Designing a Training Plan For a 2:20s Marathon: Boston 2025...Episode 2! - Vo2maxProductions

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Designing a Training Plan For a 2:20s Marathon: Boston 2025… Episode 2 from Vo2maxProductions. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

Train with a 5‑Zone pace system (Zone 2 base, Zone 3‑4 threshold, Zone 4‑5 V˙O₂‑max work) and keep paces a bit slower or faster than your marathon goal.
Use 10‑12‑day training cycles instead of a rigid 7‑day schedule; this lets you fit long runs on flexible weekdays.
Build an ** aerobic base in Zone 2** first, then add strides (15‑20 sec) and speed work while still growing mileage.
Taper the final two weeks – drop hard long runs and keep legs fresh for race day.

Workout Example: (Sunday track session)

Warm‑up jog + 5 min easy.
200 m repeats at ~34 sec each (≈5K‑pace) – start with 12 reps, progress to 16, then 20 reps over weeks.
Finish with 15‑20 sec strides (easy jog back, 4‑5 reps). Tip: Keep the repeat pace consistent; increase volume before the race, not intensity.

Practical Tips:

Create a calendar grid (paper or digital) to plot weekly mileage, long‑run days, and zone workouts.
Prioritize Zone 2 runs for fat‑burning, mitochondrial health, and V˙O₂‑max support.
When adding speed work, manipulate rest (full recovery or short jog) to target either economy or lactate tolerance.
Avoid over‑relying on marathon‑pace early; a mix of slower and faster paces improves threshold and running economy.

Closing Note: Try this plan, adjust the paces to fit your current fitness, and customize the intervals in the Pacing app. You’ll be ready to chase that 2:20‑2:25 Boston goal – and you’ll feel stronger every step of the way!