Marathon guide · Paris, France
Paris Marathon 2027 training plan and pace guide
Sunday 4 April 2027, the 50th edition. The 2027 course comes out only a few weeks before the race, so train for what Paris usually throws at you: rolling woods, tunnels on the quays and a hard last 8 km.
OpenAthlete is not affiliated with the organisers. This is an independent preparation guide.
Key facts
2027
- Date
- Sunday, 4 April 202750th edition. First entry by lottery; the official bib resale opens on 1 December 2026.
- Start
- Not published for 2027
- Distance
- 42.195 km
- Elevation
- 2027 course not published. The 2026 course climbed about 290 m (press analysis).
- Time limit
- Not published for 2027
- Course
- City course on asphalt. The press expects the start to stay on the Champs-Élysées; the organisers will reveal the 2027 route a few weeks before race day.
- Usual weather
- Early April: 8 to 17 °C on average (Météo-France normals, Paris-Montsouris). Cool mornings.
Facts checked on 4 November 2026. Organisers change things: confirm on the official site before you book anything.
The course, seen by a coach
Paris Marathon: what it asks of you, and how to train for it
Not as flat as it looks
On the 2026 course the climbing sat in the two woods: short ups and downs in the Bois de Vincennes from km 10 to 20, and a long false flat in the Bois de Boulogne from km 37. Expect something similar. Run one long run in three on rolling roads and hold the effort, not the pace, on every rise.
A winter block
A 16-week plan starts on Monday 14 December 2026, so Christmas and New Year land in weeks 2 and 3. Good: those are easy weeks anyway. The real work falls in January and February, in the dark and the cold. Book your long runs in daylight at the weekend and keep the treadmill for the intervals.
Save something for the last 8 km
In 2026 the quays brought two tunnels that break your rhythm, then a steep 500 m climb around km 33 and the Boulogne false flat. Finish your goal-pace long runs with 5 km on a slight uphill, and on race day let the tunnel descents roll without chasing the time lost on the way up.
Pace and plan by goal
Paris Marathon: pick your goal time
Each goal links to its pace chart: splits every 5 km, every kilometre and a printable pace band. Eight goals also have a free 16-week plan with paces worked out from your VMA. Pick the goal your recent half marathon supports, not the one you hope for.
When to start a 16-week plan
Start your 16-week plan on Monday, 14 December 2026
Race day is Sunday, 4 April 2027, in week 16. Started later, the plan loses build weeks, not the taper: cut from the start, never the end.
Import a plan into OpenAthleteFree. Sessions go to your Garmin, COROS or Suunto watch.
| Goal | Pace | Halfway | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:45 | 3:55/km | 1:22:30 | – |
| 3:00 | 4:16/km | 1:30:00 | 16 weeks |
| 3:15 | 4:37/km | 1:37:30 | – |
| 3:30 | 4:59/km | 1:45:00 | 16 weeks |
| 3:45 | 5:20/km | 1:52:30 | 16 weeks |
| 4:00 | 5:41/km | 2:00:00 | 16 weeks |
| 4:15 | 6:03/km | 2:07:30 | 16 weeks |
| 4:30 | 6:24/km | 2:15:00 | 16 weeks |
| 4:45 | 6:45/km | 2:22:30 | – |
| 5:00 | 7:07/km | 2:30:00 | 16 weeks |
| 5:30 | 7:49/km | 2:45:00 | 16 weeks |
| 6:00 | 8:32/km | 3:00:00 | – |
Even pace on a flat course. Hills, heat, wind and crowded first kilometres all cost time: the course notes above say where.
Paris Marathon: questions runners ask
Sunday 4 April 2027, for the 50th edition. Bibs went by lottery for the first time (applications closed on 30 September 2026). The organisers also list charity bibs, corporate packages, tour operators and an official resale platform opening on 1 December 2026.
Mostly, but not completely. A press analysis of the 2026 course counted about 290 m of climbing, spread over the Bois de Vincennes, the tunnels on the quays and the Bois de Boulogne. The 2027 course is not published yet: check the official site in early 2027.
Our marathon plans last 16 weeks, so start on Monday, 14 December 2026. You need a base first: running three or four times a week for a few months, with a long run of about 1h15 already comfortable.
No. OpenAthlete is not affiliated with the organisers of Paris Marathon. This is an independent preparation guide written from the official information available on 4 November 2026. Registration, rules and the final course are on the official site.
Prepare the Paris Marathon with the plan on your watch
Import a free plan into OpenAthlete, move sessions around your week, and send them to your Garmin, COROS or Suunto watch. Everything is free on Cloud.
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