Ben Parkes' Up-Tempo Threshold

Workout - Ben Parkes' Up-Tempo Threshold

• 10min @ 6'00''/km
• 8.0km @ 5'22''/km
• 5min @ 6'00''/km

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Ben Parkes breaks down his 2:25 marathon in Valencia. The video is packed with training methods. The key takeaways are below. Grab what works for you. The full video has more context.

Key points:

• Consistency matters most. Most of Ben’s weekly running stayed relaxed at HR around 142 bpm, which let him build volume without exhaustion. Over the training block, he covered 2,306 km at roughly 4 min/km average.
• Three core sessions:
  1. Hill repeats: 2.5 km repeats on Box Hill three times weekly, hard but controlled.
  2. Up-tempo segments: steady 5 to 8 km runs just under threshold pace (roughly 10 seconds per km faster than marathon goal pace). The same kind of work shows up across distance categories. See Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
  3. 1 km repeats: 1 km efforts with HR spikes and full recovery between. A time-tested approach to raising VO2 max capacity. The science is in Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
• Nutrition: whole-food, plant-based. Refuel within 30 minutes after each run (mix of protein and carbs). One 10 km fasted session per week.
• Recovery: daily foam rolling, solid sleep, hydration. Strength work is simple. Kettlebells and dumbbells at home. No gym needed.
• Hill-based long runs: weekly runs on hilly terrain (reaching 30 km, with occasional 50 km efforts) build physical resilience and mental grit.
• Race selection: two or fewer warm-up events, at least 4 to 5 weeks before the main marathon.

Workout example you can try today:

Monday: Easy 8 km @ 5:30-5:45 /mi (≈9 min/km)
Wednesday: 2.5 km hill repeat x3 (hard effort, jog down for recovery)
Friday: 5 km up-tempo @ 5:00 /mi (≈8 min/km)
Saturday: Long run 20 km on mixed terrain, with 2-3 short (1 km) strides at the end
Sunday: Recovery roll + 10 min mobility + optional 3 km easy

All paces in minutes per mile (≈ minutes per kilometre in brackets). Adjust to your own speed in the Pacing app.

Practical tips:

• Build weekly volume by keeping most runs in an easy HR zone.
• Block off one run per week as a fasted session to improve fat-burning.
• Strides (4 × 100 m at the end of an easy run) improve form and cadence. For shorter-distance racing, see Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.
• Strength stays minimal and home-based: kettlebell swings (2 × 10) and dumbbell rows (3 × 10) per session.
• Plan racing well in advance and guard the taper period.

Closing note: try these workouts. Scale paces to your current fitness and log data in the Pacing app.

References

• How I Ran a 2:25 Marathon in Valencia - Tips, Tricks and What’s Next! S1E11 - YouTube (YouTube Video)