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 TWO (approx 43-47M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 16 x 200m at mile/5k speed(or 40 secs), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 7M steady (approx 52 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (18 mins) then 1M jog
Fri 4M easy (approx 31 mins) or rest
Sat Parkrun or 40 mins fartlek (approx 5M)
Sun15M easy (approx 2 hrs)

WEEK THREE (approx 47-51M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 5 x 1M or 1600m at 10K pace (or 6 mins) fast, with 400m (2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 8M easy (approx 65 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (25 mins) then 1M jog
Fri 4M easy (approx 32 mins) or rest
Sat 5M inc Hill session or circuit
Sun 15M steady (approx 1:52)

WEEK FOUR (approx 47-51M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 7 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 4 mins) with 200m (1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 9M easy (approx 72 mins)
Thu 6M steady (approx 45 mins)
Fri 4M easy (approx 32 mins) with strides
Sat 4M easy (approx 32 mins) or rest
Sun 15M in approx 1:52 (First 7M easy in 56 mins, last 8M at marathon pace in approx 55 mins)

WEEK FIVE (approx 53-58M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 15 x 400m at mile/5K speed (or 90 secs), with 200m (or 1-in) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M easy (approx 80 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 5M at half-marathon pace (approx 32 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat Parkrun or 45 mins fartlek
Sun 18M easy (approx 2: 24)

WEEK SIX (approx 48-52M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 4 x 2000m at 10K pace (or 7 mins 30) fast with 400m mins (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 11M easy (approx 88 mins)
Thu 6M inc Hill session or circuit
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Sun Race or 13M at half-marathon pace

WEEK SEVEN (approx 55-59M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 20 x 200m at mile/K pace (or 40 secs), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 12M easy (approx 96 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 6M at marathon pace (approx 42 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat 5M hills or hilly circuit
Sun 18M steady (approx 2hrs 15)

WEEK EIGHT (approx 54-58M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, 5 x 1M or 1600m at 10K pace (or 6 mins), with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 13M easy (approx 104 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (approx 19 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest or easy 4M (32 mins)
Sat 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Sun 18M in approx 2 hrs 14 (first 9M easy in 72 mins, last 9M at marathon pace in 62 mins)

WEEK NINE (approx 54-58M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 8 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 4 mins), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M steady (approx 75 mins)
Thu 5M hills or hilly circuit
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat Parkrun 5km or 45 mins fartlek (approx 6M total)
Sun 20M steady (approx 2hrs 30)

WEEK TEN (approx 51-55M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 16 x 400m at mile/5K speed (or 90 secs), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 11M steady (approx 82 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (approx 19 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat 3M easy (approx 24 mins)
Sun 20M in approx 2:28 (First 10M easy in 80 minutes, last 10M at marathon pace in 68 mins)

WEEK ELEVEN (approx 51-55M)

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 (approx 49-53M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 5 x 2000m at 10K pace (or 7 mins 30) fast with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M easy (approx 80 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at marathon pace (approx 21 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Sun Half-marathon race (plus 1M warm up and cool down)

WEEK THIRTEEN (approx 57-62M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, 6 x 1M or 1600m (or 6 mins) fast with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M (approx 80 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (approx 25 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat Parkrun or 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Sun 22M steady (approx 2hrs 45)

WEEK FOURTEEN (approx 48-52M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 7 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 4 mins) fast, with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 9M steady (approx 67 mins)
Thu 1M easy, then middle 4M at marathon pace (approx 28 mins), then 1M easy
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat Parkrun 5M or 45 mins fartlek (approx 6M total)
Sun 15M steady (approx 1:50 mins)

WEEK FIFTEEN (approx 48-52M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 10 x 400m at mile/ 5K(or 90 secs) fast, with 100m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 7M easy (approx 56 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (approx 18 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest or 4M easy (approx 32 mins)
Sat 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Sun 10M steady (approx 75 mins)

WEEK SIXTEEN (approx 38-42M)

Mon 5M easy (approx 40 mins)
Tue 1M jog, then 12 x 200m at mile/ 5K (or 40 secs), with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 4M easy (approx 32 mins) with 5 marathon pace 100m strides
Thu 3M (approx 24 mins) with 4 marathon pace 100m strides
Fri Rest
Sat 2M (approx 16 mins) easy, in racing kit with 3 marathon pace 100m strides
Sun The race