Finishing a marathon is a bucket-list item for many runners, not to mention it can seriously boost your confidence and your fitness. But with work, family, and other obligations filling up your calendar, it can be difficult to fit marathon training into your schedule... unless you have a three-day-a-week marathon training plan that makes it easier to get prepped for the starting line.
So before you write off marathon training as too time-consuming, consider this program for conquering your first or fastest 26.2. It’s the secret weapon for those of us who work odd shifts, have kids, travel often, or are injury-prone. No matter what stands in your way, your next PR is possible.
Does a 3-day-a-week marathon training plan actually work?
Yes! It turns out focusing on three key runs: a long run, a tempo run, and an interval workout each week with cross training in between provides you with all the opportunities to get faster, meet your mileage goals, and train injury-free. And research backs this up.
With a training plan backed by The Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST), any runner can conquer 26.2 miles by running just three days a week. Trust the three exercise science experts and avid runners who created this program about 20 years ago: Scott Murr, with a doctorate in exercise physiology, Bill Pierce, former chair of Furman’s Health and Exercise Science Department, and Furman exercise physiologist Ray Moss, Ph.D. (Murr currently teaches in the Health Science Department at Furman University in South Carolina, and has been for 25 years. Pierce and Moss have since retired.)
In 2005, these experts gathered eight women and nine men between the ages of 24 and 52 to test out the three-day-a-week plan for 16 weeks. The results showed that 12 out of the 14 runners who had previously run a marathon with alternative training plans Does a 3-day-a-week marathon training plan actually work.
The results suggest that training for a marathon with only three runs a week is not only possible, but could actually improve running performance What are the key workouts on a 3-day-a-week marathon training plan faster.
Races - Places training plan, Murr and his former colleagues still receive emails from everyday runners informing them of their own results and praising the program.
To help you imagine everything that’s possible with running just three days a week, we break down the benefits of running less to achieve more, the main workouts on the plan, and what exactly to do on non-running days in order to keep your fitness level up.
What are the benefits of a 3-day-a-week marathon training plan?
The outcome of your training depends on your individual goals, according to Murr. “Some people run for weight loss, some people run for stress management, some people run to simply improve their overall health and wellbeing,” he tells Runner’s World. No matter what kind of runner you are or what you’re looking to achieve, the three-day-a-week training plan can enhance your marathon experience in a few significant ways.
You’ll actually have time to train
The typical marathon training plan tends to involve five to six days of running per week, and as mileage increases week by week, it can be extremely challenging to find time to run and stay consistent. There are only 24 hours in a day, and you likely devote most of that time to work, school, family, cooking, and getting an adequate amount of sleep. These factors are likely just as important to you as your training.
You may be less likely to abandon your marathon training because the three-day-a-week load can feel more manageable. This method allows you to spend less time running each week and still be in shape to run the full 26.2.
You build a sustainable relationship with running
Health - Injuries too many miles at once can lead to burnout, so it’s important to find other activities to supplement your marathon training.
Running three days each week provides you the freedom to enjoy other activities that you love on your days off from running, like cycling, lifting, or swimming.
It improves key performance metrics
Many runners swear by two training metrics Should You Run Before or After a Strength Workout: VO2 max and lactate threshold. The three-day-a-week program can help you zero in on these metrics and improve them, making you a more efficient runner.
Your VO2 max is the measure of how efficiently your body takes in oxygen and converts it to energy for your muscles to use, according to Roberto Mandje, Olympian and senior advisor on engagement and coaching for New York Road Runners. The higher your VO2 max, the higher your endurance level, meaning you can run farther and longer, Mandje explains.
Your lactate threshold is the exercise intensity level you reach when lactate accumulates in the blood faster than you can remove it, leading to fatigue. a. Repeat for a second time running efficiency by allowing you to run faster for longer before tiring out, explains Mandje.
In FIRST’s 2005 study, the results show a 5.4 percent improvement of VO2 max and a 5.6 percent improvement of running speed at lactate threshold, meaning that the three-day-a-week program can boost the most important fitness factors that get you better prepared for youre not going to make the gains,” says Mandje.
How to Tackle the Long Run?
Below are the three “key workouts” supplied by Murr, Pierce, and Moss in the Runner’s World book, Shoes & Gear. It’s important to alternate these workouts with non-running days throughout the week to ensure you’re fully recovered and ready for the next workout at hand. For example, you might do a track workout on Tuesday, a tempo run on Thursday, and a long run on Saturday.
How to do it step-ups, single-leg deadlifts, bent-over-rows, curl-to-press are optional, and can be replaced with cross-training sessions. But if you’re eager to lace up for a recovery run, you can feel free to rack up those extra miles.
You’ll know if you’re meeting quality efforts by looking at your heart rate, paces, and/or RPE, so it may be helpful to keep a training log.
Heart rate is relatively easy to track, as most running watches give you an estimated heart rate, but keep in mind that your heart rate can be affected by temperature, hills, and hydration.
However, the most realistic way to monitor your progress, Murr says, is by tracking your pace. “If your 5K race time this weekend was faster than the 5K race you ran two months ago, that would indicate an improvement in running fitness,” he says.
Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is also a reliable way to track progress, as it rates your effort on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being all-out. Murr explains that if you ran a five mile tempo run a month ago at a 8:15 pace and it felt like a 6 or 7, but running a five mile tempo at 8:15 pace now feels like a 5 or 6 on the same scale, you can be confident that your running fitness is progressing.
1. Interval Workout
Why it works: Intervals help you increase your VO2 max, improve running efficiency, and improve your overall speed. “Your body is getting used to running paces that are much faster than goal race pace, but you’re not breaking down as much because you’re not going as long,” says Mandje.
Consistency is key when it comes to interval workouts. Murr explains that runners often make the mistake of Other Hearst Subscriptions in the earlier intervals, then find it difficult to consistently hit their target paces throughout the remainder of the workout. So don’t go overboard on those first few rounds.
When you hop on the track to run intervals, you can get to know your target paces like the back of your hand… you know, without the watch.
How to do it: Track workouts, or interval workouts, don’t actually have to be done on a track. They also can be done in the form of a hill workout, which you will see listed on the Runner’s World training plan. You can do your interval workout in a field, on a trail, or along a quiet road to execute repeated, short efforts.
DAA Industry Opt Out running calculator, we recommend wearing a running watch. If not, focus on an RPE of 7 or 8.
What should you do on other training days:
- Warm up by jogging 1 easy mile, followed by drills and dynamic stretching.
- time on your feet.
- Recover for one minute.
a. Repeat for a second time. - Run 800 meters at 5K pace.
- Recover for one minute.
a. Repeat for a second time. - Cool down by running 1 easy mile and include some static stretching after you finish.
2. Tempo Run
Why it works: You’ll see “marathon pace run” listed on your training plan. This is a good time to practice your goal effort. But to increase your fitness more, you’ll do these workouts faster, running close to (or at) your threshold pace—the hardest effort in which your body is able to clear as much lactate as it is producing while still maintaining the pace. Spending more time at threshold pace leads to improving that threshold, Mandje explains, ultimately making you faster.
How to do it: Using your best 5K time and a pace calculator, find your threshold pace, which is equivalent to about your 10K race pace. The distance of the run can vary. During a three-day-a-week marathon training program, the mileage starts at three and progresses up to seven miles as mileage goes up throughout training weeks.
For example, during your three-day-a-week marathon training plan, a tempo run can look like this:
- Warm up by jogging 1 mile at an easy pace. Consider adding some dynamic stretching and drills.
- Run 4 miles at threshold pace, which should be about 30 seconds slower than your average 5K race pace. (If you run a 25-minute 5K, your threshold pace should be about 8:35.)
- Cool down with 1 mile at an easy pace, followed by static stretching when you’re done running.
2. Long Run
Why it works: Your weekly long run is meant to test and improve your endurance, especially as your mileage increases week by week. “The long run is the cornerstone of marathon training because that’s where you’re going to put the most time on your feet,” says Mandje.
How to do it: Your long run day is more about mileage than it is about speed. This is where you’ll mentally prepare for your marathon, reaching up to 20 to 22 miles. Mandje explains that long runs should be done at an easy, conversational pace, or an RPE of about 4.
For example, during your three-day-a-week marathon training plan, a long run can look like this:
- Does a 3-day-a-week marathon training plan actually work.
- Run for 16 miles at a pace that is at least 35 seconds slower than your goal marathon pace. (If your goal marathon pace is a 9 minute mile, you could average a 9:35 minute mile or slower.)
- Cool down with static stretching.
A 3-Day-a-Week Marathon Training Plan?
On days you’re not running, it’s a good idea to add cross training Does a 3-day-a-week marathon training plan actually work rowing as the best options for the three-day plan. But some runners may prefer the elliptical or a similar machine like an Arc Trainer.
1. Swimming
Why it works: Your Marathon Training Diet upper-body strength RW+ Membership Benefits ankle mobility, explains Murr, so the kicking in the pool can unlock some of that flexibility that you don’t typically get to achieve when you’re pounding the pavement.
How to do it: According to Murr, a reasonable goal for runners in the pool is to stay in the water for 30 minutes, doing as many laps as you can. But you can also mix in some harder efforts, like going for an RPE of 6 to 7 for two laps, with short rests in between of about 15 seconds, in order to up the intensity. Beginners don’t have to worry about intensity in the pool, Mandje says, and should instead focus on having the best form possible.
2. Cycling
Why it works: Mandje is a big fan of cycling for marathon runners, as it can be done outdoors or on an indoor trainer. He explains that cycling is non-weight bearing, low-impact exercise that’s easy on the joints. Cycling can also help reduce knee pain, according to a review and meta-analysis published in 2020 in Clinical Rehabilitation. The researchers examined 700 patients and 11 studies and concluded that stationary cycling is shown to relieve pain in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
How to do it: Stay on the bike for a duration of 30 to 50 minutes, depending on what’s most comfortable. You can either ride at an easy pace for the entire ride, or try an interval workout by adding in five-minute tempo pace surges, sandwiched by 15 minutes of easy riding.
3. Rowing
Why it works: Rowing is another total-body, non-weight bearing, cross-training option primarily done indoors. It can also improve your posture by challenging your functional flexibility. You’ll also improve your core strength, which contributes to good running form.
How to do it: A good goal for runners is to row for about 30 minutes, says Mandje, but runners can also decide to model their time on the rowing machine to follow high-intensity intervals by going easy for about five minutes, followed by three minutes at a hard pace, and repeating five times.
Other Hearst Subscriptions?
You want to make sure you’re also strength training explains Murr, so the kicking in the pool can unlock some of that injuries. Mandje recommends incorporating two to three strength training sessions per week that last about 20 to 30 minutes, and to do them after your three key runs. He explains that strength training should supplement your marathon training, not hinder it. “It should never be something that takes away from the running, and it’s something that you should definitely do,” he says.
Specific exercises that target running-specific movements include squats, step-ups, single-leg deadlifts, bent-over-rows, curl-to-press, bird dogs, clamshells, and single-leg glute bridges.
How many rest days should you take in a 3-day-a-week program?
What should you do on other training days rest day a week, according to Mandje, even three-day-a-week runners. Rest days should consist of only light exercise, like walking, Shoes & Gear.
Murr recommends taking a rest day particularly before a long run to prepare for the high mileage you’ll tackle. But every runner is different. “For whichever key run a runner finds the most challenging, I would encourage them to take a rest day prior to that run so that they are rested,” he says.
Both Mandje and Murr agree that the three-day-a-week marathon training plan is based on the belief that runners should train hard, and recover harder, considering performance gains are made during the recovery period. “If you don't prioritize recovery, you're not going to make the gains,” says Mandje.
with a doctorate in exercise physiology Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.
