Marathon Pace Confidence Builder
Workout - Marathon Pace Confidence Builder
- 15min @ 6'30''/km
- 3 lots of:
- 4.0km @ 5'30''/km
- 1.0km @ 6'30''/km
- 12min @ 6'30''/km
to import the workout after you install it.
Ben Is Running’s latest video showcases what could be your biggest marathon workout yet. Here’s a breakdown so you can tackle this one today—definitely check out the full video for context.
Key Points:
- At its heart: four × 5 km repeats with a 1 km jog recovery between each, hitting 3:19 – 3:20 per km (≈ 3:20 /km). Ben’s working toward a 2:20 marathon on a 10-week build, and these long repeats serve as his marathon-endurance work. But 5k repeats are valuable across all distances. Looking to sharpen your 5K specifically? See Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.
- He shifted hard sessions to Friday instead of Thursday—giving his legs two consecutive easy-run days for better recovery. It’s a small calendar tweak that underscores something fundamental: how you schedule work and rest shapes the adaptations you get. That’s explored more in Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
- Practical gear tips: stash gels in arm sleeves so they’re within reach, consume them while at race pace (skip them during recovery jogs), and train in the exact gear you’re planning to race in.
- Program 5 km intervals with 1 km jog recoveries into your watch or the Coros app—include a warm-up and cool-down too. This takes the mental math out and lets you concentrate purely on hitting the pace.
Workout Example:
Warm-up: 3 km easy
Repeat 4×:
5 km @ 3:19-3:20 per km (≈ 16:30 per 5 km)
1 km jog recovery (easy jog)
Cool-down: 2-3 km easyTotal volume comes to ~30 km, with an average pace of 3:48 /km when you look at the whole session. His splits: 5 km #1 – 16:35 (3:19/km), #2 – 16:30, #3 – 16:33, #4 – 16:32. Heart rate averaged ~155-172 bpm, firmly in the marathon-intensity band.
It showcases the high-volume, race-specific formula. The marathon is Ben’s focus, but the blueprint scales to shorter distances. Want to use similar thinking for the 10K? Check out Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
Closing Note:
Give the workout a shot, scale the paces to your own marathon target with the Pacing app, and soak up that confidence. Experiment with when you recover and how you fuel—find what keeps you sharp. Run well and chase those goals. 🚀