What a sub-3 marathon takes
A 2:59:00 marathon means 4:14 per kilometre (6:49 per mile) from start to finish, with halfway in about 1:29:30. There is almost no room for a slow patch: a single kilometre at 4:30 has to be paid back elsewhere.
On Riegel’s equivalence formula, 2:59 matches a 10K in about 38:55, a half marathon in about 1:25:51 or a 5K in about 18:40. In practice most sub-3 marathoners have run their half a little faster than that, because the last 10 km of a marathon cost more than any formula predicts. If your half is around 1:24, sub-3 is a fair target for this block.
Your training paces
Marathon pace
4:14 /km
6:49 /mile Your goal, held for the whole race.
Easy
4:53–5:23 /km
Most of your running, long runs included.
Threshold
3:58–4:05 /km
The pace you could race for about an hour.
VMA
3:36–3:41 /km
About your 3 km race pace, for short repeats.
Notice how close threshold (3:58–4:05) sits to marathon pace at this level: the gap between zones shrinks as runners get faster. That is why the paces are worked out from equivalent race efforts rather than a fixed number of seconds off your goal.
The 16-week sample plan
This is what Run 42 builds for a 2:59 goal with five runs a week and a Sunday long run, for a runner coming off a recent half marathon. It opens at about 38 km and peaks around 69 km a week, with long runs up to 3h00.
- Weeks 1–3, base: easy running and a long run that grows each week.
- Weeks 4–6, build: one quality session a week, threshold and VMA in turn.
- Weeks 7–13, peak: a marathon-pace run (8 to 12 km) and a quality session every week, and long runs with 2×5 km at goal pace in the second half.
- Weeks 14–16: a two-week taper, then race week.
Week 1 Base 38 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h00 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 2 Base 40.9 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h15 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 3 Base 46.7 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 40 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 40 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 40 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h30 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 4 Build · cutback 35.9 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 40 min 6×400 m at VMA pace, 1 min jog between | 3:36–3:41 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h08 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 5 Build 51.1 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 40 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 45 min 3×8 min at threshold, 2 min jog between | 3:58–4:05 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h45 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 6 Build 56.7 km
| Mon | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 35 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 45 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 40 min 6×400 m at VMA pace, 1 min jog between | 3:36–3:41 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h00 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 7 Peak 59.4 km
| Mon | Easy run · 40 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 40 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 8 km 8 km at marathon pace after a 2 km warm-up | 4:14 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 50 min 3×10 min at threshold, 2 min jog between | 3:58–4:05 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h00 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 8 Peak · cutback 47.2 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 8 km 8 km at marathon pace after a 2 km warm-up | 4:14 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 45 min 8×400 m at VMA pace, 1 min jog between | 3:36–3:41 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h38 Long run at easy pace | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 9 Peak 61.4 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 10 km 10 km at marathon pace, including a 2 km warm-up | 4:14 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 50 min 3×10 min at threshold, 2 min jog between | 3:58–4:05 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h20 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 10 Peak 64.6 km
| Mon | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 30 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 10 km 10 km at marathon pace, including a 2 km warm-up | 4:14 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 50 min 5×800 m at VMA pace, 90 s jog between | 3:36–3:41 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h30 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 11 Peak 65.3 km
| Mon | Easy run · 25 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 25 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 10 km 10 km at marathon pace, including a 2 km warm-up | 4:14 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 58 min 2×15 min at threshold, 3 min jog between | 3:58–4:05 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h40 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 12 Peak · cutback 58.4 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 12 km 12 km at marathon pace — full race-day rehearsal | 4:14 /km |
| Fri | VMA intervals · 50 min 5×800 m at VMA pace, 90 s jog between | 3:36–3:41 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 2h08 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 13 Peak 69.2 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Marathon pace · 12 km 12 km at marathon pace — full race-day rehearsal | 4:14 /km |
| Fri | Threshold · 58 min 2×15 min at threshold, 3 min jog between | 3:58–4:05 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 3h00 Long run with 2×5 km at marathon pace in the back half | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 14 Taper 38.7 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | Marathon pace · 6 km 6 km at marathon pace — dress rehearsal, nothing more | 4:14 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h48 Medium long run at easy pace — keep it relaxed | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 15 Taper 30 km
| Mon | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Tue | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 20 min | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | Marathon pace · 6 km 6 km at marathon pace — dress rehearsal, nothing more | 4:14 /km |
| Sun | Long run · 1h03 Medium long run at easy pace — keep it relaxed | 4:53–5:23 /km |
Week 16 Race 14.6 km
| Tue | Easy run · 35 min Easy run — legs turning, nothing more | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Thu | Easy run · 25 min Short easy run — stay loose | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Fri | Easy run · 15 min Shake-out jog with a few 20 s strides at the end | 4:53–5:23 /km |
| Sun | Race · 42.2 km Race day — trust the plan | 4:14 /km |
Many sub-3 runners train above 69 km a week. If you already do, keep your usual volume on the easy days and use the plan for the structure of the key sessions.
Making sub-3 happen
- Protect the quality. The marathon-pace runs and the long runs with goal-pace blocks are the sessions that decide the race. Arrive at them rested.
- Pick a fast course and a cool day. Flat courses such as Berlin, Valencia or Chicago give you minutes. Heat takes them away.
- Run the tangents and find a group. Many big races have 3:00 pacers. Sitting in a group through the windy stretches saves energy you will need after 30 km.
- Fuel early. Start taking carbohydrate in the first 30–40 minutes. Waiting until you feel empty is too late at this pace.
