Distance: Marathon (42.195km)
Target pace: 5:41 per km
Our Sub 4 hour marathon training plan is over 16 weeks and is completely free to use.
You can decide if you want to do all 16 weeks or start at any point during the training plan, it's completely up to you.
Congratulations on choosing your marathon plan. For some of you this will be your first attempt at a pretty challenging pace, for others this will be a goal you've been looking to achieve for some time. Whatever the reason, we see miles as the key to achieving your target time. This plan if followed fully will have you knocking on the door of 1000km before you get to race day. We don't all have the time to get out on the road 5 times a week. If that's you, prioritise the long runs. Spend a few hours over the weekend clocking up the easy miles. This is not to diminish the importance of the speed sessions and tempo runs which will be key to building strength and improving your VO2 max. Try to spread the runs out, and don't neglect rest days. Listen to your body and if it tells you to drop your 5km recovery run for some yoga or an afternoon with your feet up, it's probably right.
Ready to get started on your journey?
Week 1 -
Distance: 31.7 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Easy - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 6.5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Race pace - 3.2km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 12km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 2 -
Distance: 41.0 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 2 x 2.5km (F) x 400m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 8km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 3.2km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 13km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 3 -
Distance: 46.7 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 3 x 1.5km (F) x 400m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 10km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 5km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 15km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 4 -
Distance: 40.2 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 4 x 800m (F) x 200m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 12km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 3.2km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Race - 10km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Week 5 -
Distance: 48.5 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 6.5km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 8km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Race pace - 8km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 18km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 6 -
Distance: 53.4 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 8 x 600m (F) x 200m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 10km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 5km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 21km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 7 -
Distance: 60.0 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 10 x 400m (F) x 200m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 12km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Race pace - 10km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 24km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 8 -
Distance: 52.1 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 12 x 200m (F) x 200m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 12km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 3.2km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Race - 21.1km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Week 9 -
Distance: 65.7 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 3 x 1.5km (F) x 400m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 12km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Race pace - 13km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 27km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 10 -
Distance: 58.8 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 3 x 2.5km (F) x 400m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 13km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 5km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Race - 21.1km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Week 11 -
Distance: 67.5 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 6.5km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 10km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Race pace - 13km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 30km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 12 -
Distance: 71.5 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 5 x 1.5km (F) x 400m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 12km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 5km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 34km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 13 -
Distance: 67.0 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 5 x 1km (F) x 200m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 12km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 6km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 32km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 14 -
Distance: 62.6 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 4 x 800m (F) x 100m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 10km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Race pace - 12km
Pace: 5:41 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 29km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 15 -
Distance: 47.0 km -
Number of runs: 5
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 8 x 400m (F) x 200m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 8km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Tempo - 1.5km WU, 5km (T), 1.5km CD
Pace: 5:05 - 5:35 / km
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Long run - 18km
Pace: 6:25 - 7:10 / km
Week 16 -
Distance: 56.395 km -
Number of runs: 4
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
Intervals - 1.5km WU, 10 x 200m (F) x 100m (S), 1.5km CD
Pace: 4:26 - 4:48 / km
Wednesday
Easy - 5km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Thursday
Rest
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Recovery - 3.2km
Pace: 6:05 - 6:35 / km
Sunday
Race - 42.195km
Pace: 5:41 / km
