To run a Sub 3 hours 5 minutes Marathon, you need to maintain a race pace of approximately 4:23 min/km. Your training sessions will use the following paces:
Tempo
3:54–4:24
min/km
Long / Slow
4:57–5:42
min/km
Intervals
3:25–3:47
min/km
This plan runs over 16 weeks. You can start at any point — do all 16 weeks or jump in wherever feels right.
Try our Sub 3 hours 5 minutes Marathon plan.Congratulations on choosing your marathon plan. For some of you this will be your first attempt at a pretty challenging pace, for others this will be a goal you've been looking to achieve for some time. Whatever the reason, we see miles as the key to achieving your target time. This plan if followed fully will have you knocking on the door of 1000km before you get to race day. We don't all have the time to get out on the road 5 times a week. If that's you, prioritise the long runs. Spend a few hours over the weekend clocking up the easy miles. This is not to diminish the importance of the speed sessions and tempo runs which will be key to building strength and improving your VO2 max. Try to spread the runs out, and don't neglect rest days. Listen to your body and if it tells you to drop your 5km recovery run for some yoga or an afternoon with your feet up, it's probably right.
Rest
Intervals
3:48 - 4:12 / km
Easy 12km
5:20 - 5:50 / km
Tempo
4:10 - 4:40 / km
Rest
Recovery 6km
5:20 - 5:50 / km
10km Race
4:18 / km
Rest
Pyramid Intervals
3:48 - 4:12 / km
Easy 13km
5:20 - 5:50 / km
Progression
4:10 - 4:40 / km
Rest
Recovery 6km
5:20 - 5:50 / km
Long Run 32km
5:40 - 6:20 / km
Rest
Intervals
3:48 - 4:12 / km
Easy 14km
5:20 - 5:50 / km
Progression
4:10 - 4:40 / km
Rest
Recovery 6km
5:20 - 5:50 / km
Long Run 35km
5:40 - 6:20 / km