Sub-3:45 marathon training plan for runners

The 2-min rests can be static or a very gentle jog. &nbsp?
mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km &nbsp?
What if I can’t hit the paces in the plan?
and have some time away from your smartphone?
Training Plan
I've missed a week of the plan, what should I do?
RW's 16-week sub 3:45 marathon training plan:
This isn’t the right training plan for me - what next?

The 2-min rests can be static or a very gentle jog. &nbsp?

A 3:45-hour marathon is approximately 8:35 per mile/5:20 per km.

Our sub-3:45 marathon plan, encompassing five to six runs per week, is aimed at experienced runners who are regularly running a minimum of four times per week. The advanced nature of this plan means you should have some experience of structured interval-based training before you start. 

As part of the Runner's World Club, members will unlock access to over 6o training plans covering all distances, time goals and days training, plus a whole heap of other benefits.

What everyone's reading

mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km &nbsp?

We have broken the plan down into four-week blocks to give you regular opportunities to reflect on how your training is going and change the plan to one that is more suitable to you if you need to.

Not all progress is linear, and if you find the last four weeks were a little too much, or not enough, for your current level or lifestyle, that’s okay – we will help guide you to pick out the best training plan for you as you get closer to race day. 

What if I can’t hit the paces in the plan?

The paces are not set directly for you and the day you’re running (it could be super-hot or you might have had a poor night’s sleep), so don’t feel like you have to stick to them 100%.

Allow yourself 5-10 secs either side of the suggested pace per mile or per kilometre. If it doesn’t feel right on the day, and if that feeling is happening on every session, then consider dropping to a different pace plan on the link here. 

and have some time away from your smartphone?

Rest days: Rest days are an important part of your recovery and adaptation. Respect them and use them as a chance to reflect on your sleep and nutrition. Find some calm space and time to wind down to lower your stress levels and have some time away from your smartphone.

Easy runs: Easy, conversational paced running forms the backbone of endurance for events from middle distance up to ultramarathons. Running at a relaxed, easy, conversational pace helps to improve your ability to burn stored fats, improves capillarisation and mitochondria density while also allowing you to increase your training volumes in a sustainable way.

While we have suggested a guideline pace, how it feels is probably even more important. You should be able to hold a comfortable conversation and breathe easily. If you run to heart rate these runs might be between 60-75% of your maximum heart rate depending on the individual. You can replace some of these easy runs with cardiovascular cross-training sessions of a similar volume and intensity on a bike, rowing machine, elliptical trainer or swimming or aqua jogging. This is a particularly good idea if you are injury prone because it reduces the impact on your muscles and joints whilst still working your heart and lungs.

Interval sessions: Interval sessions involve a series of short repetitions of running typically between 30 secs and 5-6 mins with either static rest periods or a very easy jog recovery. Interval training is designed to get you breaking out of your comfort zone and challenging your body to work harder or faster, building fitness and callusing your mind ready for race day. 

Fartlek: Fartlek training is similar to interval training, but differs in that the recovery periods are run at an easy or even steady intensity rather than being static rests. Often fartlek sessions will have a more relaxed structure and include a mix of different paces in one session. They can be an effective way of varying your paces whilst maintaining a focus on continuous running and building endurance.

M 34 mins marathon pace: These sessions are designed to allow you to sustain higher intensity paces for longer. They can include a mix of longer intervals between 3-15 mins or they can be run as continuous efforts between 10-40 mins in length. They are run at a strong, but just about sustainable, intensity typically a pace you could hold for 60-70 mins in a race. 

Progression run: Progression runs are a great way to start to work quality running into your week without getting too worked up about structure. They are good for getting you used to building intensity as you would in a race, and can be an effective way of introducing more threshold running or race specific paces into your training week.

Long runs: Long runs are a key run in your training plan. They are an essential building block for endurance and not only have a wide range of positive effects on your cardiovascular system, but also condition your muscles and bones and help improve your running economy. Some long runs will be run at a fully easy intensity but sometimes you may be asked to run at a stronger pace or even include some blocks of race pace running depending on what you are training for. 

Strides: 'Strides' are a good way to get used to running faster and developing speed without the physical and psychological demands of full sprinting. They involve running short efforts normally between 60-100m where the focus is on fast relaxed speed and running with good form.  In the plan, we include strides as part of our warm-up before interval training to help you prepare for the sustained faster running in the main session. You may also see strides included after easy runs on occasions to help promote a feeling of speed and zip even on low intensity days. For more on how to perform them correctly, hit the link here.

mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km. &nbsp: mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km. &nbsp are an important complement to your running. By building a greater number and size of muscle fibres they can help you sustain paces for longer, improve your running economy and they may play a role in injury prevention. We have written a number of common sense body weight plans, but feel free to replace these with gym based strength training or classes e.g. Pilates. 

Training Plan

Monday 

STRENGTH TRAINING Foundation workout A.
Duration: 30 mins. Full workout and exercise descriptions can be found at the link here.

Tuesday 

FARTLEK RUN 3 x 3, 2, 1 mins.
Duration: 58 mins.
Warm-up: 10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km run with strides and drills. Main set (x 3): 3 mins @7:53/mile or 4:54/km + 90 secs easy. 2 mins @7:36/mile or 4:43/km + 90 secs easy. 1 min @7:22/mile or 4:35/km + 90 secs easy. 2 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km and repeat. Cool-down: 10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km
Coach notes: This is a fartlek run so don't get too stressed about being really tight with the pacing. It's not an interval session with static recovery, though, so keep easy running on the 90-sec and 2-min recoveries rather than resting completely.

Wednesday 

EASY RUN 30-45 mins easy to steady.
Duration: 45 mins. Relaxed/conversational run @9:30/mile or 6:00/km and for the last 10-15 mins @8:55/mile or 5:32/km. Coach notes: Stay relaxed throughout the start and if you're not feeling great then keep the entire run easy.

Thursday

INTERVAL RUN 10 x 20 secs.
Duration: 43 mins.
Warm-up: 15-20 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km. Main set: 10 x 20 secs @95-100% effort with 1-min full recovery between. Cool-down: 5-10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km.

Friday 

REST OR EASY + STRENGTH TRAINING Rest or 30-45 min easy + Foundation Workout B (30 mins).
Duration: 75 mins (total). Relaxed/conversational run @9:30/mile or 6:00/km but take a rest day if you feel that you need to. Follow this with Foundation Workout B, which can be found at the link here.

Saturday 

FARTLEK RUN 12 x 45 secs on, 75 secs steady.
Duration: 44 mins.
Warm-up: 10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km with strides and drills. Main set: 12 x 45 secs @7:53/mile or 4:54/km with 75 secs @9:00/mile or 5:36/km between. Cool-down: 10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km
Coach notes: This is a fartlek run so don't get too stressed about being really tight with the pacing. It's not an interval session with static recovery, though, so keep easy running on the 75-second recoveries rather than resting completely.

Sunday

EASY RUN 75-90 mins easy.
Duration: 90 mins. Relaxed/conversational run @9:30/mile or 6:00/km.
Coach notes: Stay relaxed throughout, but increase the pace a little in the second half if you feel good.

Monday 

STRENGTH TRAINING Foundation workout A.
Duration: 30 mins. Full workout and exercise descriptions can be found at the link here.

Tuesday 

EASY RUN 30-45 mins easy with strides.
Duration: 45 mins.  Relaxed/conversational run @9:30/mile or 6:00/km. At the end of the run, add in 3-4 strides @7:22/mile or 4:35/km.
Coach notes: Stay relaxed throughout and only add the strides if you're feeling good at the end.

Wednesday 

FARTLEK RUN 15-18 x 60 secs on, 60 secs steady.
Duration: 56 mins.
Warm-up: 10 mins 9:30/mile or 6:00/km with strides and drills. Main set: 15-18 x 60 secs @7:53/mile or 4:54/km with 60 secs @9:00/mile or 5:36/km between. Cool-down: 10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km.
Coach notes: This is a fartlek run so don't get too stressed about being really tight with the pacing. It's not an interval session with static recovery, though, so keep running on the 60-sec recoveries rather than resting completely.

Thursday 

Mission Marathon Training Plan: sub-3 hours 30-45 easy run or cross-training.
Duration: 45 mins.  Relaxed/conversational run @9:30/mile or 6:00/km or cross-training such as bike, hike or swimming.
Coach notes: Stay relaxed throughout, but increase the pace a little in the second half if you feel good.

Friday 

nbsp;4 x 6 mins. &nbsp Rest or 30-45 mins easy + Foundation Workout B (30 mins).
Duration: 75 mins (total). Relaxed/conversational run @9:30/mile or 6:00/km but take a rest day if you feel that you need to. Follow this with Foundation Workout B, which can be found at the link here.

Saturday 

INTERVAL RUN 4 x 6 mins.
Duration: 52 mins.
Warm-up: 10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km + drills and strides. Main set: 4 x 6 mins @7:53/mile or 4:54/km + 2 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km Cool-down: 10 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km.
Coach notes: The 2-min rests can be static or a very gentle jog.

Sunday 

LONG RUN 90-105 mins easy.
Duration: 105 mins. 105 mins @9:30/mile or 6:00/km.
Coach notes: Plan out a route before or arrange to meet a friend to make a long run easier (depending on the friend). b

I've missed a week of the plan, what should I do?

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy

Sun Race (ideally half-marathon) (15M inc warm up/ cool down). Aim for sub-1:50.

Note that the ‘approximate’ targets for training sessions are exactly that, especially on longer runs. By now, your training and racing should be giving you a clearer idea of your marathon (steady) and half-marathon (brisk) paces. Also, the times in the Tuesday speed sessions are alternatives to the distances, rather than targets. You should be running them as fast yet evenly as you can; roughly between 5K and 10K pace.

Week Nine (45M)

Mon Rest

Tue 7M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 10 x 2 mins uphill, jog back down. Then 1M jog at end of session

Wed 8M (75 mins) easy

Thu 9M (76 mins 30 secs) marathon pace

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy or parkrun

Sun 18M (approx 2hrs 35) long

Week Ten (39M)

Mon Rest

Tue 7M consisting of: 1M jog, then 3 x 1.5M (or 12 mins) tempo, with 400m (or 3-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog

Wed 9M (85 mins) easy

Thu 1M jog, then 3M (24 mins) tempo, then 1M jog

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy

Sun Half-marathon. Aim for sub-1:45 (15M inc warm up and cool down)

Week Eleven (44M)

Mon Rest

Tue 1M jog, then 5M (or 50 mins) fartlek (3mins fast, 2mins slow), then 1M jog

Wed 6M (58 mins) slow

Thu 8M (68 mins) marathon pace

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy or parkrun

Sun 20M (3hrs 10) long

Week Twelve (44M)

Mon Rest

Tue 8M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 5 x 1M (or 8 mins) tempo with 200m (or 90 secs) jog recoveries, then 1M jog

Wed 7M (72 mins) easy

Thu 1M jog, then 3M (24 mins) tempo, then 1M jog

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy or parkrun

Sun 21M (3hrs 30) long

Week Thirteen (43M)

Mon Rest

Tue 7M consisting of: 1M jog and strides, then 10 x 2 miins uphill, jog back down. Then 1M jog at end of session.

Wed 7M (65 mins) easy

Thu 1M jog, then 4M (32 mins) tempo, then 1M jog

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy or parkrun

Sun 20M (3hrs 20) long

Week Fourteen (34M)

Mon Rest

Tue 6M consisting of: 1M jog, then 6 x 800m (or 4 mins) at 10K pace, with 100m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog

Wed 6M (58 mins) easy

Thu 7M (59 mins 30 secs) marathon pace

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy or parkrun

Sun 12M (2 hrs) long

Week Fifteen (26M)

Mon Rest

Tue 5M of 1M jog, then 8 x 400m (or 90 secs) fast, with 200m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog

Wed 5M (48 mins) slow

Thu 1M jog, then 3M (24 mins) tempo, then 1M jog

Fri Rest

Sat 3M (30 mins) easy

Sun 8M (75 mins) long

Week Sixteen (35M inc race)

Mon Rest

Tue 4M consisting of: 1M jog, then 10 x 200m (or 45 secs) fat 5K pace, with 100m (or 30 secs) jog recoveries, then 1M jog

Wed 3M (30 mins) easy

Thu Rest

Fri Rest

Sat 2M (or 20 mins) easy

Sun Race day

This isn’t the right training plan for me - what next?

If you don't think you can keep up with this marathon training plan, take a look at all of our marathon training schedules for every type of runner.

Expert consulted:Robbie Britton

Robbie Britton is an ultra-endurance coach, athlete, author and the British 24hr record holder (277km/172miles). He is also one the brains (alongside Tom Craggs) behind all our Runner's World Club training plans.