The Kipchoge Classic Starter
Workout - The Kipchoge Classic Starter
- 12min @ 6'00''/km
- 4 lots of:
- 100m @ 3'00''/km
- 1min rest
- 7 lots of:
- 1.0km @ 4'30''/km
- 1min 30s rest
- 12min @ 6'30''/km
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Intro
Kipchoge’s marathon training approach from Ben Is Running offers three workouts worth incorporating into your preparation. Check out the full video for comprehensive explanations, but here’s what you can start using this week.
Key Points
- Kenyan marathoners typically run one quality track session weekly (traditionally Tuesday), paired with a midweek fartlek run and a Saturday long run at marathon pace.
- Kipchoge structures his track work around high-volume intensity: each session covers 15 km of quality running, executed at or just under marathon pace.
- Running at altitude compounds effort—if you’re training at sea level, you can adjust paces downward; the session architecture (repeat lengths and recovery periods) remains the critical element.
- Beginners can reduce repeat distances (try 6 × 1 km as a starting point) without losing the workout’s benefit.
- For non-impact training, cycling can replicate the 2 km + 1 km structure through threshold-intensity intervals.
Workout Examples
1️⃣ Kipchoge Classic – 15 × 1 km
- Distance: 15 × 1 km (total 15 km)
- Pace: ~2:50 – 3:00 min/km (comparable to marathon pace at altitude; translates to faster 10K/half-marathon pace at sea level)
- Recovery: 90 seconds of easy jogging or walking between each km
- Goal: Develop speed endurance and sustain marathon-paced effort across substantial distance.
2️⃣ 5 × (2 km + 1 km) Ladder
- Structure: 5 rounds with 2 km followed immediately by 1 km
- Pace: 2 km at marathon pace, then 1 km approximately 10–15 seconds faster per km
- Recovery: 90 seconds separating each round
- Total work: 15 km
- Goal: Combine steady marathon-pace running with speed surges to improve your body’s lactate handling.
3️⃣ Late‑Stage Speed Sharpening – 12 × 800 m + 10 × 400 m
- 800 m repeats: 12 repetitions at 10K pace (around 3:00 min/km)
- 400 m repeats: 10 repetitions at 3K pace (approximately 2:15 min/km)
- Recovery: Short periods of easy jogging or walking (30–45 seconds) between repeats
- Goal: Introduce sharper speed work as volume tapers in the final training phase.
4️⃣ Bike Adaptation (Ben’s version)
- Sets: 5
- Work: 6 min at threshold effort → 90 s rest → 3 min at threshold effort → 90 s rest
- Repeat the 6 min/3 min block five times.
- This mirrors the track session’s 2 km + 1 km pattern while eliminating ground impact.
Practical Tips
- Personalize your paces based on your target marathon: for a 5:00 min/km goal, run the 2 km repeats around 5:00 min/km and aim for ~4:45 min/km on the 1 km bursts.
- Maintain consistent recovery windows (~90 seconds) to condition your aerobic system for rapid lactate clearance.
- Begin conservatively: if 15 × 1 km overwhelms you, start with 6–8 repeats and build over several weeks.
- Rely on a GPS watch or the Pacing app to manage interval timing and monitor intensity.
- At altitude, these same paces demand more effort; view this as a phase for building strength.
Closing Note
Try one of these Kipchoge-style workouts over the coming week and adapt the distances or paces to reflect where you are in training using the Pacing app. You’ll develop greater strength and speed, moving closer to your marathon potential. Watch the original Ben Is Running video for additional details and visual examples!
References
- TRAIN LIKE KIPCHOGE: 3 Workouts You NEED TO TRY! - YouTube (YouTube Video)