Stockholm Marathon 2027: a 12-week plan for the hills of May 29, on your Garmin

Your training, timed for May 29

The plan lasts 12 weeks, starting on Mon, March 8. With more time, it can start on February 8 with 4 lead-in weeks.

1. Weeks 1–3

   Base

   Mar 8 → Mar 28

   Settle volume, wake threshold up

2. Weeks 4–7

   Development

   Mar 29 → Apr 25

   Marathon pace comes in, long runs get longer

3. Weeks 8–10

   Specific

   Apr 26 → May 16

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

4. Weeks 11–12

   Taper

   May 17 → May 29

   Two weeks to arrive fresh

A point-to-point course, from Lidingövägen to the 1912 Olympic Stadium

The adidas Stockholm Marathon starts on Lidingövägen, beside the Östermalm sports grounds, and finishes inside Stockholms Stadion, the 1912 Olympic Stadium. It is no longer the classic two-lap course but a point-to-point route, which the organizer calls "slightly flatter" than before.

It still has several climbs: almost 600 m (0.4 mi) at 2 to 3% on Narvavägen around mile 5.5, a long steady 3% climb on Djurgårdsvägen between miles 9 and 11, then about 0.6 mile uphill on Katarinavägen from Slussen around mile 13.5. The highest point comes on Lundagatan, around mile 17, followed by a steep descent to Högalidsparken; Västerbron, approached from Långholmsgatan, is a climb the organizer calls manageable.

Three workouts for Stockholm's hills

Several climbs, including the Lundagatan high point, and some steep descents: Stockholm calls for hill work as much as marathon pace. The marathon plan is a road plan; your AI assistant can create these hill sessions, send them to your watch and fit them into your plan week.

• — Long hills: 5 × 3 min uphill on a 2 to 3% grade, at half-marathon effort (82 to 85% of MAS), jog back down: the profile of Narvavägen and Djurgårdsvägen.
• — A hilly 2 h 15 long run, with the last 30 minutes at marathon pace on the flat after one final climb: Lundagatan, the course's high point, comes at mile 17.
• — A 50-minute hilly fartlek: every climb at 10K effort, every descent relaxed without braking, and no stopping in between.

A build from March to late May, for a noon start

With the race on May 29, training starts on March 8, as winter ends, and runs into spring. With more lead time, the plan stretches to 16 weeks, from Monday, February 8, 2027. The race is on a Saturday, with a noon start planned: do a few long runs in the late morning to get used to that time of day. Ascension Day (May 6) and Pentecost (May 16) fall in weeks 9 and 10, and week 9 holds the longest run: tell your assistant if you're going away.

If a week falls apart, the weekly review compares what was planned with what your watch recorded; the plan's rule decides whether to repeat the week or move on, and your assistant sends what comes next. It can also move a workout already scheduled in your Garmin calendar.

Entry and race day

The 2027 edition is listed as sold out on the official website. Entries are binding and personal: the fee is not refunded if you don't start. You must be 18 (born in 2009 or earlier). On race day, the plan's "Marathon race" workout opens with the first 1.9 miles a little slower than goal pace; on this course, let your pace drop on the climbs and keep the effort the same.

Frequently asked questions