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true,  more like 10K + 30s pace for 6/7 miles with a 1-2 mile initial warm up jog pace.  Just a threshold run.  I did a 10K the other week.  Such a painful distance.. I managed 38m50 so finished quite high up the field.  And was then sick.  I stayed at the finish line waiting for my wife who was also running. I'd say roughly 1 in 3 or 4 people came across the finish line, wobbled and was then sick.  A well prepared for Marathon is easier than a 10K in my humble opinion!

Typically I'd do the following: 

1 * Threshold 8-10 miles (around 10K pace, so much faster than MP)

1 * Easy pace after work with a backpack (slower than MP)

1 -2 * Speed Intervals on a treadmill (around 5K pace)

1 * Long Run ....  once fully fit, then I guess about 50% of the long run would be MP

So I suppose on average about 30-40% of my weekly mileage would be at or faster than MP

Hi John,  I've done a few marathons since this and I now tend to mix things up with my long runs.  I think I've found the right balance, although those last couple of miles are still inherently unpredictable for me. 

I now tend to do intervals within most of my long runs, so a 20 mile run might be 5 miles slow, 5 miles MP, 5 miles slow, 5 miles MP.  And I also make the point of doing 1 or 2 runs of 22-23 miles.  And during these one's I go very slowly for the first 3-4 miles and then gradually build the pace up to finish at MP. 

I find that the 22-23 milers are particularly good for the confidence.