The Paula Pace Challenge

Workout - The Paula Pace Challenge

• 10min @ 6'00''/km
• 5 lots of:
  • 400m @ 3'13''/km
  • 2min 30s rest
• 10min @ 6'00''/km

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Paula Radcliffe’s world record marathon pace is the focus of a This Messy Happy video. The key insights are summarized below, plus a workout you can try. Watch the full video for context.

Key points:

• Radcliffe’s 2003 record required holding 3 min 13 sec per kilometre (≈ 5 min 10 sec per mile), or roughly 18.7 km/h (≈ 11.6 mph) for the whole race.
• Mary tested this pace on a treadmill and held it for about 600 m (≈ 0.6 km) before the intensity got too much.
• Three things make this speed sustainable: high step cadence, controlled heart rate, and a thorough warm-up to prevent injury.

Workout example:

1. Warm-up: 10 minutes easy running, then 4 × 30-second accelerations to lift cadence.
2. Main set: target 3:13/km (5:10/mi) on a treadmill or flat surface. Pick a distance you think you can hold (400 m, 600 m, 1 km work well). Hold steady effort. When form starts to slip, end the rep.
3. Cool-down: 5 to 10 minutes easy jogging with a relaxed, natural stride.

Practical tips:

• Watch pace per 100 m on a watch or app. Target a step rate of 180 to 200 steps/min.
• New to this speed? Start small. Try 200 to 400 m repeats and build up as your legs adapt.
• Keep the treadmill at 0% incline to match flat road running.
• Stop if breathing gets strained or technique breaks down.

Closing note: try the 3:13 km pace. Adjust intervals in the Pacing app to fit your current fitness.

References

• How FAST was Paula Radcliffe’s Marathon WR Pace? - YouTube (YouTube Video)