What a sub-3:30 marathon takes
3:29:00 is an average of 4:57 per kilometre (7:58 per mile), or about 1:44:30 at halfway. It is also, for many runners, the gateway to qualifying standards: Boston’s time for several age groups sits around this mark, so check the current standard for yours if that is the goal.
On the equivalence model Run 42 uses, 3:29 lines up with a 10K in about 45:26 and a half marathon in about 1:40:15. A recent half in 1:38–1:40 makes sub-3:30 a good target; slower than 1:42 and it is a big jump for one block.
Your training paces
Marathon pace
4:57 /km
7:58 /mile Your goal, held for the whole race.
Easy
5:42–6:17 /km
Most of your running, long runs included.
Threshold
4:35–4:44 /km
The pace you could race for about an hour.
VMA
4:13–4:19 /km
About your 3 km race pace, for short repeats.
The 16-week sample plan
Below is the plan Run 42 builds for a 3:29 goal with five runs a week and a Sunday long run, for a runner who has raced a half recently. Weekly volume starts near 38 km and peaks around 66 km. The longest run is 3h00, timed rather than measured, so it lands around 30–33 km at easy pace.
- Base (weeks 1–3): easy runs and a growing long run.
- Build (weeks 4–6): threshold intervals and VMA repeats, one a week, in turn.
- Peak (weeks 7–13): marathon-pace runs from 8 to 12 km, a quality session, and long runs finishing with 2×5 km at goal pace.
- Taper and race (weeks 14–16): less volume, the same rhythm, then race week.
Week 1 Base 38.4 km
| Mon | Easy run · 35 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h00 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 2 Base 40.9 km
| Mon | Easy run · 35 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h15 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 3 Base 46.7 km
| Mon | Easy run · 40 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h30 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 4 Build · cutback 34.1 km
| Mon | Easy run · 25 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 25 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 30 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 40 min 6×400 m at VMA pace, 1 min jog between | 4:13–4:19 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h08 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 5 Build 51.4 km
| Mon | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 45 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 55 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 45 min 3×8 min at threshold, 2 min jog between | 4:35–4:44 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h45 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 6 Build 56.1 km
| Mon | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 1h00 | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 40 min 6×400 m at VMA pace, 1 min jog between | 4:13–4:19 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h00 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 7 Peak 58.8 km
| Mon | Easy run · 1h00 | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 1h00 | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 8 km 8 km at marathon pace after a 2 km warm-up | 4:57 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 50 min 3×10 min at threshold, 2 min jog between | 4:35–4:44 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h00 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 8 Peak · cutback 43.3 km
| Mon | Easy run · 25 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 25 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 8 km 8 km at marathon pace after a 2 km warm-up | 4:57 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 45 min 8×400 m at VMA pace, 1 min jog between | 4:13–4:19 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h38 Long run at easy pace | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 9 Peak 60.8 km
| Mon | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 10 km 10 km at marathon pace, including a 2 km warm-up | 4:57 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 50 min 3×10 min at threshold, 2 min jog between | 4:35–4:44 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h20 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 10 Peak 65.1 km
| Mon | Easy run · 55 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 55 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 10 km 10 km at marathon pace, including a 2 km warm-up | 4:57 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 50 min 5×800 m at VMA pace, 90 s jog between | 4:13–4:19 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h30 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 11 Peak 65.8 km
| Mon | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 50 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 10 km 10 km at marathon pace, including a 2 km warm-up | 4:57 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 58 min 2×15 min at threshold, 3 min jog between | 4:35–4:44 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h40 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 12 Peak · cutback 51.8 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 12 km 12 km at marathon pace — full race-day rehearsal | 4:57 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 50 min 5×800 m at VMA pace, 90 s jog between | 4:13–4:19 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h08 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 13 Peak 64.5 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 30 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 12 km 12 km at marathon pace — full race-day rehearsal | 4:57 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 58 min 2×15 min at threshold, 3 min jog between | 4:35–4:44 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 3h00 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 14 Taper 39 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 30 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 30 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | Marathon pace · 6 km 6 km at marathon pace — dress rehearsal, nothing more | 4:57 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h48 Medium long run at easy pace — keep it relaxed | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 15 Taper 26.5 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 20 min | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | Marathon pace · 6 km 6 km at marathon pace — dress rehearsal, nothing more | 4:57 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h03 Medium long run at easy pace — keep it relaxed | 5:42–6:17 /km |
Week 16 Race 12.5 km
| Tue | Easy run · 35 min Easy run — legs turning, nothing more | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 25 min Short easy run — stay loose | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 15 min Shake-out jog with a few 20 s strides at the end | 5:42–6:17 /km |
| Sun | Race · 42.2 km Race day — trust the plan | 4:57 /km |
Making sub-3:30 happen
- Learn what 4:57 feels like. On the marathon-pace runs, run by feel first and check the watch after. Race day is easier when the pace is already in your legs.
- Keep the long runs honest. The 2×5 km goal-pace blocks should feel the same in the second rep as in the first. If they don’t, the easy part of the run was too fast.
- Sleep is training. The jump from 4 hours to 3:30 usually comes from consistency over months, and that needs recovery.
- Even pacing wins. Aim to pass halfway within a minute of 1:44:30, then hold on.
