Marathon Race Progression

Workout - Marathon Race Progression

• 2.0km @ 5'30''/km
• 6.0km @ 4'24''/km
• 6.0km @ 4'00''/km
• 3.0km @ 3'45''/km
• 2.0km @ 5'30''/km

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Here are the main takeaways from Lee Grantham’s How to Train Smarter: My 5 Essential Marathon Sessions. The full video is worth watching; this is what you need to start training today.

Key points

• Running at race pace matters more than piling up miles in marathon training.
• Five compact sessions totaling 25 km or less build speed, strength, and race confidence. Speed matters as much as endurance; interval techniques from Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time transfer well to a strong final-miles kick.
• Varying pace, stepping up 10% or dropping to half-marathon speed, prepares you for how the marathon actually unfolds. Speed endurance built via Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance helps on race day.
• Hills, tempo shifts, long repeats, and broken runs round out training for any terrain. Most are variations on interval work; the science is in Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
• Don’t skip the warm-up, nail the fuel strategy, and practice downhill sections.

Workout example: Session 1, “Marathon race progression”

1. Warm-up 3–5 km easy.
2. 10 km at 4:24/km (marathon pace +10%).
3. 10 km at 4:00/km (target marathon pace).
4. Finish 5 km at 3:45/km (half-marathon pace).
5. Cool-down 3–5 km easy. Total ~25 km.

Closing note

Try this workout, or modify paces in the Pacing app, to get a feel for marathon rhythm before the gun goes off.

For all five workouts, watch Lee Grantham’s full video.

References

• How to Train Smarter: My 5 Essential Marathon Sessions - YouTube (YouTube Video)