My new favourite Tempo/Threshold session for MARATHON training (Over/Unders) - This Messy Happy

Intro: This is a quick summary of My new favourite Tempo/Threshold session for MARATHON training (Over/Unders) from This Messy Happy. 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:

• The “over/unders” method is a tempo/threshold session that alternates short intervals just below and just above your target marathon (or half‑marathon) pace, giving you a hard effort with built‑in recovery.
• It’s adaptable to any training block: 45‑75 min total, with a 15‑minute easy warm‑up and optional drills at the end.
• The elite‑mindset advice: treat each session as important, but don’t stress missed workouts; focus on long‑term progress and trust your training plan.
• You can customize the over/under interval length, the time spent above/below pace, and the total duration as you get closer to race‑specific training.

Workout Example:

1. Warm‑up: 15 min easy jog (add a few running drills if you like).
2. Main set (30 min in the video, can be 30‑60 min):
   • Choose a base marathon pace (e.g., 4:00 min/km for a conservative marathon pace). If you haven’t run a marathon yet, pick a pace ~15‑20 s slower than your goal.
   • Over/Under intervals: Alternate 1 km 10 seconds faster than your base pace, then 1 km 10 seconds slower. Example: 3:50 /km (hard) → 4:10 /km (recovery). Repeat for the total main‑set duration.
   • Adjust the “over/under” gap to suit you: 5 s over/under, 10 s, or up to 15 s if the workout feels too easy. Avoid extremes (e.g., >30 s) to prevent injury.
3. Cool‑down: 10‑15 min easy jog, stretch.
4. Optional variations:
   • Shorter main set (20‑30 min) for early season or when feeling fatigued.
   • Longer main set (40‑60 min) as you approach the marathon block.
   • Adjust interval length (e.g., 800 m or 2 km) while keeping the over/under principle.

Closing Note: Give this over/under tempo session a try today – tweak the paces to match your own marathon goal in the Pacing app and feel the sweet spot between hard effort and recovery. Keep the elite mindset, stay consistent, and enjoy the progress. Happy running! 🚀

References

• My new favourite Tempo/Threshold session for MARATHON training (Over/Unders) - YouTube (YouTube Video)

Workout - Marathon Pace Over/Unders

• 15min @ 5'45''/km
• 3 lots of:
  • 1.0km @ 3'50''/km
  • 1.0km @ 4'10''/km
• 10min @ 6'00''/km

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