Going under three and a half hours for the marathon is a good standard for a club runner and means increasing your pace to average around 8 minute miles. This is a introduction to the type and level of training required as well as the required starting level of fitness to run a 3 hour marathon.
Please note - This schedule is only of benefit to experienced runners! It’s pointless to use this schedule unless you have the appropriate running base to start with.
Weeks 1 to 4
Week 1
Monday - 5 miles easy
Tuesday - 6 miles steady
Wednesday - 1 mile warm up, 10 x 1 min fast, 2 mins jog recovery, 5 mins warm down.
Thursday - 6 mile steady
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 3 miles fast race timed.
Sunday - 12 mile endurance run
Week 2
Monday - 5 miles easy
Tuesday - 6 miles steady
Wednesday - Warm up, 4 x 3 mins fast, 2 mins slow, 10 mins jog recovery.
Thursday - 5 mile easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 5 mile easy
Sunday - 12 mile steady
Week 3
Monday - 5 mile easy
Tuesday - 6 miles steady
Wednesday - 0 mins jog, 8 x 40 secs uphill, jog down recovery then10 mins jog.
Thursday - 5 mile easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 2-3 mile easy
Sunday - 13 mile training run or 10k race
Week 4
Monday - 5 mile easy
Tuesday - Warm up, 3 x 4 mins fast, 2mins slow, 10 mins jog recovery.
Wednesday - 5 mile easy
Thursday - 1 mile warm up, 8 x1 min fast, 2 mins jog ,10 mins warm down.
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 6 mile steady
Sunday - 14 miles steady
Weeks 5 to 8
Week 5
Monday - 5 miles easy
Tuesday - Warm up, 3 x 1 mile fast, 4 mins rest, warm down
Wednesday - 6 miles steady
Thursday - 10 mins jog, then 8 x 40 secs uphill, jog down, then 10 mins jog
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 5 miles easy
Sunday - 15 miles brisk
Week 6
Monday - 5 miles easy off road
Tuesday - 3 x 10 mins at half-marathon pace, with 4-min recoveries
Wednesday - 4 miles easy
Thursday - 6 miles steady
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 3 miles easy
Sunday - 10k race - Aim for 44mins or 16 miles easy training run
Week 7
Monday - 4 miles easy off road
Tuesday - 6 miles, inc. 6 x 1min effort
Wednesday - Warm up, then 4 x 1mile timed, with 4-min recoveries
Thursday - 6 miles steady
Friday - Rest or 3 miles easy
Saturday - 5 miles easy, inc. 6x100m strides
Sunday - 10 mile race - Aim for 1:12
Week 8
Monday - 5 miles easy, off-road
Tuesday - 6 mile fartlek, inc. efforts of 100-250m
Wednesday - Warm up, then 10 x 40 secs uphill, jog back down recovery
Thursday - Warm up, then 10 x 40 secs uphill, jog back down recovery
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Warm up, then 3-4miles brisk
Sunday - 18 miles training run - Aim for 2:40
Weeks 9 to 12
Week 9
Monday - 5 miles very easy, off-road
Tuesday - 5 miles easy, inc. a few strides
Wednesday - 8 miles steady
Thursday - 6 mile fartlek, inc. 8 x 30 secs fast, 60 secs slow
Friday - Rest or 3 mile jog
Saturday - 2 miles easy, then 2 miles brisk, then 2 miles easy
Sunday - Race 10 miles or half-marathon - Aim for 1:10 / 1:38
Week 10
Monday - 5 miles very easy, off-road
Tuesday - 5 miles easy, inc. a few strides
Wednesday - 8 miles steady
Thursday - 6 mile fartlek, doing 30 secs bursts, 60 secs slow
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 5 miles steady, inc. a few strides
Sunday - Race half-marathon - Aim for 1:36 or 18 miles easy training run
Week 11
Monday - 5 miles easy, off-road
Tuesday - 6 miles steady
Wednesday - 7 mile fartlek, inc. 10 x1 min fast
Thursday - 8 miles, inc. 2 x 3 miles at marathon pace
Friday - 3 miles jog
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 20 miles endurance run, start slowly, take drinks - Aim for 2:55
Week 12
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 7- 8 miles steady
Wednesday - Warm up, then 6 x 3 mins efforts, with 2-min recoveries
Thursday - 6 miles easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Warm up, then 5 miles at marathon pace, then warm down
Sunday - Race 6 -10 miles or 10-12 miles steady training run
Weeks 13 to 14
The last two weeks! Most of the hard work has been done by now. Stick to the schedule but listen to your body. Staying injury free is key.
Week 13
Monday - 5 miles easy
Tuesday - 6 miles steady
Wednesday - 6 mile fartlek, inc. 10 x 1min fast
Thursday - 5 miles easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Warm up, then 3 miles at marathon pace, then warm down
Sunday - 10 miles steady training run
Week 14
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 30 mins steady, inc. 6 x 1min fast
Wednesday - 20 mins easy
Thursday - 10 mins jog, then 1mile at race pace, then 5 mins jog
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest or a few strides
Sunday - RACE DAY
