Is this the right marathon training plan for me?

A 5:00 hour marathon is approximately 11:30 per mile though a target pace training of 11:00 per mile (4:48) could be beneficial. To break five hours, you should eventually be capable of a sub-2:15 half marathon (10:15 per mile) and sub-60:00 10K (9:30 per mile). Right now, you should be used to running comfortably for 30-60 minutes, three or four times a week. When starting training it is ok to have walk breaks if it enables you to maintain the pace.

What do the different runs on the training plan mean?

Rest/Cross-Train (XT) – Take a rest day, or do moderate cross-training with a no-impact activity such as yoga or swimming.

Tempo – Run easy for one mile to warm up. Then ease into the given pace for the distance show. Run easy for a mile to cool down. Tempo runs should feel challenging; on a scale of one to 10, your effort will feel like a seven or eight. You should be able to utter just a few words at a time. These runs train your body to sustain speed over distance.

What everyone's reading

Easy – Easy runs should be done 30 seconds to one minute per mile slower than your marathon goal pace.

Long run – Much like an easy run, this is a long, slow distance run that will build your endurance. Run at an easy pace; you should be able to hold a conversation. This should be 30 seconds to one minute per mile slower than your goal pace.

Mile repeats – After a one-mile warm-up, run one mile at the given pace, then jog very slowly for half a mile to recover. Repeat cycles as directed. Cool down with one mile of easy running.

Marathon pace – This is the pace that you hope to maintain in the race. Run one mile easy to warm up and one mile easy to cool down.

What pace should I be doing each run at?

Work out what pace to do each of your runs at using our training pace calculator - just tell us a recent run time and we'll do the rest.

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

Very few runners will get to the end of their marathon training schedule without missing some runs due to illness, injury or life getting in the way. If you’ve missed four weeks or more, our best advice is to postpone your marathon, as it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get the time you want on race day having missed a month.

If you’ve missed two or three weeks, you should still have time to build up to your longest training runs, which are a key to race-day success. If you are coming back from injury, spend a week or two gradually increasing your training volume, using previous weeks on the training plan as a guide.

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