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 2026-07-03 · 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
| CHECKPOINT | CLOCK |
|---|---|
| 10K | 56:53 |
| Half | 2:00:00 |
| 30K | 2:50:38 |
| 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.
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 inside 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.
