Beginners | Training Plans | Racing | Motivation | Women's Running

Racing

You are looking at: Home : Racing

RW's Garmin-Ready Marathon Schedule: Sub-5:00

Posted: 15 December 2008

A 5:00 marathon is approximately 11:30 per mile. To break 5:00, you should eventually be capable of a sub-2:15 half-marathon (10:15 per mile) and sub-56:00 10K (9:00 per mile) Right now, you should be used to running for 20-30 minutes, three or four times a week.

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

WEEK ONE (approx 16M)

Mon 3M (miles) easy (approx 36 mins)  
Tue Rest 
Wed 3M steady (approx 44 mins) 
Thu Rest 
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M inc hill session or circuit
Sun 7M easy run/walk (approx 84 mins)

WEEK TWO (approx 20M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (31 mins) then 1M jog
Wed Rest 
Thu 4M steady (approx 46 mins)  
 Fri Rest 
Sat Parkrun or 36 mins easy (approx 3M)  
Sun 8M easy run/walk (approx 96 mins)

WEEK THREE (approx 23M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 4M at marathon pace (44 mins), then 1M jog 
Wed Rest 
Thu 5M easy (approx 60 mins) 
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M inc hill session or circuit
Sun 9M easy run/walk (approx 1:48)

WEEK FOUR (approx 24M)

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (42 mins), then 1M jog
Wed  Rest
Thu 6M easy  
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M easy (approx 36 mins)  
Sun 10M run/walk in approx 1:55 (First 5M in 60 mins, last 5M at marathon pace in 55 mins)

WEEK FIVE (approx 26M)

Mon Rest
Tues 1M jog, then 8 x 400m at mile/5K speed (or 2:15) with 200m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed  Rest
Thu 7M easy (approx 84 mins)
 Fri Rest
Sat Parkrun or 35 mins fartlek (approx 3M) 
Sun 11M easy run/walk (approx 2:12)

WEEK SIX (approx 28M) 

Mon Rest
Tue 1M jog, then 2 x 2000m at 10K pace (or 12:30) with 400m (or 3 mins) jog recovery, then 1M jog
Wed  Rest
Thu 8M easy (approx 96 mins) 
Fri Rest
Sat 3M easy (approx 36 mins) easy 
Sun 12M steady run/walk (approx 2:18)

WEEK SEVEN (approx 27M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 12 x 200 at mile/5K pace (or 65 secs) with 200m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog  
Wed Rest 
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at marathon pace (approx 44 mins), then 1M jog 
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M hills or hilly circuit  
Sun 13M steady run/walk (approx 2hrs 30)

WEEK EIGHT (approx 32M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, 3 x 1M or 1600m at 10K pace (or 10:00) with 400m (or 3 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog 
Wed Rest
Thu 9M easy (approx 1:48)
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M easy (approx 36 mins) 
Sun 14M run/walk in approx 2:41 (First 7M easy in 84 mins, last 7M at marathon pace in 77 mins)

WEEK NINE (approx 30M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 5 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 6:00) with 200m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog 
Wed Rest 
Thu 1M jog, thwn 4M at half-marathon pace (approx 42 mins), then 1M jog
 Fri Rest 
Sat Prkrun 5K or 36 mins easy (approx 3M total) 
Sun 15M steady run/walk (approx 3hrs)

WEEK TEN (approx 35M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 10 x 400m at mile/5K speed (or 2:20), with 200m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1 mile jog 
Wed Rest
Thu 10M easy (approx 2:00)
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M easy (approx 36 mins)
Sun 16M run/walk in approx 3:02 (First 8M easy in 96 mins, last 8M at marathon pace in 88 mins)

WEEK ELEVEN (approx 32M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 15 x 200m at mile/5K pace (or 65 secs) with 200m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog 
Wed Rest
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (approx 42 mins), then 1M jog 
Fri Rest 
Sat Parkrun 5K or 36 mins easy (approx 3M total) 
Sun 18M easy run/walk (approx 3:36)

WEEK TWELVE (approx 33M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, 3 x 2000m at 10K pace (or 12:30) with 400m (or 3 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog 
Wed Rest  
Thu 9M easy (approx 1:48) 
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M easy (approx 36 mins) 
Sun Half-marathon race (plus 1M warm up and cool down)

WEEK THIRTEEN (approx 36M)

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 4 x 1M or 1600m (or 10 mins) fast, with 400m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog 
Wed Rest  
Thu 1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace (approx 42 mins), then 1M jog 
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M easy (approx 36 mins) 
Sun 20M in approx 3:50 (First 10M easy in 120 mins, last 10M at marathon pace in 110 mins)

WEEK FOURTEEN (approx 32M))

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 6 x 1000m at 10K speed (or 6:00) with 200m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog 
Wed Rest
 Thu 7M steady (approx 80 mins)
Fri Rest 
Sat Parkrun 5K or 36 mins easy (approx 3M total) 
Sun 15M steady run/walk (approx 2:52)

WEEK FIFTEEN (approx 23M)

Mon Rest  
Tue 1M jog, then 8 x 400m at mile/5K speed (or 2:15) with 100m (or 1 min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog 
Wed  Rest
Thu 1M jog, then 3M at half-marathon pace (approx 31 mins), then 1M jog
Fri Rest 
Sat 3M easy (approx 36 mins) 
Sun 10M steady (approx 1:55)

WEEK SIXTEEN (10M plus race) 

Mon Rest 
Tue 1M jog, then 10 x 200m at mile/5K speed (or 65 secs) with 200m (or 2 mins) jog recoveries, then 1M jog  
Wed Rest 
Thu 4M easy (approx 48 mins) with 4 marathon pace 100m strides  
Fri Rest  
Sat 2M (approx 24 mins) easy, 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, in minutes/mile. 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:	:

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 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.

Previous article
Time for a fast 5K

Next article
20 Races to do before you die