Montpellier Marathon 2027: your 12-week plan on Garmin, set to the date as soon as it's announced
The 2026 edition was run on Sunday, April 19, during the Montpellier Run Festival; the 2027 date hasn't been announced yet. For a mid-April race, the 12-week plan would start on a Monday in late January. As soon as the date is known, Running Workout sets the plan to it in two minutes; your AI assistant (Claude, ChatGPT…) then sends each week's workouts to your watch.
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Montpellier Marathon
April 2027, date to be confirmed
- Distance
- 26.2 mi
- Course
- Two 13.1-mile loops
- Elevation gain
- 225 m (738 ft)
- Time limit
- 6 hours
Try it now
Ask your assistant
Once your Garmin is connected, paste one of these into Claude or ChatGPT:
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« I'm aiming for 3:45 at the 2027 Montpellier Marathon: what paces per mile for marathon pace, threshold and long runs? »
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« Send this to my watch for Saturday: 10 × 45 s uphill at 10K pace, recovery jogging down, to get ready for Montpellier's two loops. »
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« The 2027 Montpellier Marathon date has just been announced: shift my marathon plan to that day. »
Free to start · 4 workouts a month sent to your watch
Two 13.1-mile loops through the heart of Montpellier
In 2026, the marathon was run as two 21.1 km (13.1-mile) loops through central Montpellier, passing Antigone, Verchant, Grammont and the Hôtel de Ville, with the finish on Avenue Foch, by the Arc de Triomphe, and the race village on Place du Peyrou. The organizer lists 225 m (738 ft) of climbing and a 6-hour cutoff, and notes that the route may change depending on permits and weather.
Two identical loops mean every climb comes twice, the second time after halfway. The 2027 course hasn't been published yet; in 2025, the marathon started at 8 a.m.
Three workouts for 738 ft of climbing over two laps
The work is about holding marathon pace through the small climbs and running the second loop as evenly as the first. Three workouts to ask your assistant for; it creates them and sends them to your watch:
- Short hills: 20 min warm-up, 10 × 45 s uphill at 10K pace, jog back down, 10 min cool-down.
- Marathon-pace blocks: 3 × 3 miles at marathon pace, 0.6 miles easy between blocks, on a route with some hills.
- Long run in two halves: 2 hours, the first hour easy, then 30 min at marathon pace in the second, so you don't slow down on the second lap.
Running Workout's marathon plan spreads these kinds of workouts over 12 to 16 weeks, with long runs up to 2 h 30 min and three to seven sessions a week depending on the version; paces come from your MAS (maximal aerobic speed) read from Garmin.
A late-winter build, adjusted to the official date
For an April race, the 12-week build starts in late January and runs through February and March: cold, dark workouts at first, longer days by the end. If a lighter week is coming, for a trip or a busy stretch, tell your assistant: it notes the constraint and takes it into account in the plan.
If the plan has already started when the 2027 date is published, give it to your assistant: it shifts the whole plan calendar. Missed a week? It reads your Garmin activities, reviews the week and reshuffles the rest without trying to catch up.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Montpellier Marathon?
The 2027 date hasn't been announced yet; the 2026 edition was run on Sunday, April 19, and the 2025 edition on Sunday, April 13. Wait for the official date before entering it in your plan.
What is the Montpellier Marathon cutoff?
6 hours of racing, according to the official marathon page; beyond that, the rules consider you out of the race. The marathon is run as two 13.1-mile loops.
How many weeks do I need to prepare?
Running Workout's marathon plan lasts 12 to 16 weeks. For a mid-April race, that puts the start between late December and late January, with three to seven sessions a week depending on the version.
Is Running Workout free?
Free to start: Garmin connection, plans, reading your activities and 4 workouts a month sent to your watch. Running Workout Pro (€4.90 a month or €35 a year, no commitment) removes the limit.
Montpellier Marathon
Ready to prepare for your marathon?
The plan is set to that date; your assistant does the rest, week after week.