Is this the right marathon training plan for me?
A 3:00 marathon is approximately 6:50 per mile. To break 3:00, you should eventually be capable of a sub-1:25 half-marathon (6:30 per mile) and sub-38:00 10K (6:00 per mile) Right now, you should be running at least 35-40 miles per week, over six or seven sessions.
What do the different runs on the training plan mean?
Rest/Cross-Train (XT) – Take a rest day, or do moderate cross-training with a no-impact activity such as yoga or swimming.
Tempo – Run easy for one mile to warm up. Then ease into the given pace for the distance show. Run easy for a mile to cool down. Tempo runs should feel challenging; on a scale of one to 10, your effort will feel like a seven or eight. You should be able to utter just a few words at a time. These runs train your body to sustain speed over distance.
Easy – M approx 2hrs 15 long.
Long run – Much like an easy run, this is a long, slow distance run that will build your endurance. Run at an easy pace; you should be able to hold a conversation. This should be 30 seconds to one minute per mile slower than your goal pace.
Mile repeats – After a one-mile warm-up, run one mile at the given pace, then jog very slowly for half a mile to recover. Repeat cycles as directed. Cool down with one mile of easy running.
Marathon pace – This is the pace that you hope to maintain in the race. Run one mile easy to warm up and one mile easy to cool down.
What pace should I be doing each run at?
Work out what pace to do each of your runs at using our Our 4-week training plan to sharpen your 10K speed - just tell us a recent run time and we'll do the rest.
I've missed a week of the plan, what should I do?
Very few runners will get to the end of their marathon training schedule without missing some runs due to illness, injury or life getting in the way. If you’ve missed four weeks or more, our best advice is to postpone your marathon, as it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get the time you want on race day having missed a month.
If you’ve missed two or three weeks, you should still have time to build up to your longest training runs, which are a key to race-day success. If you are coming back from injury, spend a week or two gradually increasing your training volume, using previous weeks on the training plan as a guide.
RW's 16-week sub 3:00 marathon training plan:
Week One (37-42M) - all times approx
Mon 5M (miles) (or approx 40 mins, if you prefer training to time rather than distance) easy
Tue 4M (30 mins) easy with a few gentle strides
Wed 6M (45 mins) easy
Thu 5M (35 mins) marathon pace
Fri 5M (40 mins) easy or rest
Sat 5M (35 mins) brisk hilly cross-country run or race or parkrun
Sun 12M (90 mins) long
Week Two (46-50M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 9M consisting of: 1.5M jog and strides, then 3 x 2M (12 mins) fast, with 400m (3-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 7M (50 mins) easy
Thu 1M jog, then 3M (approx 19:30) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri 4M (30 mins) easy or rest
Sat 6M (45 mins) easy off-road or parkrun
Sun 14M (105 mins)long
Week Three (49-53M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 9M consisting of: 1.5M jog and strides, then 5 x 1M (or 6 mins) fast, with 400m (2-min 30) jog recoveries, then 1.5M jog
Wed 8M (60 mins) easy
Thu 7Looking to run a sub 3:00 marathon? This 16-week plan will get you across the line
Fri 4M (30 mins) easy or rest
Sat 7M (50 mins) brisk hilly cross-country run or race or parkrun
Sun 16M (2 hours) long
Week Four (40-46M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 9M consisting of: 1.5M jog and strides, then 8 x 800m (or 3 mins) fast, with 200m (1-min) jog recoveries, then 1.5M jog to end session
Wed 9M (65 mins) easy
Thu 1M jog, then 4M (26 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri 4M (30 mins) easy with strides
Sat 4M (30 mins) easy or rest
Sun 1M jog and strides, then race 10K, then 1M jog. Aim for a sub-38:00 10K.
Week Five (50-54M)
Mon 5M (40+ mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 6M (or 45 minutes) fartlek, then 1M jog
Wed 10M (75 mins) easy
Thu 1M jog, 4M (25 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 6M (45 mins) easy off-road or parkrun
Sun 16M (2hrs) long
Week Six (54-58M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 8M jog, then 12 x 200m or 40 secs fast, with 100m or 30 secs jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 11M (80 mins) easy
Thu 7M jog, then 3M 19 mins brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (35 mins) hilly cross-country run or race or parkrun
Sun 18M (approx 2hrs 15) long
Week Seven (58-62M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 8M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 15 x 400m at 5K pace, with 200m (1-min 30) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 12M (90 mins) easy
Thu 8M consisting of 1M jog, 6M marathon pace, 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy or parkrun
Sun 20M (approx 2hrs 30) easy
Week Eight (39-43M)
Mon Rest
Tue 6M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 16 x 200m at mile pace, with 200m (1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M (75 mins) easy
Thu 1M jog, then 3M (approx 19:00) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy
Sun Race (ideally half-marathon). Aim to finish in under 1:25.
Note that the ‘approximate’ targets for training sessions are exactly that, especially on longer runs. By now, your training and racing should be giving you a clearer idea of your marathon (steady) and half-marathon (brisk) paces. Also, the times in the Tuesday speed sessions are alternatives to the distances, rather than targets. You should be running them as fast yet evenly as you can; roughly between 5K and 10K pace.
Week Nine (60-64M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 9M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 15 x 2 mins uphill, jog back down. Then 1M jog at end of session.
Wed 9M (70 mins) easy
Thu 10M 40 mins easy
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy or parkrun
Sun 22M (2hrs 45) long
Week Ten (42-46M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 10M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 4 x 2M (or 10 mins) fast, with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M (75 mins) easy
Thu 1M jog, then 4M (26 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 3M (approx 25 mins) easy
Sun Half-marathon. Aim for sub-1:23.
Week Eleven (56-60M)
Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 8M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 6M (or 45 mins) fartlek (3 mins fast, 2 mins, then 1M jog
Wed 8M (60 mins) slow
Thu 10M (80 mins) easy
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy or parkrun
Sun 20M (approx 2hrs 30) long
Week Twelve (58-62M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 9M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, 6 x 1M (or 6 mins) fast with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M
Wed 11M (80 mins) easy
Thu 1M jog, then 4M (26 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy or parkrun
Sun 20M (approx 2hrs 30) easy
Week Thirteen (56-60M)
Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 9M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 15 x 2 mins up hill, jog back down. Then 1M jog at end of session.
Wed 10M (75 mins) easy
Thu 1M jog, then 5M (34 mins) marathon pace, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy or parkrun
Sun 22M (2hrs 43) long
Week Fourteen (55-59M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 9M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 8 x 800m (or 3 mins) fast, with 100m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 8M (60 mins) slow
Thu 10M (75 mins) easy
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy or parkrun
Sun 16M (2hrs 5 mins) long
Week Fifteen (37-40M)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 6M cosnsistingof 1M jog and strides, then 12 x 400m (or 90 secs) fast, with 200m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed Rest
Thu 1M jog, then 3M (19 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (40 mins) easy
Sun 12M (80 mins)
Week Sixteen (39M inc race)
Mon 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 12 x 200m (or 40 secs) fast, with 100m (or 30 secs) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed Rest
Thu 3M (20 mins) easy plus strides
Fri Rest
Sat 2M (15 mins) easy
Sun Race Day
This isn't the right training plan for me - what now?
If you can't commit to running most days of the week, or don't think you're quite ready to take a sub-3:00 training plan on, take a look at our marathon training plans for every level of runner here.
