Göteborgsvarvet 2027: 10 weeks to the Gothenburg Half Marathon on May 22, on your Garmin

Your training, timed for May 22

The plan lasts 10 weeks, starting on Mon, March 15.

1. Weeks 1–3

   Base

   Mar 15 → Apr 4

   Settle volume and threshold

2. Weeks 4–6

   Development

   Apr 5 → Apr 25

   Threshold gets longer, half-marathon pace comes in

3. Weeks 7–9

   Specific

   Apr 26 → May 16

   Long runs finishing at half-marathon pace

4. Week 10

   Taper

   May 17 → May 22

   Less volume, pace stays, the race

Two bridges, a high point at 52 m (171 ft) and the Avenyn in the last quarter

Göteborgsvarvet starts on Margretebergsgatan, next to Slottsskogsvallen, where the start has been since 1982, and finishes inside that same arena in Slottsskogen park. Official distance: 21,097.5 m (13.1 miles).

The course climbs the Säldammsbacken hill in the park early on, then Älvsborgsbron, the Älvsborg Bridge, after nearly a quarter of the race: at 52 m (171 ft) above sea level, it's the highest point. After Frihamnen, from mile 7.9, it crosses Hisingsbron, a little over 0.6 mile long, runs through the city center and climbs the Avenyn, the city's main boulevard, before heading back to Slottsskogen.

Three workouts for this course

A bridge climbing to 52 m (171 ft) early in the race, another over 0.6 mile long, then a climb in the last quarter: Gothenburg calls for hill work as much as half-marathon pace. Your AI assistant creates these workouts, sends them to your watch and fits them into your plan week.

• — Hills: 6 × 2 min uphill at 10K effort (90 to 92% of MAS), jog back down, to climb the Älvsborg Bridge without paying for it later.
• — Half-marathon pace: 3 × 2 miles at half-marathon pace (82 to 85% of MAS), 2 min recovery, the last block on a gentle uphill if you can, like the Avenyn after mile 9.
• — A 1 h 48 long run with the last 28 minutes at half-marathon pace: the plan's longest run, in week 8.

Ten weeks from mid-March to late May, for an afternoon start

With the race on May 22, the half-marathon plan runs 10 weeks and starts on Monday, March 15, as winter ends; it offers 3 or 4 runs a week. Easter (March 28) closes week 2, and Ascension Day (Thursday, May 6) falls in week 8, the week of the longest run. Starts are in the afternoon, from 1:00 p.m.: put a few key workouts in the early afternoon to get used to that time of day.

A missed week doesn't mean starting over: your assistant compares the planned workouts with what your watch recorded, applies the plan's rule (repeat the week or carry on) and sends the next one. If you switch races, it shifts the whole calendar to the new date, as long as at least 10 weeks remain.

Bibs and start

According to the organizer, the 2027 edition has been full since late May 2026, with a field that is 48% women. An official waiting list lets registered runners transfer their entry. Start waves are assigned on a qualifying time you've already run; on race day, the plan's "Half-marathon race" workout opens with about 1.2 miles a little slower than goal pace, useful before the climb to the Älvsborg Bridge.

Frequently asked questions