Runners World - Sub 4 Hour Marathon Plan
- Weeks
- 16
- Runs/wk
- 5
- Peak km
- 69
This plan is taken from Runners World. To break 4:00 you should eventually capable of running a sub -1:50 half marathon (8:20 per mile) and sub -50:00 10K (8:00 per mile). Right now you should be running at least 20 miles per week and be able to run for an hour non stop.
Schedule
Week 130.6 km
30 mins
40 mins
18 mins
30 mins
70 mins (easy)
Week 237 km
1M jog, then 2x1.5M (13 mins) tempo pace, with 400m (3 min) recoveries between sets, then 1M jog
50 mins
1M jog, then 2M (18 mins) marathon pace, then 1M jog
30 mins
80 mins (easy)
Week 341.8 km
1M jog, then 3 x 1M (or 8:30 mins) tempo pace, with 400m (3 min) jog recoveries between sets, then 1M jog
60 mins
1M jog, then 3M (27mins) marathon pace, then 1M jog
30 mins
90 mins (easy)
Week 438.6 km
1M jog, then 4 x 800m (or 4mins) tempo pace with 200 m (2 min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
70 mins
1M jog, then 2M (16 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
30 mins
1M jog, then race 10K or 5M, then 1M jog. Aim for a sub -50:00 10K or sub -40:00 5 miler
Week 548.3 km
1M jog, then 4M (or 40 mins) fartlek, then 1M jog
50 mins
50 mins
30 mins
1hr 50 mins (easy)
Week 653.1 km
1M jog, then 8 x 2 mins uphill, jog back down, then 1M jog at the end of the session
60 mins
1M jog, then 3M (25 mins) tempo, then 1M jog
30 mins
2hrs 10 mins (easy)
Week 753.9 km
1M jog and strides, then 10 x 400m at 5k pace, with 200m (1 min 30 secs) jog recoveries between reps, then 1M jog
70 mins
60 mins
30 mins
2 hrs 30 mins (easy)
Week 824.9 km
1M jog and strides, then 12 x 200m at mile pace, with 200m (1 min) jog recoveries between reps, then 1M jog
70 mins
1M jog, then 2M (16 mins) tempo pace, then 1M jog
30 mins
15 miles including warm up/cool down
Week 966 km
1M jog and strides, then 10 x 90 seconds uphill, jog back down, then 1M jog
70 mins
80 mins
30 mins
2 hrs 55 mins (easy)
Week 1037 km
1M jog, then 3 x 1.5M ( or 13 mins) tempo, with 400m (or 3 min) jog recoveries between sets, then 1M jog
82 mins
1M jog, then 3M (26 mins) tempo, then 1M jog
30 mins
Aim for sub -1:50 (15 miles inc, warm up and cool down)
Week 1169.2 km
1M jog, then 5M (or 50 mins) fartlek, then 1M jog
60 mins
80 mins
30 mins
3 hrs 15 mins (easy)
Week 1269.2 km
1M jog and strides, then 4 x 1M (or 9 mins) marathon pace with 200M (or 90 secs) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
70 mins
1M jog, then 3M (26 mins) tempo, then 1M jog
30 mins
3 hrs 35 mins (easy)
Week 1367.6 km
1M jog and strides, then 10 x 90 seconds uphill, jog back down, then 1M jog
70 mins
1M jog, then 4M (34 mins) tempo, then 1M jog
30 mins
3 hrs 25 (slow - 10 min/mile in 3 hrs 20 mins)
Week 1459.5 km
1M jog, then 6 x 800M ( or 4 mins) at 10K pace, with 100m (or 1 min) jog recoveries between sets, then 1M jog
60 mins
70 mins
30 mins
3 hrs 5 mins (easy)
Week 1543.4 km
1M jog, then 8 x 400M (or 90 secs) at 5K pace with 200m (or 2 min) jog recoveries between sets, then 1M jog
50 mins
1M jog, then 3M (25 mins) tempo, then 1M jog
30 mins
2 hrs (easy)
Week 1610 km
1M jog, then 10 x 200m (or 45 secs fast) at 5K pace, with 100M (or 30 secs) jog recoveries between sets, then 1M jog.
30 mins
20 mins
Race Day - aiming for sub 4 hrs (9 mins/mile)