of MAS) on an out-and-back, 3 min easy jog between blocks, to practise picking the pace back up after each turn.
• — Last long run, three weeks out (around December 27): up to 2 h 30 depending on your current volume, with the last 45 minutes at marathon pace.
• — Race-week sharpener: 40 min easy including 3 × 3 min at marathon pace, three or four days out; then the race session, with your target paces, sent to your watch the day before.

What the calendar means

The holidays fall three to four weeks before the race, right at the last big training load; January is already taper time. If a week slips over the holidays, your assistant reviews it from your Garmin activities and moves the sessions already in your calendar, without trying to make everything up.

Dubai is four hours ahead of the UK in January, and the start is at 6:30 a.m.: arrive a few days early, if only to collect your race pack at The Agenda in Dubai Media City, from Wednesday, January 13 to Saturday, January 16. For the 2028 race, the full 12-week plan can be set to the date as soon as it is announced.

Entry and race day

Entries for the 26th edition are open on the official site. Three races on the same morning: the marathon, a 10K (8 a.m. start) and a 4K fun run (10 a.m.). Get to your start area at least an hour early, as the organizer asks.

Frequently asked questions