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RW's Garmin-Ready Marathon Schedule: Sub-3:30

Posted: 15 March 2007

A 3:30 marathon is approximately 8:00 per mile. To break 3:30, you should eventually be capable of a sub-1:37 half-marathon (7:20 per mile) and sub- 43:00 10K (7:00 per mile). Right now, you should be running at least 25-30 miles per week, and be able to run for 1:30 non-stop.

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

WEEK ONE (approx 25M)

Mon 3M easy (miles) (approx 27 mins)
Tue 3M marathon pace (approx 24 mins)
Wed 4M steady (approx 34 mins)
Thu 4M with middle 2M at 10K pace (approx 32 mins - 12 mins fast)
Fri Rest
Sat 3M inc hill session or circuit
Sun 8M easy (approx 67 mins)

WEEK TWO (approx 31M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 12 x 200m at mile/5K speed (or 45 secs) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 5M steady (approx 42 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (22 mins)then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat Parkrun or 30 mins fartlek (approx 4M)
Sun 12M easy (approx 1 hours 48)

WEEK THREE (approx 34M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 3 x 1M or 1600m at 10K pace (or 7 mins) with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 6M easy (approx 54 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (30 mins)then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 4M inc hill session or circuit
Sun 12M steady (approx 1:42)

WEEK FOUR (approx 34M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 5 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 4:30) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 7M (approx 63 mins)
Thu 5M steady (approx 42 mins)
Fri Rest
Sat 4M easy (approx 36 mins)
Sun 12M in approx 1:42 (First 6M in 54 mins, last 6M at marathon pace in 48 mins)

WEEK FIVE (approx 40M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 12 x 400m at mile/ 5K speed (or 95 secs) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 8M easy (approx 72 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (approx 30 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat Parkrun or 35 mins fartlek (approx 4M)
Sun 15M easy (approx 2:15)

WEEK SIX (approx 37M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 3 x 2000m at 10K pace (or 9:00) with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 9M easy (approx 81 mins)
Thu 5M inc hill session or circuit
Fri Rest
Sat 4M easy (approx 36 mins)
Sun Race or 13M at half-marathon pace

WEEK SEVEN (approx 43M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 16 x 200m at mile/5K pace (or 45 secs) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M easy (approx 90 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 5M at marathon pace (approx 40 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 5M hills or hilly circuit
Sun 15M steady (approx 2 hrs 7)

WEEK EIGHT (approx 42M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, 4x 1M or 1600m at 10K pace (or 7:00) fast with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 11M easy (approx 99 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (approx 22 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 4M easy (approx 36 mins)
Sun15M in approx 2 hours 7 (First 7M easy in 63 mins, last 8M at marathon pace in 64 mins)

WEEK NINE (approx 45M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 6 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 4:30) fast, with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M easy (approx 90 mins)
Thu 5M hills or hilly circuit
Fri Rest
Sat Parkrun 5km or 40 mins fartlek (approx 5M total)
Sun 18M (approx 2hrs 33)

WEEK TEN (approx 45M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 15 x 400m at mile/5K speed (or 95 secs) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 11M steady (approx 93 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (approx 22 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 3M easy (approx 27 mins)
Sun18M in approx 2hrs 33 (First 9M easy in 81 mins, last 9M at marathon pace in 72 mins)

WEEK ELEVEN (approx 48M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 18 x 200m at mile/5K pace (or 45 secs) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 6M (approx 50 mins) slow
Thu 12M easy (approx 1:48)
Fri Rest
Sat Parkrun 5km or 40 mins fartlek (approx 5M total)
Sun 20M easy (approx 3hrs)

WEEK TWELVE (approx 42M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 4 x 2000m at 10K pace (or 8:30) with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 10M easy (approx 90 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at marathon pace (approx 24 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 4M easy (approx 36 mins)
Sun Half-marathon race (plus 1M warm up and cool down)

WEEK THIRTEEN (approx 48M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, 5 x 1M (or 7:00) fast, with 400m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 9M easy (approx 81 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (approx 30 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 4M (approx 36 mins)
Sun 20M in approx 2:50 hrs (First 10M easy in 90 mins, last 10M at marathon pace in 80 mins)

WEEK FOURTEEN (approx 41M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 6 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 4:30) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 8M steady (approx 68 mins)
Thu 1M easy, then middle 4M at marathon pace (approx 32 mins), then 1M easy
Fri Rest
Sat Parkrun 5km or 40 mins fartlek (approx 5M)
Sun 15M steady(approx 2hrs 7)

WEEK FIFTEEN (approx 29M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 10 x 400m hill at mile/5K speed (or 95 secs) with 100m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 6M easy (approx 54 mins)
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (approx 22 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 3M easy (approx 27 mins)
Sun 10M steady (approx 85 mins)

WEEK SIXTEEN (13M plus race)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 12 x 200m at mile/5K speed (or 45 secs) with 200m (or 1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 4M easy (approx 36 mins) with 5 marathon pace 100m strides
Thu 3M easy (approx 27 mins) with 4 marathon pace 100m strides
Fri Rest
Sat 2M easy (approx 18 mins), in racing kit with 3 marathon pace 100m strides
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)
Enter 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 - 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% MHR	:
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:	:

Enter 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.

Enter 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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Discuss this article

Woodville Boy

Has anyone downloaded one of the RW training schedules to the Garmin 305. I have just bought the 305 and have downloaded a 16 week marathon schedule to the Garmin Training Center but have had problems. I entered the race date as 27/04/2008 but when I looked in the calendar the schedule finishes on 27/03/2008 (the start date is Friday 07 December 2007 when it should be Monday 07 January 2008). Am I doing something wrong? I have checked today's date in the Training Center and it's correct.

Can anyone help?

Posted: 08/01/2008 at 22:33

Steve C.

I just downloaded one a couple of days ago, and the dates came out OK, at least, for my target in early May. But I did see that the HR fields didn't update properly when I changed the max from 200 to my own 192. I tabbed back and forth a bit to get them to update. So maybe there's something similar with the date field. Try it again and see!
Posted: 10/01/2008 at 20:36

Mr Puffy

Hi Woodville. The same thing happened to me. Yesterday I deleted all the workouts in Training Centre and downloaded the RW schedules again, putting in the correct race date and now the schedule finishes on 12 th April.

In the meantime I have updated my TC software from Garmins web page, and also updated the Garmin itself with Webupdater alsop from the Garmin Webpage.

I don't know if it is coincidence, or perhaps I did not enter the date properly first time, or what..

Does your Garmin work correctly with TC in other respects?

Posted: 11/01/2008 at 09:25

Woodville Boy

Thanks for the info. I have also updated the software from the Garmin web page and that has solved the problem so I think the update is why yours is now OK (you probably entered the right date to start with).

The Garmin seems to work OK in other respects although I haven't used it that much yet. I particularly like the link with Google Maps - if you haven't tried it yet I recommend it.

If any one else reads this and is planning on buying the Garmin 305 (it might also be the case for other models) I suggest downloading TC from the web rather than using the CD supplied.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll get lots of use out of it as I'm training for my first marathon (Lochaber). Is anyone else running it?

Happy running!

Posted: 11/01/2008 at 20:29

Mr Puffy

Hi Woodville-how do you link with google maps?
Posted: 11/01/2008 at 22:15

Steve C.

It does it itself - it's one of the menu options in the latest TC
Posted: 12/01/2008 at 01:14

Mr Puffy

Well I've tried and best I can find is a link to google earth that just opens up as a seperate program, as opposed to sport track which displays map or sat in a window. I will go and look for an update.. (again)...
Posted: 12/01/2008 at 08:24

Sezz

Woodville, do you have Windows Vista? I had the same problem and it seems that the Garmin Training Centre software that comes with the Garmin isn't Vista compatible, but downloading the software direct from the website is fine.
Posted: 13/01/2008 at 21:40

Steve C.

Oops, that's what I meant - Google Earth. I'm running on XP.

As an aside, I've been using Karvonen heart rate zones before, which are based on heart rate reserve, whereas the Garmion schedules use a simple %age of max. The former make me work a bit harder since they result in zones a few beats higher. Not sure what to do, but at least the RW Garmin download area has advice on what to do if you want to change your HR zones.

Posted: 14/01/2008 at 12:53

Woodville Boy

Hi to everyone. I'm running on XP so it wasn't a Vista problem. I think the problem was that software on the CD was out of date - downloading from the net seems the way to go.

Regards Google Earth - if you go into the 'view' menu there is an option to view in Google Earth (can't remember the exact words). It opens a separate window but your workout should appear on it (it seems to take a while to initialize though). You can then zoom to follow the route and if you are running up and down hills you can also tilt the image. Some places give better resolution than others but I could make out the features in my very small back yard.

Posted: 15/01/2008 at 19:06

Woodville Boy

Just realised the cause of all the confusion - when I originally mentioned Google Maps, I meant Google Earth. Sorry - I blame the wife - she does all the geeky stuff cos I'm a technophobe.
Posted: 15/01/2008 at 22:37

Richard Simon 7

I've downloaded the sub 3:30 schedule to my 305, but there are differences between the schedule in the article and the workouts on the Garmin.

E.g. Week 4 on my Garmin is

Mon: 4 miles easy: Tue 6x800 reps: Wed 8M slow: Thu 3M brisk wu/cd: Fri Rest : Sat 5M easy: Sun 10K race

The article says

Mon: Rest: Tue 6x1000 reps: Wed 7M slow: Thu 5M : Fri Rest : Sat 4M easy: Sun 12M

Which schedule should I use?

Posted: 10/01/2011 at 14:36

Julian Wood

Yes, I also have different information. PLease can the download file be updated to reflect the web site info.
Posted: 23/01/2011 at 23:21

igranv

Agree,

I went in to show a friend which schedule I had downloaded so he could do the same onto his new toy........hought i was going mad, couldnt seem to locate my schedule anywhere! I guess from the coments above the file he downloads will be the same as mine even if the site states differently. This needs to be resolved to avoid confusion.

Posted: 27/01/2011 at 15:08

Andy Eaton 3

what does the fartlek involve?
Posted: 16/03/2011 at 14:53

Jason Langridge 2

Why does what I download from this site not reflect what is described in the step-by-step plan here? For instance the download into Garmin Training center has totally different runs scheduled each today compared to the descriptions in this web page?

Posted: 04/06/2011 at 21:56

craigtdavies

When I download the schedule, and put it into my calender, the activities match on the appropriate days and my marathon is on the correct day. The only thing I noticed, for instance week 1, its states 3 mile, 3 Mile then a 4 Mile on Wednesday, but on my training centre the distances are different. Anyone have any idea on this.
Posted: 12/10/2011 at 21:24

SazzyG

I followed this schedule for the 2012 Edinburgh Marathon. I didn't actually bother to download it to my Garmin, but followed the plan albeit not religiously (but as near as I could). I did include all the long runs and speed work.

The point in telling you all this, is that it did work!! I know this may sound a bit obvious, but thought it might be worth mentioning for anyone considering the RW training plans! It's a lot of time and dedication, so great to know they work!

Posted: 10/06/2012 at 08:10

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