Marathon: intermediate

An eighteen-week plan of five runs a week: reps, threshold work, two easy runs and a long run peaking at 32 km. Long runs increasingly finish at marathon pace. Every fourth week is lighter, and a three-week taper brings you to race day fresh.

Runners with a half marathon of about 1:50 who already run 35 km or more a week.

Length

18 weeks

Runs a week

Up to 5

Biggest week

6 h 45 min

Level

Intermediate

Weekly running time, week 1 to week 18

Paces for a 3:45:00 goal. You'll set your own when you start.

Easy

6:10 /km

Long run

6:00 /km

Threshold

4:55 /km

Goal

5:15 /km

4:40 /km

Mile

4:20 /km

Week by week

Quality

Long run

Easy

Race

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Week 1

4 h 15 min

Week 2

4 h 30 min

Week 3

4 h 50 min

Week 4

4 h 10 min

Week 5

5 h 15 min

Week 6

5 h 30 min

Week 7

5 h 35 min

Week 8

4 h 50 min

Week 9

6 h

Week 10

6 h 10 min

Week 11

6 h 25 min

Week 12

5 h

Week 13

6 h 25 min

Week 14

5 h 45 min

Week 15

6 h 45 min

Week 16

5 h 25 min

Week 17

4 h 20 min

Week 18

5 h 20 min

Rest Mon, Fri

Days are a suggestion: once you start, you can move any session to another day that week. Not sure of your goal? Predict it from a recent race.

The workouts

39 different sessions make up its 90 runs. Open one to see it in full, or run it on its own.

Marathon: intermediate

Week by week

The workouts

Easy runs

Long runs

Tempo and threshold

Intervals

Races and time trials