Mont Saint-Michel Marathon 2027: 12 weeks to March 21, every workout sent to your Garmin

Your training, timed for March 21

The plan lasts 12 weeks, starting on Mon, December 28. With more time, it can start on November 30 with 4 lead-in weeks.

1. Weeks 1–3

   Base

   Dec 28 → Jan 17

   Settle volume, wake threshold up

2. Weeks 4–7

   Development

   Jan 18 → Feb 14

   Marathon pace comes in, long runs get longer

3. Weeks 8–10

   Specific

   Feb 15 → Mar 7

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

4. Weeks 11–12

   Taper

   Mar 8 → Mar 21

   Two weeks to arrive fresh

From Cancale to the foot of the Mont, along beaches, dunes and cliffs

The marathon links Cancale, in Brittany, to the Mont Saint-Michel dam, in Normandy; according to the organizer, the finish can be seen from the start line. It announces 90 m (295 ft) of elevation gain and a route along beaches, dunes, cliffs and forest trails, only on marked roads and paths: part of it is run off-road. The full GPX track is due to be published in the coming weeks.

8 a.m. start, 6-hour time limit, food and drink every 5 km (3.1 miles) and at the finish. No plastic bottles: water is served in reusable cups, and the organizer recommends bringing soft flasks, a bottle or a hydration vest. Shuttles bring runners back from the dam to Cancale, and pacers run in every corral.

Three workouts that prepare this course

Little climbing, but off-road sections and changing surfaces: you need to hold marathon pace on road and trail alike. Three workouts your AI assistant can build at your paces and send to your watch:

• — A 2-hour long run on paths and trails, with the last 30 minutes at marathon pace, to keep your pace when the ground changes.
• — Marathon pace: 2 × 5 miles, 3 minutes recovery, on a smooth route, to lock in goal pace.
• — Trail fartlek: 8 × 2 minutes at 85% of your MAS, 90 seconds of easy jogging, to handle surges on uneven ground.

Training that starts between the holidays

For March 21, the 12-week plan starts on Monday, December 28, 2026: week one falls between Christmas and New Year's, then January and February bring cold, short days and early-morning long runs. The peak week, with the 2.5-hour long run, comes at the end of February; the taper fills the two weeks before the race.

A lighter week over the holidays or a missed week in February? Each week, your assistant compares what was planned with what Garmin Connect recorded, applies the plan's rules (repeat the week or move on) and sends the next one to your watch. The start is in Brittany and the finish in Normandy: sort out bib pickup, lodging and the trip back before race week.

Bibs: lottery and pickup

The marathon is capped at 1,000 runners, with half the bibs reserved for women. Bibs are allocated by lottery: applications from October 13 to November 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m., solo or as a pair, first draw on November 3, second on November 9, then further rounds if places open up. The Semi du Rivage half marathon and the Boucle de Cancale 10K have direct entry, and running them in 2027 earns extra chances in the 2028 lottery. Bib pickup is on Friday from 2 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., including at the Avranches and Cancale race villages.

Frequently asked questions