MARATHON TRAINING WHEN INJURY STRIKES - What's nEXT? S3E5 - Ben Parkes

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of MARATHON TRAINING WHEN INJURY STRIKES – What’s nEXT? S3E5 from Ben Parkes. 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

Goal‑pace interval session: 3 × 5 km at target marathon pace (≈3:19–3:20 min/km, ~5:14 min/mi) with 1 km easy recovery jogs.
Weekly volume: ~160 km (≈100 mi) aiming for 170 km; keep most weeks at a high mileage base.
Speed work: 10‑15 × 400 m repeats at ~72 s each to sharpen leg turnover.
Fat‑adaptation: One fasted long run per week (≈1 h 40 min) to teach the body to burn fat for the marathon’s later stages.
Downhill repeats: Short downhill surges to improve stride length and leg strength.
Recovery after injury: Light jogs (≈5 km) twice a day or easy runs to maintain blood flow while the hamstring heals.
Additional sessions: 8 × 1 km at 5 k pace (~3:05 min/km), pyramid intervals (1‑5‑1 min) with 2‑min walks, and 4 × 2 km at half‑marathon pace (~3:15 min/km).

Workout Example

3 × 5 km Marathon‑Goal Pace

Warm‑up: 3 km easy (≈4:15 min/km).
Repeat 1: 5 km at goal marathon pace (3:19–3:20 min/km).
Recovery: 1 km very easy jog.
Repeat 2: Same as #2.
Recovery: 1 km easy jog.
Repeat 3: Same as #2.
Cool‑down: 2‑3 km easy. If you feel tightness, reduce the repeats or replace the 5 km intervals with 3 km at a slightly slower pace and keep the recovery jogs light.

Closing Note

Give the 3 × 5 km goal‑pace session a try, adapt the paces to match your own marathon target in the Pacing app, and remember to listen to your body – especially when nursing an injury. Keep the easy runs flowing, stay consistent with your weekly mileage, and you’ll be back on track for that marathon PB. Happy running!