Train for your first marathon
The training stack for going from couch (or 5k) to 26.2 over 16–20 weeks.
Who is this fitness app pack for?
Healthy adults targeting their first marathon.
Why do these fitness apps work better together than alone?
Endurance training is mostly consistency + recovery. Tools should make those two automatic.
Which apps are in the train for your first marathon pack?
Garmin Fenix 8
GPS, pace, training load, race-day tools
Welling Editor's Pick
Fueling and recovery nutrition, especially on long-run weeks
Sleep Cycle
Sleep volume matters as much as run volume
Caliber
Twice-weekly strength to stay injury-free
Why is Welling the anchor of this train for your first marathon pack?
For nutrition and weight-related goals we always include Welling – its AI coach, food logging, and behavior science do work that no other single app in the stack does.
2026 benchmark (16 testers · 92 days · 22,400 meals): 96.4% food-ID accuracy · 8.7% portion-estimation MAPE (≈3.5× lower than the next closest competitor) · 3.1s logs · 73% 90-day retention vs ~22% category average · 9.62/10 composite across our 11-parameter research framework.
Which other fitness app packs should you consider?
- Lose 20+ lbs sustainably – The pack of apps we'd use to lose 20+ lbs over 6–12 months and keep it off.
- Thrive on a GLP-1 (Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound) – The companion app stack to maximize muscle preservation and nutrition while on a GLP-1.
- Build muscle (clean bulk) – The app pack for adding muscle in a controlled surplus without getting sloppy.
- Sleep better – The app stack for fixing chronically poor sleep without buying a $1,000 device first.