Marathon-pace run
A continuous block at goal marathon pace.
Also called: MP run, race-pace run.
The most specific session in a marathon build and the one runners most often get wrong, in both directions: too short to teach anything, or so long it becomes a race that costs a week of training. A continuous marathon-pace block should feel almost boring in the first half. If goal pace does not feel boring for the first twenty minutes, it is not your goal pace.
The session
Shown at a 4:00 marathon reference — 1 h 07 total, about 11.0 km, including 45 min of quality work.
Warm-up
- 12 min easy (6:43–7:24/km)
Main set
- 45 min @ 5:41/km (M)
Cool-down
- 10 min easy (6:43–7:24/km)
Why this session works
One unbroken block at marathon pace is the most specific training that exists: fuel economy, pace discipline, and confidence in a single session.
Source: Bassett & Howley 2000. Training phase: build.
Run it at your own paces
Open the workout generator and enter a recent race time — every rep length, recovery and target pace is recalculated for your fitness, and the session exports to .fit for a Garmin watch.
Frequently asked questions
What is a marathon-pace run?
A continuous block at goal marathon pace. The most specific session in a marathon build and the one runners most often get wrong, in both directions: too short to teach anything, or so long it becomes a race that costs a week of training.
How long is this session?
At a 4:00 marathon reference it comes to 1 h 07 and about 11.0 km, of which 45 min is prescribed quality work. The generator scales both to your own paces, so a faster runner covers more ground in the same time.
Who is this workout for?
It is written for the build phase of a marathon build. The distances shown suit a 4:00 marathoner; enter your own recent race time in the generator and every rep length and target pace is recalculated for you.
More marathon-pace work sessions
- Marathon-pace blocks — Goal marathon pace in several long blocks separated by short easy floats.
- Marathon-pace waves — Marathon pace with regular surges slightly faster, then settling back without slowing down.
- Marathon-pace cutdown — Marathon-pace work that tightens to half-marathon effort over the closing blocks.