This plan is designed for intermediate runners who have likely run a marathon before or have a strong half-marathon base (sub 1:37). It balances endurance building with specific speed work to help you hold that crucial 8-minute mile pace for the full 26.2 miles.
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Sub 3:30 Marathon Plan
« Back to All PlansTarget: Sub 3:30 Marathon
To break 3:30, you need to maintain an average pace of approximately 8:00 min/mile (4:58 min/km).
| Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3M easy | 5M of 1M jog, then 4x800m at 10K pace (approx 3:30) with 400m jog, then 1M jog | 4M steady (approx 8:30min/mile) | 4M at 9:00min/mile with middle 2M at marathon pace (sub-8:00) | Rest | 3M inc hill session or circuit | 8M easy (approx 9:00min/mile) |
| 2 | Rest | 4M of 1M jog, then 12x200m at mile/5K speed (approx 45-50s) with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 5M steady (approx 8:30min/mile) | 5M of 1M jog, then 3M at half marathon pace (22 mins) then 1M jog | Rest | Parkrun or 30 mins fartlek (approx 4M) | 12M easy (approx 9:00min/mile) |
| 3 | Rest | 6M of 1M jog, then 3x1M or 1600m at 10K pace (approx 7 mins) with 400m jog, then 1M jog | 6M steady (approx 8:30min/mile) | 6M progression run starting at 9:00 and getting faster, last 2M sub-8:00 | Rest | 4M inc hill session or circuit | 13M steady (approx 9:00min/mile) |
| 4 | Rest | 6M of 1M jog, then 5x1000m at 10K speed (approx 4:15) with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 7M easy (approx 9:00min/mile) | 7M alternating 9:00 and sub-8:00 min/mile each mile | Rest | 4M easy | 14M in approx 1:59 (first 7M in 63m, last 7M at marathon pace) |
| 5 | Rest | 6M of 1M jog, then 12x400m at mile/5K speed (approx 95-100s) with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 8M easy (approx 9:00min/mile) | 6M of 1M jog then 4M at half marathon pace (approx 30 mins), then 1M jog | Rest | Parkrun or 35 mins fartlek (approx 4M) | 16M easy (approx 9:00 pace) |
| 6 | Rest | 5M of 1M jog, then 16x200m at mile/5K pace (approx 45-50s) with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 10M easy (approx 9:00 pace) | 7M of 1M jog, then 5M at half marathon pace (approx 37 mins), then 1M jog | Rest | 3M easy with strides | Race or 13M at half marathon pace |
| 7 | Rest | 5M of 1M jog, then 16x200m at mile/5K pace (approx 45-50s) with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 10M easy | 7M of 1M jog, then 5M at half marathon pace (approx 37 mins), then 1M jog | Rest | Parkrun or cross-country race (6M) | 17M steady (approx 9:00 pace) |
| 8 | Rest | 7M of 1M jog, 4x1M at 10K pace (approx 7:00) with 400m jog, then 1M jog | 11M easy (approx 9:00 pace) | 7M easy (approx 9:00 pace) | Rest | 4M easy | 16M in approx 2:16 (first 8M easy, last 8M at marathon pace) |
| 9 | Rest | 7M of 1M jog, then 6x1000m at 10K pace (approx 4:15), with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 10M easy (9:00 pace) | 7M alternating 9:00 and 8:30min/mile each mile | Rest | Parkrun 5K or 40 mins fartlek | 20M easy (approx 9:00 pace) |
| 10 | Rest | 9M of 1M jog, then 8x800m at 10K speed (approx 3:30), with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 7M steady (at 8:30min/mile) | 5M of 1M jog, then 3M at marathon pace (approx 24 mins), then 1M jog | Rest | 3M easy | 15M at half marathon race or 13M quick |
| 11 | Rest | 6M of relaxed fartlek | 6M easy | 8M of 1M jog, then 15x400m at 5K pace (approx 95-100s) with 200m jog, then 1M jog | Rest | 5M easy with strides | 20M in approx 2:50 (first 10M easy, last 10M at marathon pace) |
| 12 | Rest | 7M progression run starting slower than 9:00, finishing sub-8:00 | 10M easy (approx 9:00 pace) | 9M alternating 9:00 and 8:00min/mile each mile | Rest | Parkrun 5K or 40 mins fartlek | 22M slow in 9:00min/mile (3:18 hours) |
| 13 | Rest | 8M of 1M jog, 5x1M at 10K pace (approx 7:00) with 400m jog, then 1M jog | 9M easy (approx 9:00 pace) | 7M of 1M jog, then 5M at marathon pace (approx 40), then 1M jog | Rest | Parkrun or 5M easy | 20M steady in 8:30min/mile (2:50 hours) |
| 14 | Rest | 9M of 1M jog, then 10x800m at 10K speed (approx 3:30 mins), with 200m jog, then 1M jog | 8M steady (at 8:30min/mile) | 6M of 1M jog, then middle 4M at half marathon pace (approx 30 mins), then 1M easy | Rest | Parkrun 5K or 40 mins fartlek | 15M steady (at 8:30min/mile) |
| 15 | Rest | 5M of 1M jog, then 10x400m at mile/5K speed (approx 95-100s) with 100m jog, then 1M jog | 6M easy (at 9:00min/mile) | 5M of 1M jog, then 3M at half marathon pace (approx 22 mins), then 1M jog | Rest | 3M easy | 10M steady (at 8:30min/mile) |
| 16 | Rest | 4M steady with strides - no speed work | 4M easy | 4M easy with 4 marathon pace 100m strides | Rest | 2M easy in racing kit with 2 strides | The Race |
