How to Train for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon: A Coach's Guide

By Coach Justin Roeder | Roeder Multisport

November 7, 2026 is circled on a lot of calendars in Indiana right now. The CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is one of the best fall marathons in the Midwest — a flat, fast, USATF-certified course that has sent thousands of runners to Boston over the years. If you're thinking about toeing the line this November, here's the thing: April is exactly the right time to start planning.

Here's how I'd approach it.

Why Starting Now Matters

Most runners underestimate how much of marathon success is built in the months before the "official" training plan begins. A standard 18-week marathon plan puts your start date around early July. But if you roll into July with inconsistent mileage, nagging aches, or no aerobic base, those first few weeks become survival mode instead of building blocks.

The window from now through late June is your base-building phase — and it's the most underutilized period in most recreational runners' seasons. Used well, it's where the real work happens.

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Phase 1: Build Your Base (April – June)

The goal right now is not speed. It's consistency and aerobic development.

Weekly mileage target: Work toward running 4–5 days per week, gradually building to 30–40 miles per week by late June if you're an experienced runner, or 20–25 if this is your first or second marathon. The key rule: increase your total weekly mileage by no more than 10-15% per week.

What your runs should look like: The vast majority of your miles — roughly 80% — should feel genuinely easy. Conversational pace. If you can't hold a sentence, slow down. This isn't weakness; it's science. Easy aerobic running builds the mitochondrial density and fat-burning efficiency that carry you through miles 18–26.

One day per week, add a slightly longer run. Keep adding 1–2 miles to this long run every 1–2 weeks. By the time your "official" plan starts in July, you'll want your long run sitting somewhere around 10–16 miles depending on your experience and race goals.

Strength work matters: Two short sessions per week of single-leg exercises (step-ups, split squats, single-leg deadlifts) and hip strengthening will do more to keep you healthy over 18 weeks of training than almost anything else. Most marathon DNS stories start with a hip flexor or IT band that never got the attention it needed.

Phase 2: Build Specific Fitness (July – September)

Once your base is in place, your training shifts toward marathon-specific work.

This is where a structured plan earns its keep. You'll start incorporating:

• Tempo runs at your marathon goal pace or slightly faster, typically 4–8 miles at a comfortably hard effort

• Long runs with race-pace miles built into the back half — for example, a 20-miler where the last 6 miles are at goal pace

• One easy recovery day after every hard effort, without exception

The Monumental's course runs along Fall Creek Parkway and through downtown Indianapolis. If you're local, training on flat roads and paths during this phase is genuinely useful race preparation.

Phase 3: Sharpen and Taper (October – Race Week)

The final three to four weeks before race day are about arriving healthy and confident, not squeezing in more fitness. Fitness gains from training take 10–21 days to fully express themselves — so the work you do in late October won't help you on November 7. What will help: sleep, nutrition, and trusting the process.

Cut your weekly mileage by roughly 20–25% in the final three weeks. Keep some quality work in, but reduce volume. Many runners feel sluggish and anxious during taper — that's normal. Resist the urge to make up for lost training.

Race morning: The Monumental start is downtown. Plan for parking and shuttle logistics. Dress for temperatures that are typically in the 40s–50s at start time in early November, with layers you can shed.

The Most Common Mistake I See

Runners training for fall marathons almost always go too hard, too often. Easy days become medium days. Medium days become hard days. By October, they're exhausted, injured, or both. The runners who run strong at Monumental are the ones who protected their easy days like they mattered — because they do.

The second most common mistake: no plan at all. Stringing together random long runs and hoping for the best on race day is a recipe for a long, painful back half.

Ready to Run Your Best Monumental?

Whether this is your first marathon or you're chasing a PR or a Boston qualifier, having a coach in your corner makes a measurable difference. I work with adult runners online and in-person in the Indianapolis area — building personalized training plans around your schedule, your history, and your goals.

If you're targeting the 2026 Monumental, now is the right time to get a plan in place.

👉 Book a free 20-minute discovery call and let's talk about what it would take to get you to that finish line feeling strong.

Coach Justin Roeder is an IHSAA Cross Country State Champion and NCAA Track & Field coach who works with runners from 800m to the marathon distance. He offers personalized 1-on-1 coaching and video gait analysis online and in Indianapolis, IN. Learn more at roedermultisport.com.