Marathon Tempo Progression
Workout - Marathon Tempo Progression
- 15min @ 9'52''/mi
- 0.0mi @ 8'00''/mi
- 0.0mi @ 7'50''/mi
- 0.0mi @ 7'40''/mi
- 12min @ 10'15''/mi
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Intro
Here’s a breakdown of “Training for a Marathon? Watch Out for These 5 Big Mistakes!” from The Run Experience. Watch the full video for all the nuance, but these are the principles to apply starting today.
Key Points
- Easy runs need to be easy: Aim for paces 1‑2 minutes per mile below your goal marathon pace. This keeps you in the aerobic range and cuts down on injury.
- Build aerobic capacity before speed: Incorporate tempo, threshold, steady‑state, and progression runs. Speed work itself should stay minimal—mainly strides and short pickups for form.
- Make weekday sessions count: Midweek runs are your chance to work on mechanics, tempo progressions, or training on varied terrain. This prepares your body for race conditions while managing fatigue.
- Slot in a medium‑long run biweekly: A 5‑9 mile run every other week adds variety to your stimulus without inflating total weekly mileage.
- Build in recovery windows: Every 3‑4 weeks, drop your volume by 20‑40 % to allow adaptation, forestall overtraining, and let improvements settle in.
Workout Example
Sample week (Marathon‑pace ≈ 8:00 min/mi):
- Mon: Easy 5 mi @ 9:30‑9:45 min/mi (recovery)
- Tue: Tempo progression – 2 mi easy, 3 mi @ 7:45‑8:00 min/mi, 1 mi cool‑down (run on race‑type terrain)
- Wed: Technique + drills – 4 mi easy with 6 × 20‑sec strides at the end
- Thu: Medium‑long run 7 mi @ 8:30‑8:45 min/mi (steady aerobic work)
- Fri: Rest or cross‑train
- Sat: Long run 14 mi @ 9:00‑9:15 min/mi (1‑2 min slower than marathon pace)
- Sun: Easy 4 mi @ 9:30 min/mi or rest
Every 3‑4 weeks replace the long run with an adaptation run of 8‑10 mi at 20‑40 % reduced volume.
Closing Note
Test these ideas in your next training block. Plug your goal into the Pacing app to adjust each run’s target pace. You’ll run with more intelligence, reduce injury risk, and arrive at race day in stronger shape. Enjoy the miles ahead!