Marathon training plans can be difficult to figure out on your own. If you’re training for a marathon, half marathon, or even your first 5K, you’ve probably looked at personalized running apps that promise custom training plans.
Many of them are great, but they often come with monthly subscriptions that can add up over time.
I found myself needing a personalized plan because I was tired of spending $20/mo for running apps and subscriptions. After I had run my first marathon, I knew it was time for me to think of a different solution instead of spending hundreds of dollars every year on a subscription plan. I was ready for a new solution.
At work, I had been using ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in my workflow to improve my workflow and find efficient solutions. I realized – why can’t I use that for my own marathon training plan? That’s when I realized I can do this for my personal life as well.
I wanted a training plan that fit my schedule, my goals, and my current fitness level, so I built my own AI-powered marathon training plan using ChatGPT and Gemini.
Here’s exactly how I did it.
Step 1: Give ChatGPT Your Personal Background
Instead of asking for a generic marathon plan, I gave ChatGPT as much context as possible about my life and who I am. I didn’t just ask it to create a training plan, I fed it specific information that pertained to my lifestyle and needs.
I told ChatGPT a few things about myself:
- My age
- My current running PRs
- The longest distance I’ve completed
- My current weight
- My diet
- Any soreness or injuries
- My goal marathon time
- My race date
The more information you provide, the more personalized your plan can become. Don’t be afraid to be honest about where you are at with your training. You can always adjust the plan afterwards.
I also asked ChatGPT to act as an experienced running coach specializing in marathon training.
Step 2: Create a Training Plan Based on Your Race Date
My goal race is the Twin Cities Marathon in October.
Rather than asking for a generic 16-week plan, I asked ChatGPT to calculate the exact number of weeks between today and race day and build a progressive training schedule around that timeline.
That gave me a plan that fit my actual calendar instead of forcing me into a standard template.
Step 3: Customize It Around Your Life
This was probably the most important step.
I adjusted the schedule so it actually fit my week.
For me, that meant:
- Long runs every Saturday
- Speed workouts every Tuesday
- Strength training two to three days per week
- Rest days on Wednesdays and Sundays
Instead of changing my life to match a training plan, I changed the training plan to match my life.
Step 4: Import Everything Into Google Calendar
Once I liked the final plan, I copied it into Gemini.
Because my Google account was connected, I asked Gemini to create all-day Google Calendar events for every workout.
One limitation I found was that Gemini would only create about 30 calendar events at a time.
The solution was simple: I continued prompting it with the next section of my training plan until every workout had been added.
After a few prompts, my entire marathon training schedule was already sitting in my calendar.
Now I simply open Google Calendar each morning to see exactly what workout I’m supposed to complete.
Why I Like This Workflow
This system works well for me because:
- My training plan is personalized.
- My workouts are already scheduled.
- I don’t have to remember what run comes next.
- Everything fits around my work schedule.
- I avoided paying another monthly subscription.
While there are excellent running apps available, many personalized training platforms also rely on AI to generate recommendations. For my own needs, building a plan with ChatGPT and organizing it with Gemini gave me a workflow that fits my schedule and budget.
Final Thoughts
This approach won’t replace medical advice or individualized coaching for everyone, especially if you’re recovering from injuries or training at an elite level. But if you’re looking for a personalized starting point that you can adjust over time, AI can be a surprisingly useful planning tool.
For me, having every workout automatically appear on my Google Calendar has made staying consistent much easier.
Sometimes the hardest part of training isn’t knowing how to run—it’s simply knowing what to run each day.