Marathon Pace Test & Tune-up

Workout - Marathon Pace Test & Tune-up

• 10min @ 6'00''/km
• 3 lots of:
  • 2.0km @ 3'42''/km
  • 2min 30s rest
• 6 lots of:
  • 1.0km @ 3'22''/km
  • 1min 30s rest
• 5min @ 7'00''/km

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This workout comes from Testing Marathon Pace | Abingdon Marathon Training WEEK 4, a helpful resource from The FOD Runner that walks through the pacing and fueling approach you’ll need. Here’s what to focus on if you decide to try it.

Key Points:

• Week 4 brings the first serious marathon-pace work: 3 × 2 km repeats at goal marathon speed (targeting 5:55–6:00 min/mi) followed by 6 × 1 km pickups with no fixed pace.
• Heart rate becomes your primary guide—the 2 km repeats should settle into the low-150 bpm range to keep effort under control.
• Your mental approach and smart fueling choices (nothing heavy or rushed) have a noticeable impact on how the run feels.
• The target: establish a consistent marathon pace around 5:55–6:00 min/mi (≈ 236–238 min per mile) heading into Abingdon.

Workout Example:

1. Warm‑up – 10–15 min at easy pace, letting your heart rate climb gradually to 130–140 bpm.
2. 3 × 2 km repeats – run each 2 km at your target marathon intensity (5:55–6:00 min/mi). Keep heart rate in the low-150 bpm range; jog 2–3 min between each.
3. 6 × 1 km pickups – choose a pace that’s noticeably quicker than marathon effort (usually around 5:20–5:30 min/mi, though adjust to your fitness). Recover with 1–2 min easy jog.
4. Cool‑down – 10 min easy run, then walk to fully settle down.

Practical Tips:

• Track pace and heart rate for each segment; consistency on those 2 km repeats in the low-150 bpm band is what matters.
• Eat something light 2–3 hours beforehand (gluten-free toast works well) and have water available.
• Talk yourself through the harder moments—it makes a real difference when the 1 km repeats feel tougher than expected.
• Once finished, review your data to confirm you hit the 5:55–6:00 min/mi target, then adjust your fueling or pacing for next week if needed.

Closing Note: Give this session a try, and adjust the paces to fit your current fitness using the Pacing app. Build confidence in that marathon effort, and watch the full video—there’s plenty of solid practical wisdom and genuine motivation throughout.

References

• TESTING MARATHON PACE | Abingdon Marathon Training WEEK 4 - YouTube (YouTube Video)