Frontrunners Summer 2026 Half Marathon, Marathon & Learn to Run 5k & 10k Training Programs

Welcome to our training programs! We love to run together; building community and having fun while training is our goal. This spring we have the Marathon, Half Marathon, and Return-to-Run/Maintenance program meeting twice per week (described first, below), and the Learn to Run 5k and 10k and new Walk Before You Run program meeting once per week (described second, below).

MARATHON, HALF MARATHON AND

RETURN-TO-RUN/MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

The Marathon, Half Marathon (Half) and Return-to-Run/Maintenance (RTR/M) training programs will begin on Wednesday June 17, 2026 and build towards the Royal Victoria Marathon, Half Marathon, 8k and 5k races on Thanksgiving weekend, October 10 and 11. We also offer custom schedules for other race goals, for example, the Finlayson Arm 28k. We work hard to support our runners through our volunteer run leaders, weekly emails, webpage, and private Facebook group. We provide a Frontrunners technical shirt, participant store discount, training tips, editorials, social runs and speaker events to keep you motivated!

Marathon Runners: Wednesday, June 17 - Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Goal Race: Royal Victoria Marathon, Sunday, October 11, 2026

Half Runners: Wednesday, June 17 - Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Goal Races: Royal Victoria Marathon, Sunday, October 11, 2026

RTR/Maintenance Runners: Wednesday, June 17 - Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Goal Races: Royal Victoria Marathon - 5k, Saturday, October 10, 2026Royal Victoria Marathon - 8k, Sunday, October 11, 2026

Cost of all clinics: $99.95 (includes technical shirt) + Race Roster Fees

Race registrations are not included with clinic.

Our program includes:

A complete training schedule from day 1 to race day, with a weekly breakdown consisting of self-directed “homework” runs, plus our twice weekly group runs. Our group runs take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Wednesday workouts focus on hills, speed and tempos. Saturday morning long runs will be run-leader led and focus on building distance and endurance.

Meeting Spots:

There are four Wednesday Workout meeting options:

Downtown Early Morning 6:00 am (in front of the old downtown Y on Broughton & Quadra)

Downtown Evening 5:30 pm (Dallas & Memorial)

Shelbourne Evening 6:00 pm (Location varies)

Westshore Evening 6:00 pm (FR Westshore)

Saturday Long Runs:

On Saturdays, we meet at 8:00 am in two groups: the Marathon runners meet together, and the Half Marathon and Return-to-Run/Maintenance runners meet together. The Saturday meeting locations vary week-to-week in the Greater Victoria region. We try to spread out our Saturday start locations throughout the region, acknowledging that we have runners from all over the community. Marathon groups will move to a 7:30 am start as the runs get longer to beat the heat.

RTR/Maintenance Option:

This group supports runners who are returning to running after a break due to any number of reasons (injury, illness, children, etc.) and/or runners who just love to run and maintain their endurance fitness, but don’t want a long marathon/half marathon training run on Saturday. This option provides a structured, social group meeting within the Wednesday and Saturday workouts. This is an opportunity to build and maintain a strong running base.

The RTR/M group has its own training schedule that follows the structure of the marathon and half marathon training schedule with self-directed “homework” runs, plus our twice weekly group runs. At the Wednesday workouts, RTR/M runners have the option of running easy, doing a shorter workout, or completing the same workout as the marathon and half marathoners. For Saturday long runs the group will build from ~40 mins (~5 to 8 km) to ~75 mins (~10 to 12 km). These runs will be led by experienced run leaders and will offer paces between 6 min/km and 7:30 min/km.

Some RTR/M runners set a Royal Victoria Marathon 5k or 8k race goal and others may have different fitness goals or races in mind. If your running goals change during the clinic, you can move into the half marathon group, or the Tuesday Learn to Run Clinic at any time.

Marathon / Half / RTR/M Prerequisites:

Marathon - Participants should feel comfortable running at a steady pace for at least 75 to 90 minutes and be running at least 4 times a week. You need to be able to sustain at least a 7:30 min/km pace on these runs. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements for this group, please contact Jonathan Foweraker at foweraker@shaw.ca.

Half - Participants should feel comfortable running at a steady pace for at least 40 to 50 minutes and be running at least three times a week. We have eight pace groups, ranging from sub 4:45 min/km groups up to groups running 7 - 7:30 min/km. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements for this group, please contact Wendy Cohen at wenco55@gmail.com.

RTR/M - Participants should feel comfortable running at a steady pace for at least 35 to 40 minutes and be running at least a couple of times a week. We will accommodate a number of paces, but you must be able to run 5 km in under 40 minutes at the start of the clinic. Runners not meeting the prerequisites are welcome to join the Learn To Run Clinic being offered by Frontrunners on Tuesday nights. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements for the RTR/M group, please contact Wendy Cohen at wenco55@gmail.com

If you don’t meet these prerequisites, please check out our Learn to Run 5k and Learn to Run 10k programs (below)!

LEARN TO RUN 5K & 10K PROGRAM

The Learn to Run 5k (First Steps) & 10k (Next Steps) training clinic will begin on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 and build towards the Royal Victoria 8K and 5K. We work hard to support our runners through our volunteer run leaders, weekly email, webpage and private Facebook group. We provide a Frontrunners technical shirt, participant store discount, training tips, editorials, and speaker events (as allowed) to keep you motivated!

First Steps (5k) and Next Steps (10k) Runners: Tuesday, June 16, 2026 - Tuesday October 6, 2026

Goal Race: Royal Victoria Marathon - 5k, Saturday, October 10, 2026

Royal Victoria Marathon - 8k, Sunday, October 11, 2026

• A complete training schedule to prepare participants to build up to running either 5k or 10k by the end of the 17 week program. (Unlike shorter 5k/10k programs, our walk/run clinic emphasizes a very gradual progression to maximize your chances of remaining injury free.)

• Weekly pre-run question/answer sessions that will address the questions that arise as the clinic progresses.

• Weekly in-depth articles that cover a range of running topics including injury prevention, motivational techniques, strength and mobility, nutrition and hydration, and proper footwear and apparel.

• Each clinic run will begin with a pre-run dynamic stretching session designed to ensure we warm up our bodies to prevent injuries and make our running more enjoyable.

• Each clinic run will end with a post-run stretching session led by run leaders to help keep our bodies flexible.

• We also support our running community through facebook and other means to help us build into a strong runner community.

• There will be two goal groups - the 5k group for those who have not run before or who haven’t run for a while and want to start from scratch, and a 10k group for those who have completed the Learn to Run 5k clinic or who can run/walk for 25 minutes at the start of the program.

• The clinic will meet once a week as a group, with two other ‘homework’ run/walks to be done during the week.

• Note: the clinic is a run/walk program for the duration of the 17 weeks.

Cost: $99.95 (includes technical shirt)

Race registrations are not included with clinic

Meeting Spots: Tuesday evenings at 6pm at Beacon Hill Park Petting Zoo

Pre-requisites:

5K: Able to do a moderate to fast walk without difficulty for 25 minutes and run for 1 minute.

10K: Able to do a run / walk for 25 minutes

All clinics have a mimimum age limit of 18 years of age and dogs are not permitted.

WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

A 16-Week Beginner-Friendly Program

Not ready to run yet? That’s exactly where this program starts.

Walk Before You Run is designed for people who want to become runners—but aren’t quite ready to jump into a traditional beginner running group. Whether you’re starting from scratch, returning after time off, or simply looking for a gentler entry point, this program meets you where you are.

What to Expect

This 16-week program begins with structured walking and gradually introduces short, manageable jogging intervals over time.

Each week includes:

• 1 coached group session (Tuesdays at 6:00 PM)

• 2 independent “homework” walks to complete on your own

You’ll build:

• Confidence and consistency

• Strength and resilience

• The fitness needed to begin running safely

By the end of the program, you’ll be comfortably completing structured run/walk intervals and ready to transition into our First Steps beginner running group.

Program Details

• Duration: 16 weeks

• Group Session: Tuesdays at 6:00 PM

• Additional Work: 2 self-guided sessions per week

• Session Length: 20–45 minutes

• Pace: Easy and conversational

A Note on Consistency

Progress in this program depends on completing all three weekly sessions.

The group session will guide you, but the independent walks are where your fitness develops. Participants who consistently complete their weekly sessions will see the best results.

Who This Program Is For

This program is a great fit if you:

• Have never run before

• Feel that a typical beginner running group may be too challenging right now

• Are returning to activity after time away

• Want a gradual, supportive approach to getting started

Our Approach

We believe that starting slowly is the best way to build lasting progress.

• Walking is a key part of the program—not a fallback

• Progression is gradual to reduce the risk of injury

• Sessions are led by experienced, supportive run leaders

• You’ll be encouraged to go at your own pace.

What You’ll Need

• Comfortable walking or running shoes

• Weather-appropriate clothing

• A willingness to start where you are

What Happens Next

After completing Walk Before You Run, participants can:

Move into our First Steps beginner running program

• Continue progressing with run/walk intervals

• Build toward personal fitness or running goals

Ready to Get Started?

If you’ve been thinking about running but weren’t sure where to begin, this is your starting line.

Join us and take the first step—at your own pace.