Summer Marathon Training Block

    The Chicago Marathon already gives you a complete 18 week training plan through Nike Run Club

    Start With the Official Chicago Marathon Plan

    The race partners with Nike to publish an 18 week marathon training plan that mixes speed runs, long runs, and recovery days, plus strength workouts through the Nike Training Club app. It works for a wide range of runners and can be adjusted up or down depending on your base. The plan is free, available through the Nike Run Club app, and structured as five runs per week including one speed session, one long run, and two to three recovery runs, with optional strength work through Nike Training Club.

    If you want a simple answer to "What should my summer look like?" this is it: follow the official plan, adjust for your life, and use your preferred coach or training app on top of it.

    View official training page

    Tip: Save the PDF to your phone or cloud drive so you can reference it quickly when your coach, app, or group modifies a week.

    How the 18 Week Block Is Structured

    Five runs per week + strength + rest

    Core weekly structure:

    • 1 Speed run - intervals, tempo, hills, or fartlek.
    • 1 Long run - easy, progression style, building up to 20 miles.
    • 2 to 3 Recovery runs - short, relaxed, "conversational" effort.
    • 2 Rest days - or very light cross training if your body feels good.

    The plan is written as 18 weeks, but they note you can shorten to around 12 weeks if you already have a strong base. Anything much shorter than that is not recommended for comfort and injury risk.

    Types of days in the official plan:

    • Speed runs: drills to make you stronger and faster with structured intervals.
    • Long runs: gradual progression, always at an easy effort.
    • Recovery runs: short, relaxed runs that help you bounce back from hard days.
    • Rest days: full days off. They are part of the plan, not a sign of failure.
    • Strength: optional Nike Training Club routines for core, legs, and mobility.

    In the Nike Run Club app, most of these workouts have matching audio guided runs if you like being talked through the session.

    How this fits a Chicago summer

    Treat the long run as your one non negotiable each week, then protect the speed day and one recovery run. On weeks with bad heat, move days around or cut a recovery run before you cut sleep or hydration.

    My long run territory is the Illinois Prairie Path heading west out of Elmhurst, looping out on the Great Western Trail, dropping down through Glen Ellyn, and coming back east on the Prairie Path. It is shaded, flat, and car-free. Everything you want for a summer long run. For runners based in the city, the Lakefront Trail is the equivalent. See the Lakefront Trail guide and other Chicago running routes for more options.

    Heat management in a Chicago summer

    Chicago summers are humid in a way that makes your easy pace feel hard. The single most important adjustment is simple: run early. Before 7am the heat has not settled in yet and you can get through a long run without the humidity compounding every mile. I schedule my long runs for Saturday or Sunday at first light. By the time most people are having breakfast I am done. If you miss the early window, move the run to the next morning rather than grinding through midday heat.

    Compare and Customize Training Plans

    Want to see how the official Nike plan compares to Pfitzinger, Hal Higdon, or Hansons? This free tool lets you compare dozens of popular marathon training plans side by side, adjust the start date for Chicago Marathon, and export directly to your calendar as ICS or CSV.

    View training plan comparison tool

    Using the Pace Chart Without Overthinking It

    The official guide includes a pace chart that converts a recent race time into pace targets for recovery runs, tempo runs, and marathon pace. You do not need to memorize it. You just need one or two anchor efforts.

    Step 1 - Pick a recent race or test effort

    • Use a recent 5K, 10K, half, or full marathon from the last couple of months.
    • If you do not race, use your typical 3 to 5 mile easy run pace as a starting point.
    • Find the closest row in the chart that matches your 5K or 10K time.

    Step 2 - Read across the row

    • You get suggested paces for tempo, marathon, and recovery runs based on that row.
    • Treat these as ranges, not strict numbers. Weather, hills, and fatigue all matter.
    • Use effort as the main guide and pace as a rough check, not the other way around.

    Step 3 - Adjust as you go

    • You will have good days and bad days. That is normal.
    • On rough days, slow down and stay within the spirit of the workout.
    • As you get fitter, you can move down a row and nudge paces faster if it feels right.

    Simple effort check

    On recovery days you should be able to chat in full sentences. On long runs you should be able to talk in short phrases. On tempo or speed days you should only be able to get out a few words at a time.

    When to Start Your Summer Block

    When should I start training for the 2026 Chicago Marathon?

    For the 2026 Chicago Marathon on October 11, an 18-week training block starts the week of June 15. That is your target start date if you are building from scratch. If you ran the Chicago 13.1 on June 7, take a few easy recovery days and roll into week one right on schedule. The math works out almost perfectly.

    If you are starting later than mid-June, drop into the plan at 12 weeks to go rather than skipping ahead and compressing the full 18. A solid 12-week block is better than a rushed 18.

    The official plan is written as "18 weeks to go," "17 weeks to go," and so on. To use it for an October marathon, count backward 18 weeks from race day and start at that week in the guide.

    If you ran the Chicago 13.1 in early June, that lines up nicely with the official structure. You can recover for a few days, then roll straight into the "18 weeks to go" week and let the guide carry you through the summer.

    This is not a coincidence. The Distance Series is structured so that the Chicago 13.1 in early June lands almost exactly 18 weeks before the October marathon. Run the 13.1, take a few easy days, and roll straight into week one of the training block. The half marathon doubles as your fitness baseline for setting training paces going into the summer.

    If you already have a training plan or coach

    • Use the official plan as a reference for long run distance and weekly mileage progression.
    • Let your coach or app control the specifics of your workouts and taper.
    • Still cross check your big weeks with the guide to make sure you are not doing something extreme.

    If you are starting late

    • Drop in at 12 weeks to go instead of 18 if your base mileage is solid.
    • Focus on one speed session and one long run per week rather than every optional day.
    • Respect rest days even if you feel like you are behind. Cramming usually backfires.

    Apps and Links to Make It Easy

    Official resources for the Chicago Marathon training plan:

    Nike apps used in the plan:

    What I use on summer long runs:

    For hydration I carry a HydraPak SkyFlask handheld. A standard handheld holds enough for 10 to 12 miles before you need a refill. Plan your routes around water fountains for anything longer. The Prairie Path and Lakefront Trail both have reliable fountain access in summer.

    For fueling I use BPN Gel on long runs. Start fueling at mile 6 to 8 and every 45 minutes after that, same as race day. Practice your race day nutrition now, not in October.

    For electrolytes I use Nuun Sport tablets daily through the summer block, not just on run days. Chicago humidity means you are losing sodium even on rest days. One tablet in a glass of water in the morning is my daily routine from June through race day.

    For tracking training load and HRV through the block I use the Garmin Forerunner 965. The HRV tracking is particularly useful in summer. It catches fatigue before you feel it and tells you when to back off.

    Keep it simple

    Pick one primary plan: the official Chicago plan, your coach, or your favorite app. Use everything else, including this site, as context and support. You do not need three different training calendars competing for your attention.