Running
Marathon Time Goal Builder
Advanced marathon build targeting a specific finish time. 20 weeks, 5 to 6 runs a week.
- Distance
- Marathon
- Length
- 20 weeks
- Runs per week
- 5–6
- Level
- Advanced
- Goal
- Time goal
Who it's for
You run most days and are used to structured workouts. It is built around a specific marathon time you want to hit.
How the weeks work
It runs for 20 weeks with 5 to 6 runs in each.
If life gets in the way you can stretch it to 26 weeks, or tighten it to 18 if you are already fit.
The last 14 days are a taper: less running, a little intensity, so you start the race fresh.
- Marathon-pace blocks inside some long runs, so goal pace feels routine by race day.
- Threshold runs of 15 to 30 minutes at a comfortably hard pace. You could say a few words, not hold a conversation.
- A medium-long run midweek, around two-thirds of your long run.
Setting your paces
Start with a half-marathon time trial. Your result sets the paces for the rest of the plan, so run it honestly and on fresh legs.
Later benchmarks: a marathon-pace check run. Use them to adjust your paces rather than to chase a number.
Making it stick
- Protect the key sessions. The easy running around them can move.
- Compare each benchmark with the last one and adjust your paces, up or down.
- Practise your race-day fuelling on long runs, not on race day.
