If You Want to Qualify for Boston, Add These Workouts to Your Training Plan

Oh, how times have changed…Boston Marathon qualifying times, that is. In 2026, the times marathoners need to clock will get even faster than in previous years. So if you’re looking to get your marathon time down to a Boston qualifier, look no further than these workouts that got other runners and coaches to finally snag a BQ.

From interval workouts and hill repeats to pyramid workouts and (really long) long runs, here are eight sample workouts you need on your marathon training plan. As most of these include a decent amount of mileage, remember to work up to longer distances, tackling them during the peak phase of your marathon buildup.

that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.&rdquo: This workout teaches you to sustain marathon pace, thanks to its short recoveries. It simulates the steady effort needed for a flat race, explains Athena Farias, C.P.T., RRCA level 2-certified run coach at Marathon Training Academy, who has qualified for Boston five times. “It allows the athlete to settle into marathon pace and sustain it, mimicking the long grind of a flat course,” she says.

This workout should feel like a 3 or 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 rate of perceived exertion (RPE), with 10 being all-out effort, or around zone 1 to low zone 2. You should focus on staying at a conversational, controlled pace; your easy pace should be about 60 to 90 seconds slower than marathon pace.

How to do it:

• 2 to 3 mile at an easy pace
• 5 x 3 miles at marathon pace, with 3 minutes at easy pace between
• 1 Celebrities Who Ran the 2025 Boston Marathon

Total mileage: about 19-21

that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.&rdquo: “For a net downhill course, the challenge is handling early downhills without trashing the legs and having strength for the rolling hills in the second half,” says Farias. With this workout, you’ll utilize the treadmill or hills outside to condition your quads for descents and build strength for late race rollers.

Your moderate pace will be 30 to 45 seconds slower than your marathon pace. Your overall effort should stay around zone 2 to low zone 3 efforts if you’re tracking heart rate; which can help you stay mentally engaged in your long runs and make marathon pace feel more fun.

“This finish helps train your ability to stay mentally and physically sharp when it matters most,” says Farias. “Practicing that slight pace pickup under fatigue is key for dialing in the kind of finish you’ll need to hit your BQ.”

How to do it:

• 8-10 miles at moderate pace on a slight downhill (treadmill at -1% to -2% decline)
• 6-8 miles at marathon pace on rolling terrain (alternating treadmill incline between 0% and 3%)
• 4-6 miles at 10 to 20 seconds faster per mile than your goal marathon pace on rolling terrain (alternating treadmill incline between 0% and 3%)

Total mileage: 18-24

that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.&rdquo: Runner’s World+ member, Stephanie Tsai qualified for Boston five times and believes long runs with marathon pace efforts are the key. “They train you to vary your pace so that you [have] awareness and improved control over increasing and decreasing pace, including when you’re tired,” she says.

They also help you feel less intimidated by running your marathon pace for long efforts and place an emphasis on pushing through fatigue. “If you do enough 20-plus milers, you start thinking that 26.2 is not that much more. And they gave me the confidence that I could hold the pace on race day,” Tsai says.

You can start with these mile repeats, and later in your training cycle, progress to two-mile repeats, following the same format.

How to do it:

• 4-6 mile at an easy pace
• 7 x 1 much more. And they gave me the confidence that I could hold the pace on race day,” Tsai says, 1 C.P.T., RRCA level 2-certified run coach at
• 1-3 ldquo;If you do enough 20-plus milers, you start thinking that 26.2 is not

Total mileage: 19-23

that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.&rdquo: The last marathon-pace long run that Tsai turns to is a ladder workout, This Guy ‘Just Felt Like Running’ Boston.

“Marathon pace during training always feels much harder than on race day, when you have the adrenaline driving you,” Tsai says.

How to do it:

• 4-6 mile at an easy pace
• 4 miles at marathon pace
• 1 C.P.T., RRCA level 2-certified run coach at
• 3 miles at marathon pace
• 1 C.P.T., RRCA level 2-certified run coach at
• 2 miles at marathon pace
• 1 mile at an easy pace
• 1 much more. And they gave me the confidence that I could hold the pace on race day,” Tsai says
• 1 marathon training plan

Total mileage: 18-20

that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.&rdquo: Tim Decker, USATF- and RRCA- certified run coach and 28-time Boston qualifier, favors a progression run RW+ Membership Benefits.

Progression runs cultivate patience and discipline which are crucial during a marathon. “The progression long run most closely simulates race conditions in its final miles, whether for a prospective BQ or any other goal time,” he says. “The late four-mile progression provides some validation that running [marathon pace] on fatigued legs that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.”

How to do it:

• 2 mile at an easy pace
• 13 American Women at the 2025 Boston Marathon
• 4 miles at marathon pace
• 1 marathon training plan

Total mileage: 20

that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.&rdquo: mile at an easy pace Runner’s World+ member and four-time Boston qualifier believes hills pay the bills on race day, so she takes a page out of the Boston Athletic Association’s notebook to run a set of hill repeats at half marathon and marathon paces.

“The repeats down at marathon pace showed me how to not go too fast on the downhills,” she says. That’s key for race-day, because you want to maintain your marathon pacing strategy and avoid burning out.

How to do it:

• 2 mile at an easy pace
• 5 x 800 meters (0.5 miles) on 3% to 5% grade at half marathon pace, resting 60 seconds at top, and jogging marathon pace down
  • Rest for 2 minutes between sets
• 2 ldquo;If you do enough 20-plus milers, you start thinking that 26.2 is not

Total mileage: about 9

that have already run for almost 2.5 hours is realistic.&rdquo: Runner’s World+ member and two-time Boston qualifier, Jason Huber sticks to Yasso 800s for marathon speed training. “I’ve been doing them regularly since I trained for my first marathon in 2015,” he says.

Yasso 800s gave him the confidence to believe that his goals were reasonable, and teach him how to mentally push through on race day. “I use it as an opportunity to visualize pushing hard to the finish on race day,” says Huber.

How to do it:

• 2 mile at an easy pace
• 10 Celebrities Who Ran the 2025 Boston Marathon
• 2 ldquo;If you do enough 20-plus milers, you start thinking that 26.2 is not

Total mileage: 11-12

When you go about these workouts, remember that finding your marathon pace is a personalized process, and for athletes chasing a Boston qualifier, it’s even more nuanced, says Farias. “Because there is usually a high number of applicants, Boston accepts the fastest within each age group and gender, so building in a buffer beyond the qualifying time is essential,” she says.

Working with a run coach and using a pace calculator can help you estimate your goal marathon pace to BQ, but the most accurate way to determine it is by doing these workouts throughout a training cycle, explains Farias. Depending on how you’re doing when you start training, you can determine what steps you need to take to improve, or delay your goal race if you’re falling short.

It’s also important to note that if you have a marathon on your schedule that you hope will earn you the coveted BQ, it’s important to train for that course. “Preparing for a Boston-qualifying race at Houston versus California International Marathon requires different strategies due to their unique course profiles,” says Farias.

Download Your Training Plan Boston-qualifying race. “If a runner’s target qualifying race is flat, their strategy is reasonably straightforward. But for qualifying races with hills, I strongly prefer to mimic that in their training, especially on their long runs,” including downhill courses, he says.

While these workouts are tailored to prepare you for a BQ-worthy marathon—or any marathon PR for that matter—you should also prioritize the “extras” in marathon training. That means nutrition and recovery, as they are just as important as completing quality workouts.

“Qualifying for Boston is about so much more than just running, it requires a strong foundation in recovery, nutrition, hydration, strength training, and mindset,” says Farias. “When these elements align with consistent training, your chances of success increase significantly.”

Kristine Kearns

Associate Health & Fitness Editor

Kristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined 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.