THIS Workout Will Help You Get A Marathon PB - The Running Channel

THIS Workout Will Help You Get A Marathon PB - The Running Channel

Intro: This is a quick summary of THIS Workout Will Help You Get A Marathon PB from The Running Channel. 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 session is adapted from Chris Thompson’s “Mammoth Marathon” workout, focusing on glycogen‑depletion to teach your body to hold marathon pace when fuel‑low.
  • It combines a short warm‑up, 8 × 2‑minute 5K‑pace intervals, 80‑second easy jog/walk recoveries, then a sustained marathon‑pace run of 45–60 minutes.
  • No nutrition is taken during the workout – the goal is to train hard while “empty‑handed.”
  • The workout is tough but can be scaled: shorten intervals, adjust recovery, or run at a slower pace if you’re newer to distance running.

Workout Example (actionable):

  1. Warm‑up – 5‑10 min easy jog.
  2. Intervals – 8 × 2 min at your current 5K race pace (≈ 25 min total). After each 2‑min effort, jog or walk for ~80 sec (light enough to keep legs moving).
  3. Marathon‑pace segment – Run 45 min (or up to 60 min) at the pace you aim to hold for a marathon PB (typically 9:30–10:30 min per mile for many).
  4. Cool‑down – 5‑10 min easy jog. Tip: If you can’t sustain the full 45 min, stop at 30 min and build up over weeks. Use the Pacing app to set your exact 5K and marathon‑pace targets.

Closing Note: Give this workout a go, tweak the paces to match your current fitness, and let your body adapt to running hard on low glycogen. You’ll likely feel stronger on the second half of your marathon. Remember, you can always customize the intervals and marathon‑pace segment in the Pacing app to fit your own goals. Happy running!


References

Workout - Marathon Finisher Simulation

  • 10min @ 9'00''/km
  • 8 lots of:
    • 2min @ 4'30''/km
    • 1min 20s rest
  • 45min @ 8'00''/km
  • 10min @ 9'00''/km
Ready to start training?
If you already having the Pacing app, click try to import this workout:
Try in App Now
Don’t have the app? Copy the reference above,
to import the workout after you install it.

More Running Tips

Mastering Marathon Training: Science‑Backed Pacing Strategies to Cut Hours off Your PR

Across blogs, videos, and community threads, elite and aspiring marathoners converge on a data‑driven formula: build a solid aerobic base with Zone 2 mileage, layer targeted lactate‑threshold, VO₂max, and long‑run pace intervals, and fine‑tune fueling and tapering for race day. By translating these principles into personalized workouts, real‑time audio cues, and adaptive training plans, runners can become their own coach and consistently shave minutes off their marathon times.

Read More

Mastering Long‑Run Pace: How Slow Is Too Slow and Why It Matters

These articles and videos break down the science behind long‑run pacing, showing how a conversational effort—typically 45‑90 seconds per mile slower than race pace—boosts fat metabolism, glycogen sparing, and injury resistance while still allowing strategic marathon‑pace segments for race‑specific adaptation. By applying personalized pace zones, progressive distance increases, and real‑time audio cues, runners can turn long runs into a precise training tool that fuels performance gains and confidence on race day.

Read More

Integrating Strength Training into Marathon & Half‑Marathon Plans: Structured, Sync‑Ready Workouts

These blog posts showcase a series of marathon and half‑marathon training programs that blend progressive running phases with targeted strength sessions, emphasizing injury prevention and performance gains. Each plan leverages device‑synced, real‑time guidance to keep runners in the right pace zones and offers customizable phases—from base building to race‑specific intensity—so athletes can coach themselves toward measurable improvements. By pairing these structured workouts with a personal pacing app, runners gain AI‑driven zone calculations, adaptive plans, and on‑the‑fly audio cues that reinforce the same principles highlighted across the articles.

Read More

Ready to Transform Your Training?

Join our community of runners who are taking their training to the next level with precision workouts and detailed analytics.

Download Pacing in the App Store Download Pacing in the Play Store