Running a Marathon on 3 Days a Week: Time-Efficient Training Tips! - Lee Grantham
Intro
This is a quick summary of Running a Marathon on 3 Days a Week: Time‑Efficient Training Tips! from Lee Grantham. 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
- Three‑day weekly structure gives you a mid‑week interval session (Wednesday), a long run (Sunday), and an easy/recovery run (Friday).
- Recovery matters – walk during commutes, add easy runs, and focus on good running form to keep legs fresh.
- Interval training is the engine of this plan, building the speed you’ll need on race day. You’ll start small with shorter, faster repeats and progress to longer ones to build speed endurance. For a deeper dive into the principles behind this, check out our guide on Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
- Long‑run progression: start at your current longest run, add ~2 km each week to 20 km, then increase by ~10% per week.
- Marathon‑pace segment in the long run: after a warm‑up, run a middle block at marathon pace (or 10‑20 % slower) and finish easy.
- Form cues: mid‑foot strike, relaxed arms, aligned hips/ankles, and efficient push‑off.
Workout Example (all distances in kilometres)
Wednesday – Interval Session
- Warm‑up: 5‑10 min easy jog
- Main set (choose a level and progress weekly):
- Week 1: 10 × 1 min @ 5K‑pace, 1 min jog/walk recovery. These short, sharp efforts are fantastic for boosting top-end speed. If you want to really dial in this pace, our article on Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time has more great workouts.
- Week 2‑3: 8 × 2 min, 1 min recovery
- Week 4‑5: 6 × 3‑4 min, 1‑2 min recovery
- Later: 5 × 5 min or 5 × 10 min, same recovery. As you advance, these longer intervals become crucial for building the endurance to hold your pace. This type of workout is a cornerstone of preparing for longer races, and you can learn more about its application in our guide to Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
- Cool‑down: 5‑10 min easy jog
Friday – Easy/Recovery Run
- 30‑50 min (≈5‑8 km) at a conversational pace. Use this time to practice good form and enjoy a relaxed stride.
Sunday – Long Run
- Start at your current longest distance (e.g., 8 km). Add 2 km each week until you hit ~20 km, then increase by 10 % weekly.
- Example at 25 km total:
- 5 km easy warm‑up
- 15 km at marathon pace or marathon pace + 10‑20 % (slower) depending on fitness
- Final 5 km easy cool‑down, focusing on breathing and recovery.
Closing Note
You can absolutely train for a marathon with just three runs a week – it’s all about smart pacing, consistent progression, and solid recovery. Plug these sessions into your Pacing app, adjust the paces to match your current fitness, and give it a go. Good luck, and enjoy the journey to 26.2 miles!
Remember to watch the full Lee Grantham video for deeper explanations and additional tips.
References
Workout - Marathon Pace Introduction
- 12min @ 6'30''/km
- 2 lots of:
- 15min @ 5'00''/km
- 3min rest
- 12min @ 6'30''/km
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