Training plans Marathon
The sub-3:15 marathon
To break 3:15 for the marathon, you need an average of 4:37 per kilometre — 7:26 per mile — from gun to tape. Most runners get there on 67–91km per week across 5–6 runs, built over roughly 16–20 weeks. Expect three gears in the plan: 5:32–6:07/km for easy runs, roughly 4:19/km for tempo sessions, and 4:04/km for intervals. Your starting fitness decides whether the goal is a season away or further — judge it from a recent race, not a hopeful guess.
Last updated 2026-07-03 · paces computed, not copywritten
Goal pace
4:37/km
7:26/mi
Typical build
16–20 weeks
67–91 km/week
Runs per week
5–6
3 key sessions + easy volume
Required paces
| SESSION | PACE (/KM) |
|---|---|
| Easy runs | 5:32–6:07 |
| Long run | 5:02–5:32 |
| Tempo | 4:19 |
| Intervals | 4:04 |
| Race pace | 4:37 |
Splits at goal pace
| CHECKPOINT | CLOCK |
|---|---|
| 10K | 46:13 |
| Half | 1:37:30 |
| 30K | 2:18:39 |
| Finish | 3:15:00 |
The table assumes level pacing; most runners land a 3:15 by holding two or three seconds per kilometre back from 4:37 early on.
A typical week
Key session 1
Intervals — reps around 4:04/km (5K effort) with jog recoveries
Key session 2
Tempo — sustained comfortably-hard running near 4:19/km
Long run
The week's cornerstone at 5:02–5:32/km, adding 3:15-pace finishes as race day nears
Plus 3+ easy runs. Everything else is easy running at 5:32–6:07/km — the volume that makes the hard days land.
Asked often
- What pace is a sub-3:15 marathon?
- 4:37 per kilometre, held for the full marathon. The runners who break 3:15 are usually the ones still passing people in the last quarter.
- How long should I train for a sub-3:15 marathon?
- From a reasonable base, 16–20 weeks. If you're returning from a break, rebuild first — squeezing a 16-week plan into less is how marathon builds break.
- What happens if I miss training weeks?
- If the plan can't adjust, missed weeks turn into injury risk or a blown goal. RunV recalibrates after every run — including the ones that didn't happen — to keep 3:15 in reach.
This fitness at other distances
- Half marathon: 1:33:32 equivalent
- 10K: 42:23 equivalent
- 5K: 20:20 equivalent
Sub-3:15, minus the guesswork
RunV builds your sub-3:15 plan around your week, then recalibrates it after every run — finished, cut short, or missed.
