SUB-4:30 Marathon
Chasing the sub 4:30 marathon is a very exciting, fantastic goal, and we believe it can be a reality with the right training and commitment. Your starting point and available time are key considerations. Making the sub 4:30 mark a reality ideally involves committing to four to five weekly runs.
This goal is considered Intermediate, and ideally, you should already possess a foundational level of fitness. As an average these are the pace times you should now roughly be able to hold:
- Easy - 6:45 - 7:20
- Tempo/pace - 6:00 - 6:30
- 10K - 5:40 - 5:59
- 5K - 5:20 - 5:39
A 4:30 hr marathon would require a pace of 6:23 min/km but we would advise you to aim for a time of 4:25 hr as on the day a number of factors could slow you down that are out of your hands. The roads can be very busy and cause congestion at such big events. A 4:25 hr marathon would require a time of 6:17 min/km.
*Missing a few runs during marathon training is normal. Life happens! Don't stress about it. Listen to your body and trust your overall progress. If you need to restructure a week, prioritise Long runs. However, if you miss 2-3 weeks or more of training it becomes tough. Consider adjusting goals or postponing your race. Ease back into training gently and remember that setbacks happen to everyone. You've got this!
Program days explained:
This program is split into 2 phases:
- Build phase: weeks 1-12. This phase is focused on getting the kilometres into your legs and building your endurance to be able to complete the marathon. It will peak at week 12.
- Tamper phase: weeks 13-16. This is very important to allow our bodies to recover and reach peak performance at the perfect time to achieve our goal! Some athletes find it hard mentally to do less km in the last few weeks before the marathon fearing they will lose fitness. But studies have shown that if you tamper correctly your aerobic capacity doesn't change at all, your glycogen and hormones return to optimal levels and your muscles fully repair from damage sustained during training.
Rest/Recovery days: On these days it is very important to take a load off your legs. Overtraining is one of the most common causes of injury. If you feel the need to do something on these days we would recommend Yoga, a strength program, a stretching routine or a non load bearing activity such as swimming.
Easy runs (Z1 - Z2): This is building your base. Getting the kilometres in the legs so you can last the distance of a full marathon! These runs should be done at between 72% - 82% (Z2) of your max heart rate if you're feeling good, between 60% - 71% (Z1) if you're feeling sore and tired. If you don't have a heart rate monitor dont worry! You should be able to talk in this zone, if you can say a 10 word sentence without the need to gasp for a breath you are in the correct zone!
Push/Pace runs (Z4): In our opinion the 2nd most important workout of the week. It will improve a number of things including your speed and mental resilience (the ability to push through “the wall” which you will hit at some stage during your marathon). These workouts will vary between intervals of different kinds ( short sprints, longer strides where you build the HR up to Z4)and hill sprints, these should be done at above 90% of your max heart rate or if you don't have a HR monitor, be done at max effort!
Long runs(Z2): These are in our opinion the most important workouts. These will be weekly (except for the checkpoint runs) slightly increasing every week until the tamper phase. These should be mostly done in Z2. They will build your endurance and get your body used to long runs whilst giving you the confidence that this goal is achievable.
Checkpoint runs: These workouts are to build your confidence, speed and get you used to running at race pace or better. They aren't to be done whilst looking at your HR, they are to be done off feel, getting your body into a rhythm and seeing what you are truly capable of. There are 3 of these workouts, they will be instead of the long runs during these weeks.
Core: An optional extra that if done once a week (we like to add it to our monday session, but do what works for you!) is a great way to enhance your speed, power and stability which will improve your efficiency and lower the risk of injuries. There are many exercises out there for runners, this is just one routine that has worked for us. Workout total 18 min: It’s 2 rounds of each exercise for 1 min with 30 sec rest between sets. Please use as much or as little weights as possible for your level of fitness. Remember to always listen to your body, this is in support of your runnings so don't over do it:
- Dead bug
- Side plank with oblique crunch (30 sec each side)
- Glute bridge walk out
- Walking plank into mountain climbers
- Push up with with oblique crunch
- Walking lunges with weighted twist
*These plans will be based on someone with a monday to friday job, the long runs will be done on sunday where you will have the most time. If you are like me and a shift worker where you don't always have the time every sunday dont stress! Simply move the plan forward 2 or 3 days to make it suit your needs.
Training plan
WEEK 1 - 23 km
Monday - 4 km easy
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - 5 km easy
Thursday - 4 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 10 km easy (Run/walk if needed)
WEEK 2 - 33 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 3x 1500m strides with 500m jog recovery between strides, then 1 km easy CD - Total 8 km
Wednesday - 7 km easy
Thursday - 6 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 12 km easy (Run/walk if needed)
WEEK 3 - 38.5 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 3x 2 km strides with 500m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 9.5 km
Wednesday - 8 km easy
Thursday - 7 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 14 km easy (Run/walk if needed)
WEEK 4 - 35 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 5x 800m strides with 200m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 7 km
Wednesday - 10 km easy
Thursday - 6 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Checkpoint - 1 km easy WU, then aim for a SUB 55 min 10 km (5:29 km/min pace), then 1km CD - Total 12 km
WEEK 5 - 39 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 10 x 400m strides with 200m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 8 km
Wednesday - 8 km easy
Thursday - 7 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 16 km easy (Run/walk if needed)
WEEK 6 - 41 km*
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 8x 90sec hill sprints, then jog back down, then 1km easy CD - Total 6 km* (estimate)
Wednesday - 9 km easy
Thursday - 7 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 19 km easy (Run/walk if needed)
WEEK 7 - 50.2 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 12 x 400m strides with 200m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 9.2 km
Wednesday - 10 km easy
Thursday - 9 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 22 km easy (Run/walk if needed)
WEEK 8 - 46.9 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 12x 200m sprints with 200m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 6.8 km
Wednesday - 11 km easy
Thursday - 6 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Checkpoint - 1 km easy WU, then aim for a SUB 2:10 hr half marathon (6:09 km/min pace), then 1km CD - Total 23.1 km
WEEK 9 - 57 km*
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 12x 90 sec hill sprints, then jog back down, then 1km easy CD - Total 9 km* (estimate)
Wednesday - 10 km easy
Thursday - 13 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 25 km easy
WEEK 10 - 51.3 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 3x 2 km strides with 400m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 9.2 km
Wednesday - 12 km easy
Thursday - 7 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Checkpoint - 1 km easy WU, then aim for a SUB 2:00 hr half marathon (5:41 km/min pace), then 1km CD - Total 23.1 km
WEEK 11 - 59.4 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 14 x 400m strides with 200m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 10.4 km
Wednesday - 8 km easy
Thursday - 12 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 29 km easy
WEEK 12 - 62.5 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 5 x 1.5 km strides with 200m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 10.5 km
Wednesday - 11 km easy
Thursday - 8 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 33 km easy
WEEK 13 - 58 km*
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 10x 90 sec hill sprints, then jog back down, then 1km easy CD - Total 8 km* (estimate)
Wednesday - 10 km easy
Thursday - 9 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 31 km easy
WEEK 14 - 51.4 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 6 x 800m strides with 100m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 7.4 km
Wednesday - 8 km easy
Thursday - 11 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 25 km easy
WEEK 15 - 40 km
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 10x 400m strides with 200m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 8 km
Wednesday - 7 km easy
Thursday - 8 km easy
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Long run - 17 km easy
WEEK 16 (Race week!) - 55.2 km Including race
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Pace run - 1 km easy WU, then 10x 200m strides with 100m jog recovery between strides, then 1km easy CD - Total 5 km
Wednesday - 5 km easy
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 3 km easy
Sunday - Race day! 42.2 km
Disclaimer and Warning
The information and training plans provided on this website are intended for general informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any new exercise program.
Important Warnings:
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Consult Your Healthcare Provider: Before beginning any exercise program, including the running training plans provided on this website, you should consult with your physician or a healthcare professional, particularly if you have any pre-existing health conditions, injuries, or concerns about your fitness level.
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Risk of Injury: Running and other forms of exercise carry inherent risks, including the risk of injury. By following the training plans on this site, you acknowledge and accept these risks. It is important to listen to your body and modify or discontinue any exercise that causes pain or discomfort.
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Individual Differences: The effectiveness and safety of the training plans may vary based on individual fitness levels, health conditions, and other factors. The plans are not tailored to individual needs and should not be considered a one-size-fits-all solution.
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Proper Technique: Ensure that you perform all exercises with proper form and technique to reduce the risk of injury. If you are unsure about the correct form, seek guidance from a qualified fitness professional.
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Modification and Adaptation: The training plans provided are general guidelines and may need to be adapted based on your personal needs, goals, and fitness level. Modify the plan as necessary to accommodate your individual circumstances.
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No Guarantees: Results from following these training plans will vary and are not guaranteed. The website and its creators make no warranties or representations regarding the effectiveness of the plans or any specific outcomes.
By using the training plans available on this website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these disclaimers and warnings. If you do not agree with these terms, please refrain from using the training plans provided.
For any questions or concerns about your fitness or health, please consult with a healthcare professional
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