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 RACING
 

RW's Garmin-Ready Marathon Schedule: Sub-3:00

A 3:00 marathon is approximately 6:50 per mile. To break 3:00, you should eventually be capable of a sub-1:25 half-marathon (6:30 per mile) and sub-38:00 10K (6:00 per mile) Right now, you should be running at least 35-40 miles per week, over six or seven sessions.

  • The target times below are approximate defaults. Your Garmin download will give you more specific targets.
WEEK ONE

Mon 5M (miles) (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 4M (approx 30 mins) slow with a few gentle strides
Wed 6M (approx 46 mins) slow
Thu 5M (approx 34 mins) steady
Fri 4M (approx 31 mins) easy or rest
Sat 5M (approx 32 mins) brisk hilly cross-country run or race
Sun 12M (87-93 mins) slow

WEEK TWO

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 3 x 2M (or 11-12 mins) fast, with 800m (4-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 7M (approx 53 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 3M (approx 20 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri 4M (approx 31 mins) easy or rest
Sat 6M (approx 41 mins) steady off-road
Sun14M (approx 105 mins) slow

WEEK THREE

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 5 x 1M (or 6 mins) fast, with 400m (2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 8M (approx 61 mins) slow
Thu 6M (approx 41 mins) steady
Fri 4M (approx 31 mins) easy or rest
Sat 8M (approx 53 mins) brisk hilly cross-country run or race
Sun 16M (approx 2hr 05) slow

WEEK FOUR

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 8 x 800m (or 3 mins) fast, with 200m (1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 9M (approx 70 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 3M (approx 19:30) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri 4M (approx 31 mins) easy with strides
Sat 4M (approx mins) easy or rest
Sun 1M jog, then race 10K or 5M, then 1M jog. Aim for a sub-38:00 10K or sub-30:00 5-miler

WEEK FIVE

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 6M (or 45 minutes) fartlek, then 1M jog
Wed 10M (approx 75 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, 4M (approx 26 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 31 mins) easy
Sat 6M (approx 40 mins) steady off-road
Sun 16M (approx 2hrs) slow

WEEK SIX

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 10 x 2 mins up hill, jog back. Then 1M jog at end of session
Wed 11M (approx 85 mins) slow
Thu 7M (approx 48 mins) steady
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 31 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 33 mins) brisk hilly cross-country run or race
Sun 18M (approx 2hrs 15) slow

WEEK SEVEN

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, 12 x 2 mins up hill, jog back. Then 1M jog at end of session
Wed 12M (approx 92 mins) slow
Thu 8M (approx 55 mins) steady
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 31 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Sun 20M (approx 2hrs 30) slow

WEEK EIGHT

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 14 x 2 mins up hill, jog back. Then 1M jog at end of session
Wed 13M (approx 100 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 3M (approx 19:30) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (31+ mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Sun Race (5M to half-marathon)

WEEK NINE

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, 16 x 200m (or 45 secs) fast, with 100m (or 30-sec) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 9M (approx 70 mins) slow
Thu 10M (approx 70 mins) steady
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Sun 22M (approx 2hrs 50) slow

WEEK TEN

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 3 x 2M (or 12 mins) fast, with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M (approx 75 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 4M (approx 26 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 3M (approx 25 mins) easy
Sun Half-marathon Aim for sub-1:23

WEEK ELEVEN

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 6M (or 45 mins) fartlek, then 1M jog
Wed 7M (approx 55 mins) slow
Thu 12M (approx 80 mins) steady
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Sun 20M (approx 2hrs 35) slow

WEEK TWELVE

Mon 5M (approx 40mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 3 x 2M (or 12 mins) fast, with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M (approx 75 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 4M (approx 26 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Sun 20M (approx 2hrs 35) slow

WEEK THIRTEEN

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, 6 x 1M (or 6 mins) fast with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 8M (approx 65 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 5M (approx 33 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Sun 22M (approx 2hrs 50) slow

WEEK FOURTEEN

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins ) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 8 x 800m (or 3 mins) fast, with 100m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 7M (approx 55 mins) slow
Thu 10M (approx 70 mins) steady
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Sun 18M (approx 2hrs 20) slow

WEEK FIFTEEN

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 12 x 400m (or 90 secs) fast, with 200m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 6M (approx 45 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 3M (approx 20 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Sat 5M (approx 40 mins ) easy
Sun 12M (approx 80 mins) steady

WEEK SIXTEEN

Mon 5M (approx 40 mins ) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 8 x 400m (or 90 secs) fast, with 200m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 4M (approx 30 mins) easy
Thu Rest
Fri Rest
Sat 2M (or 15 mins) easy, in racing kit
Sun The race

Download This Schedule For Your Garmin

You can download this schedule onto your Garmin Forerunner 301, 205, 305 and 405 (it will work best on the 205, 305 and 405). Your Forerunner will then guide you through each session with target training paces or heart rates to aim for.

  • Decide whether you want to train by heart rate or pace (if in doubt, choose pace).
  • Download the schedule onto your PC desktop using either the quick-download buttons below, or the custom-download buttons further down the page. (The custom options allow you to refine your training paces and heart rates.)
  • Open your Garmin Training Centre software, use 'file>import sessions' to import the schedules from your desktop, then plug in your Forerunner to synchronise it. (You should make sure your Garmin software is up to date, especially as there is a new improvement to pace-smoothing for the 205 and 305. We suggest you use the 'WebUpdater option on these pages: 205; 301 ; 305)
  • If you are new to the 405, to ensure that you have the right software installed, click here.
Enter your race date:

(dd/mm/yyyy)
Select your race date:
(dd/mm/yyyy)
Make A Version With Custom Training Paces

Here are the training paces recommended by this schedule. You can adjust them if you feel that the overall schedule is right for you but that one or two of the paces is likely to be slightly too fast or too slow.
Jog recovery - a period of extremely slow running in between the efforts in a speed session :
Easy - Easy - a gentle jog at below 75% maximum heart rate (MHR) :
Slow - conversational pace (73-78% MHR) :
Steady - a comfortable, but purposeful, pace. About marathon pace (79-84% MHR) :
Brisk (or Threshold (THR)) - around your target half-marathon pace (87-91% MHR). :
Fast-10K - 90-94% :
Fast-5K - 93-97% MHR :
Fast-above-5K :

You can also adjust the paces above by adjusting your marathon target slightly. The sessions and mileages in the schedule will stay the same but the paces will change.

New target: :
Change your race date:  (dd/mm/yyyy)
Finished? When you're happy with the paces, download your schedule

(You can revise your paces partway through your training – just come back to this page, change the values and reupload to your Forerunner.)

Make A Version With Custom Heart Rates

Here are the percentages of maximum heart rate used in the different sessions in this schedule. Insert your maximum heart rate to see which targets you will have to aim for. You can adjust the '% max' figures if you feel that the overall schedule is right for you but that one or two of the heart rates is likely to be slightly too high or too low.

Your maximum heart rate:
Pace in schedule % max Your target heart rate
Jog recovery - a period of extremely slow running in between the efforts in a speed session - 104-180
Easy - a gentle jog - 138-148
Slow - conversational pace - 146-156
Steady - a comfortable, but purposeful, pace. About marathon pace - 158-168
Brisk (or Threshold (THR)) - around your target half-marathon pace - 174-182
Fast-10K - 180-188
Fast-5K - 186-194
Fast-above-5K - 192-198
Change your race date:  (dd/mm/yyyy)
Finished? When you're happy with the heart rate zones, download your schedule

(You can revise your heart rate zones partway through your training - just come back to this page, change the values and reupload to your Forerunner)

Your Questions Answered

Choosing and customising a schedule

Downloading the schedule from RW onto your Forerunner

Using Training Center

Following the sessions

More help... If you don't find the answer to your question in the above FAQs, then please email Garmin's helpline, inputting 'Runner's World training plans' in the subject field of your email to aid our product support teams.


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