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Marathon plan · 3h45

Marathon in 3h45: 16-week plan

16 weeks, 4 runs a week, to run a marathon in 3h45 (5:20/km). Written for a VMA around 14.5 km/h. Week 1 is about 34 km; the biggest week reaches 66 km and the longest run lasts 2h40. Every session has its targets: a share of VMA for easy runs and intervals, your goal pace for race-pace work.

Weeks
16
Runs per week
4
Biggest week
66 km
Race pace
5:20 /km

Free account, you choose the start date. Every session can be moved or edited afterwards.

Weekly volume

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  • Base
  • Build
  • Marathon pace
  • Taper

Week-by-week schedule

Every session with its targets. Each one carries a step-by-step workout that goes to your watch once the plan is imported.

Targets are a share of VMA or your goal pace. Once the plan is imported, OpenAthlete works them out from the VMA in your profile, and your Garmin, COROS or Suunto watch shows your own paces.

Base

Easy volume, short fast reps and strides. The long run grows a little each week. Week 4 is lighter, to absorb the work.

Week 1Base34 km
  • TueFartlek20 min warm-up, 8 × (1 min fast at 92–97% VMA / 1 min easy), 10 min cool-down.92–97% VMA
  • WedEasy run40 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriEasy run + strides40 min easy (62–70% VMA), then 6 strides of 20 s: fast but relaxed, walk back between them.62–70% VMA
  • SunLong run1h20 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
Week 2Base39 km
  • Tue30/30 intervals20 min warm-up, 14 × (30 s at 100–105% VMA / 30 s jog), 10 min cool-down.100–105% VMA
  • WedEasy run45 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriTempo run20 min warm-up, 20 min steady (80–84% VMA), 10 min cool-down.80–84% VMA
  • SunLong run1h35 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
Week 3Base42 km
  • Tue30/30 intervals20 min warm-up, 16 × (30 s at 100–105% VMA / 30 s jog), 10 min cool-down.100–105% VMA
  • WedEasy run45 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriTempo run20 min warm-up, 25 min steady (80–84% VMA), 10 min cool-down.80–84% VMA
  • SunLong run1h50 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
Week 4Easier week33 km
  • TueEasy run + strides40 min easy (62–70% VMA), then 6 strides of 20 s: fast but relaxed, walk back between them.62–70% VMA
  • WedEasy run40 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriEasy run + strides40 min easy (62–70% VMA), then 6 strides of 20 s: fast but relaxed, walk back between them.62–70% VMA
  • SunLong run1h15 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA

Build

VMA intervals and threshold work, longer long runs. Week 8 is lighter, to absorb the work.

Week 5Build46 km
  • TueVMA intervals20 min warm-up, 10 × 400 m at 100–105% VMA with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.100–105% VMA
  • WedEasy run45 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriThreshold20 min warm-up, 3 × 8 min at threshold (85–88% VMA) with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.85–88% VMA
  • SunLong run1h50 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
Week 6Build49 km
  • TueVMA intervals20 min warm-up, 6 × 800 m at 95–100% VMA with 2 min jog between, 10 min cool-down.95–100% VMA
  • WedEasy run50 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriTempo run20 min warm-up, 30 min steady (80–84% VMA), 10 min cool-down.80–84% VMA
  • SunLong run2h00 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
Week 7Build54 km
  • TueLong intervals20 min warm-up, 5 × 1 km at 92–97% VMA with 2 min 30 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.92–97% VMA
  • WedEasy run50 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriThreshold20 min warm-up, 4 × 8 min at threshold (85–88% VMA) with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.85–88% VMA
  • SunLong run with marathon pace2h15 in all, with 2 × 10 min at marathon pace (5:20/km) and 5 min easy between them. The rest easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMAGoal pace 5:20/km
Week 8Easier week36 km
  • TueFartlek20 min warm-up, 7 × (1 min fast at 92–97% VMA / 1 min easy), 10 min cool-down.92–97% VMA
  • WedEasy run40 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriEasy run + strides40 min easy (62–70% VMA), then 6 strides of 20 s: fast but relaxed, walk back between them.62–70% VMA
  • SunLong run1h30 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA

Marathon pace

Marathon pace in the long runs and in midweek blocks: the biggest weeks of the plan. Week 12 is lighter, to absorb the work.

Week 9Race pace57 km
  • TueThreshold20 min warm-up, 3 × 10 min at threshold (85–88% VMA) with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.85–88% VMA
  • WedEasy run50 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriMarathon pace20 min warm-up, 3 × 3 km at marathon pace (5:20/km) with 2 min jog between, 10 min cool-down.Goal pace 5:20/km
  • SunLong run with marathon pace2h15 in all, with 2 × 20 min at marathon pace (5:20/km) and 5 min easy between them. The rest easy (62–70% VMA). Drink and take your race-day gels on the way, to test them.62–70% VMAGoal pace 5:20/km
Week 10Race pace60 km
  • TueLong intervals20 min warm-up, 5 × 1 km at 92–97% VMA with 2 min 30 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.92–97% VMA
  • WedEasy run55 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriMarathon pace20 min warm-up, 2 × 5 km at marathon pace (5:20/km) with 3 min jog between, 10 min cool-down.Goal pace 5:20/km
  • SunLong run2h30 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA). Drink and take your race-day gels on the way, to test them.62–70% VMA
Week 11Biggest week66 km
  • TueThreshold20 min warm-up, 2 × 15 min at threshold (85–88% VMA) with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.85–88% VMA
  • WedEasy run55 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriMarathon pace20 min warm-up, 3 × 4 km at marathon pace (5:20/km) with 3 min jog between, 10 min cool-down.Goal pace 5:20/km
  • SunLong run with marathon pace2h40 in all, with 3 × 20 min at marathon pace (5:20/km) and 5 min easy between them. The rest easy (62–70% VMA). Drink and take your race-day gels on the way, to test them.62–70% VMAGoal pace 5:20/km
Week 12Easier week39 km
  • TueFartlek20 min warm-up, 7 × (1 min fast at 92–97% VMA / 1 min easy), 10 min cool-down.92–97% VMA
  • WedEasy run45 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriEasy run + strides45 min easy (62–70% VMA), then 6 strides of 20 s: fast but relaxed, walk back between them.62–70% VMA
  • SunLong run1h45 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
Week 13Race pace64 km
  • TueThreshold20 min warm-up, 3 × 10 min at threshold (85–88% VMA) with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.85–88% VMA
  • WedEasy run55 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriMarathon pace20 min warm-up, 2 × 6 km at marathon pace (5:20/km) with 3 min jog between, 10 min cool-down.Goal pace 5:20/km
  • SunLong run with marathon pace2h35 in all, with 2 × 25 min at marathon pace (5:20/km) and 5 min easy between them. The rest easy (62–70% VMA). Drink and take your race-day gels on the way, to test them.62–70% VMAGoal pace 5:20/km

Taper

Less volume, a little intensity to stay sharp, and you start the race fresh.

Week 14Taper49 km
  • TueThreshold20 min warm-up, 2 × 10 min at threshold (85–88% VMA) with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.85–88% VMA
  • WedEasy run45 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriMarathon pace20 min warm-up, 2 × 4 km at marathon pace (5:20/km) with 3 min jog between, 10 min cool-down.Goal pace 5:20/km
  • SunLong run with marathon pace1h55 in all, with 2 × 10 min at marathon pace (5:20/km) and 5 min easy between them. The rest easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMAGoal pace 5:20/km
Week 15Taper39 km
  • TueVMA intervals20 min warm-up, 6 × 400 m at 100–105% VMA with 90 s jog between, 10 min cool-down.100–105% VMA
  • WedEasy run40 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriMarathon pace20 min warm-up, 2 × 3 km at marathon pace (5:20/km) with 2 min jog between, 10 min cool-down.Goal pace 5:20/km
  • SunLong run1h20 at an easy, even pace (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
Week 16Race week58 km
  • TueEasy run with goal pace35 min easy, with 2 × 5 min at marathon pace (5:20/km) in the second half.62–70% VMAGoal pace 5:20/km
  • WedEasy run30 min easy (62–70% VMA).62–70% VMA
  • FriEasy run + strides25 min easy (62–70% VMA), then 4 strides of 20 s: fast but relaxed, walk back between them.62–70% VMA
  • SunRace day: marathonRace day. Settle at marathon pace (5:20/km) from the start and hold it; only speed up in the last kilometres if your legs say yes.Goal pace 5:20/km

Paces for this goal

Finishing in 3h45 means 5:20 per kilometre on average. The plan writes every target as a share of VMA or as this goal pace. If your recent races say otherwise, check your VMA or a recent result before you start.

VMA calculatorRace time predictorPace calculator and splitsRace guides

Paces for a VMA of 14.5 km/h

The VMA this plan is written for. With a different VMA, the same percentages give your own paces.

Used forTargetPace /km
Easy and long runs62–70% VMA5:55–6:40
Tempo runs80–84% VMA4:56–5:10
Threshold85–88% VMA4:42–4:52
Long intervals, fartlek92–97% VMA4:16–4:30
VMA intervals (800 m)95–100% VMA4:08–4:21
Short intervals (30/30, 400 m)100–105% VMA3:56–4:08
Goal pace3h455:20

Send the plan to your watch

Once imported, structured sessions go to Garmin, Suunto and COROS watches with their steps and paces. Activities come back from your watch or Strava and are matched to the planned session.

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