Training plans Marathon
The sub-4:00 marathon
Running a sub-4:00 marathon means holding 5:41/km (9:09/mi) for 42.2 kilometres. Plan on 4–5 runs and 56–79km per week for around 14–18 weeks. Training happens at three speeds — easy mileage (6:36–7:11/km), tempo work near 5:15/km, and faster reps at about 5:00/km. Whether that timeline is realistic depends on your current fitness — the honest test is a recent race result, not ambition.
Last updated 2026-10-01 · paces computed, not copywritten
Goal pace
5:41/km
9:09/mi
Typical build
14–18 weeks
56–79 km/week
Runs per week
4–5
3 key sessions + easy volume
Required paces
| SESSION | PACE (/KM) |
|---|---|
| Easy runs | 6:36–7:11 |
| Long run | 6:06–6:36 |
| Tempo | 5:15 |
| Intervals | 5:00 |
| Race pace | 5:41 |
Splits at goal pace
44 checkpoints
| CHECKPOINT | CLOCK |
|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:41 |
| 2 km | 11:23 |
| 3 km | 17:04 |
| 4 km | 22:45 |
| 5 km | 28:26 |
| 6 km | 34:08 |
| 7 km | 39:49 |
| 8 km | 45:30 |
| 9 km | 51:11 |
| 10 km | 56:53 |
| 11 km | 1:02:34 |
| 12 km | 1:08:15 |
| 13 km | 1:13:57 |
| 14 km | 1:19:38 |
| 15 km | 1:25:19 |
| 16 km | 1:31:00 |
| 17 km | 1:36:42 |
| 18 km | 1:42:23 |
| 19 km | 1:48:04 |
| 20 km | 1:53:45 |
| 21 km | 1:59:27 |
| Halfway | 2:00:00 |
| 22 km | 2:05:08 |
| 23 km | 2:10:49 |
| 24 km | 2:16:31 |
| 25 km | 2:22:12 |
| 26 km | 2:27:53 |
| 27 km | 2:33:34 |
| 28 km | 2:39:16 |
| 29 km | 2:44:57 |
| 30 km | 2:50:38 |
| 31 km | 2:56:19 |
| 32 km | 3:02:01 |
| 33 km | 3:07:42 |
| 34 km | 3:13:23 |
| 35 km | 3:19:05 |
| 36 km | 3:24:46 |
| 37 km | 3:30:27 |
| 38 km | 3:36:08 |
| 39 km | 3:41:50 |
| 40 km | 3:47:31 |
| 41 km | 3:53:12 |
| 42 km | 3:58:53 |
| Finish | 4:00:00 |
Even splits shown — at 5:41/km the opening kilometres should feel almost too easy; that restraint is what a 4:00 costs up front.
The final clock of 4:00:00 is the sub-4:00 marathon benchmark — the number the goal is named after, reached exactly. Most runners want to finish somewhere under it, and how much under is your call, not ours. Set your own margin in the pace calculator.
Train towards this goal with a plan built around your week.
The paces and splits above are yours to keep. RunV turns them into 14–18 weeks that fit the days you can actually run, and rebuilds them when a session is missed.
Everything above stays free and complete — this is an optional next step, not a paywall.
A typical week
Key session 1
Intervals — reps around 5:00/km (5K effort) with jog recoveries
Key session 2
Tempo — sustained comfortably-hard running near 5:15/km
Long run
The week's cornerstone at 6:06–6:36/km, adding 4:00-pace finishes as race day nears
Plus 2+ easy runs. All other runs sit at 6:36–7:11/km by design — accumulating volume without stealing from the key days.
Asked often
- What pace is a sub-4:00 marathon?
- 5:41 per kilometre, held for the full marathon. Racing the first half a touch outside 5:41 and finishing strong beats banking time every time.
- How long should I train for a sub-4:00 marathon?
- From a reasonable base, 14–18 weeks. Coming back from time off, add a re-ramp phase before the marathon block rather than compressing it.
- What happens if I miss training weeks?
- Missed weeks are where PDF plans fail: the schedule marches on without you. RunV rebuilds the remaining marathon weeks around what you actually ran.
This fitness at other distances
- Half marathon: 1:55:07 equivalent
- 10K: 52:10 equivalent
- 5K: 25:01 equivalent
Built to get you under 4:00 — and to bend when life does
RunV builds your sub-4:00 plan around your week, then recalibrates it after every run — finished, cut short, or missed.
