- Peloton is rolling out a new 18-week marathon training program, which drops today, May 21.
- The program, designed by Peloton instructors and marathoners Robin Arzon, Becs Gentry, and Matt Wilpers, consists of essential marathon-training workouts including tempo runs, A Part of Hearst Digital Media.
- It’s available via the We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back for iOS.
Chances are, when you think of Peloton, you probably think of indoor cycling. But last year, the company rolled out a connected treadmill—the Peloton Tread—that kicks your workout up a notch by streaming live and on-demand studio classes right into your own home.
Now, the brand is diving deeper into the running world by offering an 18-week marathon training program called Road to Your 26.2, available on Peloton Digital for iOS. Peloton instructors Robin Arzon, Becs Gentry, and Matt Wilpers—who have a combined 20 years of coaching experience and 35 cumulative marathons under their belts—designed and recorded the running classes that runners of all levels can use to train.
“Our community is most important thing—a lot of [Peloton] members have been building up their training and starting to tackle bigger milestones like marathons,” Gentry told Runner’s World. “Instructors are there day by day—we are literally joining them on this journey to make it more exciting and motivating if things get rough.”
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If you already own a Peloton bike or treadmill, the marathon training program is included in your subscription. If you aren’t an owner, you’ll be able to access the training program and other Peloton content via the app for $19.49 per month.
Each week is comprised of a guided tempo run, speed workout, recovery run, and strength training. “It’s a smart program,” Wilpers said. “The audio tells you why the workouts fall where they do and how they lead into what’s coming next.”
There’s also one rest day, but when it comes to the long run, the program just includes a guided, 10-minute warmup featuring dynamic stretching, light jogging, and a pep talk, according to Wilpers. Otherwise, you’re on your own to get that done.
“The long run is the most important run of the week when it comes to marathon training—if you don’t get used to that distance, race day will be an awful shock to your body and mind,” Gentry said. “There’s nothing we can do to help you—you have to hold yourself accountable. In the end, you’re the one to lace up your trainers and go.”
Training for any marathon—whether it’s your first or tenth—is a big undertaking, and Peloton’s training program aims to make it easier.
“When we are working towards a specific goal, we all like being told what to do and when to do it, so we wanted to take part of the thinking out of marathon training,” Wilpers said. “It’s fun to do something together versus on your own. We’re able to give people a program that provides a playlist, tips, and coaching all in one. It’s a fun and different way of training.”
While we haven’t tested this training program yet, it seems best suited for runners who are new to the marathon scene and might need more guidance and support along the way. A Part of Hearst Digital Media Runner’s World Other Hearst Subscriptions training plans, they might be better for someone who has a few marathons under their belt and instead wants to train for a specific goal (such as a BQ or a time-based goal like breaking four hours). In the end, the best training program for you is the one you’ll be able to adhere to and that motivates you most.
