We have always enjoyed using the ASICS training plans. Their layout is very clear with enough space to write your own training notes on.
They improve on a lot of plans you see by actually giving you the distance, time and pace for particular sessions, rather just a simple, for example, run for x amount of minutes. There is also a nice amount of variety in them. In addition they are 16 week plans.
Download a race training plan
Calculate Race Pace
Use the table below to calculate the pace you will need to maintain for the required race time that you want. The results can be viewed in miles or kilometres. You can use a pre-defined option such as marathon or input your own custom distance.
What pace is needed to beat 3:00 hours for the marathon?
To beat 3 hours for the marathon you have to run under an average a pace of 6.51 minutes/miles or 4:15 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 8.74 miles or 14.07km each hour.
What pace is needed to beat 3:15 hours for the marathon?
To beat 3.15 for the marathon you have to go under an average a pace of 7.26 minutes/miles or 4:37 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 8.07 miles or 12.98km each hour.
What pace is needed to beat 3:30 for the marathon?
To beat 3.30 for the marathon you have to run under an average a pace of 8.00 minutes/miles or 4:58 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 7.49 miles or 12.05km each hour.
What pace is needed to beat 3:45 for the marathon?
To beat 3.45 for the marathon you have to run under an average a pace of 8.34 minutes/miles or 5:19 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 6.99mph or 11.25km each hour.
What pace do I have to run to go sub 4:00 for the marathon?
To beat 4 hours for the marathon you have to go under an average a pace of 9:09 minutes/miles or 5:41 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 6.55 miles or 10.55km each hour.
What pace do I have to run to go sub 4:15 for the marathon?
For a sub 4.15 for the marathon you have to go under an average a pace of 9:43 minutes/miles or 6:02 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 6.17mph or 9.93km each hour.
What pace do I have to run to go sub 4:30 for the marathon?
To beat 4 hours 30 minutes for the marathon you have to go under an average a pace of 10:18 minutes/miles or 6:24 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 5.82 miles or 9.37km each hour.
What pace do I have to run to go sub 4:45 for the marathon?
To run under 4 hours 45 minutes for the marathon you have to average a pace of 10:52 minutes/miles or 6:45 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 5.52 miles or 8.88km each hour.
What pace do I have to run to go sub 5:00 for the marathon?
To run under 5 hours for the marathon you have to average a pace of 11:26 minutes/miles or 7:06 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 5.24 miles or 8.44km each hour.
What pace do I have to run to go sub 5:30 for the marathon?
To beat 5.30 hours for the marathon you have to go under an average pace of 12:35 minutes/miles or 7:49 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 4.77 miles or 7.67km each hour.
What pace do I have to run to go sub 6:00 for the marathon?
To run under 6 hours for the marathon you have to average a pace of 13:43 minutes/miles or 8:31 minutes/km.
This translates to covering 4.37 miles or 7.03km each hour.
The race plans above are all 16 week marathon training plans. This in our opinion is the optimum length. It can be difficult to stick correctly to a full 20 week plan and it could be said that 12 week plans are a little short particularly if you have not been running a decent regular weekly mileage in the build up to starting the plan.
Too many plans just repeat too many sessions in our opinion and these plans don't do that too much. They do not seem to be so easy to find online anymore so here they are for you to download and enjoy. Good luck with the training.
It is important to say that a training plan is a general guide to what mileage and workouts you should be achieving each week. However as we all know life and weather gets in the way so it is fine to occasionally rearrange runs for other days or swap workouts - just try to follow them as near as you can but it is not set in stone.
