Sub-3:00 Marathon Training Plan
Target: Sub 3:00 Marathon
A 3:00 marathon is approximately 6:50 min/mile.
To break 3:00, you should eventually be capable of a sub-1:25 half marathon (approx 6:30 min/mile) and a sub-38:00 10K (approx 6:00 min/mile).
Right now, you should be running at least 30 miles per week, over five sessions.
| Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (approx 37-41M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 6M of 1M jog, then 5x800m at approx 10K pace (3:00) with 400m jog in three minutes, then 1M jog | 6M steady (approx 7:30min/mile in 45 mins) | 5M with middle 3M at marathon pace (sub 7:00min/mile - rest 8:00min/mile) approx 37 mins | 4M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 32 mins) or rest | 5M inc hill session or circuit | 10M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 80 mins) |
| 2 (approx 41-45M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 6M of 1M jog, then 16x200m at mile/5k speed (sub 6 minute miling), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 7M steady (approx 7:30min/mile in 52 mins) | 5M of 1M jog, then 3M at half marathon pace (sub 6:30s) then 1M jog (approx 36 mins in total) | 4M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 32 mins) or rest | Parkrun or 40 mins fartlek (speedwork at varying pace, approx 5M) | 13M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 1:45) |
| 3 (approx 46-50M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 7M of 1M jog, then 4x1M or 1600m at 10K pace (approx 6:00) fast, with 400m (2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 8M steady (approx 7:30min/mile in 60 mins) | 6M progression run starting at 8:00min/mile, then run each mile faster with last two miles inside 7:00min/mile | 4M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 32 mins) or rest | 5M inc hill session or circuit or cross-country race | 15M steady (approx 7:30min/mile in 1:52) |
| 4 (approx 49-53M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 8M of 1M jog, then 7x1000m at 10K speed (approx 3:45) fast with 200m (1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 9M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 72 mins) | 7M alternating 8:00 and 7:00min/mile each mile (approx 53 mins) | 4M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 32 mins) or rest | 4M steady with some faster strides | 16M in approx 2 hours (first 8M easy in 64 mins, last 8M at marathon pace in approx 55-56 mins) |
| 5 (approx 53-58M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 7M of 1M jog, then 15x400m at mile/5K speed (6:00min/mile - approx 90 secs), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 10M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 80 mins) | 7M of 1M jog, then 5M at half marathon pace (6:30min/mile), then 1M jog | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | Parkrun or cross-country race or 45 mins fartlek (6M) | 18M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 2:24 hours) |
| 6 (approx 42-46M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 8M of 1M jog, then 4x2000m at 10K pace (or 7:30) fast with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 7M easy (approx 56 mins) | 6M - 8:00min/mile with middle 4M at marathon pace (sub-7:00min/mile), approx 44 mins in total | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | 3M easy with some strides (approx 24 mins) | Race or 13M at marathon pace or faster |
| 7 (approx 57-61M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 7M of 1M jog, then 20x200m at mile pace (approx 40-45 secs), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 11M easy (approx 88 mins) | 1M jog, then 6M at half marathon pace (approx 40 mins), then 1M jog | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | Parkrun or cross-country race or hills or hilly circuit (6M) | 20M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 2:40 hours) |
| 8 (approx 56-60M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 8M of 1M jog, 5x1M or 1600m at 10K pace (or 6:00), with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 12M easy (approx 96 mins) | 8M progression run starting at 8:00 and getting faster with last few miles sub-7:00min/mile, approx 60 mins in total | Rest or 4M easy (32 mins) | 5M easy (approx 40 mins) | 18M in 2:14 hours (first 9M easy in approx 8:00min/mile in 72 mins, last 9M at marathon pace in 62 mins) |
| 9 (approx 62-66M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 9M of 1M jog, then 8x1000m at 10K speed (approx 3:45), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 13M easy (approx 1:45) | 9M alternating 8 and 7 min/mile each mile (approx 67 mins) | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | Parkrun or cross-country race or hills or hilly circuit (6M) | 20M steady (approx 2hrs 30) |
| 10 (approx 45-49M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 9M of 1M jog, then 8x800m at 10K speed (approx 3:00), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 8M steady (at 7:30min/mile in approx 56 mins) | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | 4M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 32 mins) or rest | 3M easy (approx 24 mins) with strides | 15M at half marathon race or 13M quick (plus 1M warm-up and cool-down) |
| 11 (approx 54-59M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 7M of relaxed fartlek | 8M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 64 mins) | 9M progression run starting at slower than 8:00min/mile and getting faster with last few miles sub-7:00, approx 67 mins | Rest or 4M easy (approx 30 mins) | 5M easy (approx 40 mins) | 20M in approx 2:28 (first 10M easy in 80 minutes, last 10M at marathon pace in 68 mins) |
| 12 (approx 60-64M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 8M of 1M jog, then 16x400m at 5K pace (approx 80-90 secs) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 9M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 72 mins) | 9M alternating 8:00 and 7:00 min/mile each mile (approx 67 mins) | 4M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 32 mins) or rest | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | Sun 22M slow in 8 minute miles in approx 2 hours 56 |
| 13 (approx 60-64M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 9M of 1M jog, 6x1M or 1600m at 10K pace (approx 6:00min/mile) fast with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 12M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 96 mins) | 9M of 1M jog, then 7M at marathon pace (approx 42mins), then 1M jog | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | Parkrun or 5M easy (approx 40 mins) | 20M steady (at 7:30 min/mile in approx 2:30 hours) |
| 14 (approx 50-54M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 9M of 1M jog, then 10x800m at 10K speed (approx 3 mins), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 9M steady (at 7:30min/mile in approx 67 mins) | 6M of 1M easy, then middle 4M at half marathon pace (approx 25 mins), then 1M easy | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | Parkrun or 45 mins fartlek (approx 6M total) | 15M steady (at 7:30min/mile in approx 1:50) |
| 15 (approx 37-42M) |
5M easy (approx 8:00min/mile in 40 mins) | 5M of 1M jog, then 10x400m at mile/5K pace (approx 80-90 secs), with 100m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 7M easy (at 8:00min/ mile in approx 56 mins) | 5M of 1M jog, then 3M at half marathon pace (approx 18 mins), then 1M jog | Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins) | 5M easy (at 8:00min/ mile approx 40 mins) | 10M steady (approx 75 mins) |
| 16 (approx 13M plus race) |
Rest | 4M of 1M jog, then 12x200m at mile/5K pace in approx 40 seconds with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog | 4M easy (approx 32 mins) with 4 marathon pace 100m strides | 3M (approx 24 mins) with 3 marathon pace 100m strides | 4M easy (approx 8:00min/mile or 32 mins) or rest | Sat 2M (approx 16 mins) easy, in racing kit with 2 marathon pace 100m strides | The race |
