// 16-Week Plan

Marathon
Training 3:30

16
Weeks
4
Runs / Week
3:30
Goal Time
4:58
Goal Pace / km
26.2
Miles
Easy / Recovery
Tempo / Threshold
Intervals / Speed
Long Run

// Target Paces (for 3:30 finish)

Easy6:00–6:30 /km
Marathon Pace4:58 /km
Tempo4:30–4:40 /km
Intervals4:10–4:25 /km
Long Run5:20–5:50 /km
Phase 1 — Base Building
Weeks 1–4 · Aerobic Foundation
Week 1
~35 km
TUE
6×400m intervals @ 4:15/km with 90s rest · 8km total
THU
Easy run 8km @ 6:15/km
SAT
Tempo run 5km @ 4:35/km · warm-up & cool-down included · 10km total
SUN
Long run 16km @ 5:40/km easy effort
Week 2
~40 km
TUE
5×800m intervals @ 4:20/km with 2min rest · 10km total
THU
Easy run 10km @ 6:15/km
SAT
Tempo run 6km @ 4:35/km · 11km total
SUN
Long run 18km @ 5:40/km
Week 3
~44 km
TUE
4×1200m intervals @ 4:20/km with 2.5min rest · 10km total
THU
Easy run 11km @ 6:15/km
SAT
Tempo run 7km @ 4:35/km · 12km total
SUN
Long run 21km @ 5:40/km
Week 4
~32 km
↓ Recovery Week — reduce effort by ~20%
TUE
6×400m strides @ 4:15/km · easy effort · 7km total
THU
Easy run 8km @ 6:30/km
SAT
Easy tempo 5km @ 4:45/km · 9km total
SUN
Long run 16km @ 5:50/km
Phase 2 — Development
Weeks 5–8 · Building Volume & Pace
Week 5
~47 km
TUE
5×1km intervals @ 4:15/km with 90s rest · 11km total
THU
Easy run 12km @ 6:10/km
SAT
Tempo run 8km @ 4:32/km · 13km total
SUN
Long run 24km @ 5:35/km
Week 6
~50 km
TUE
3×2km intervals @ 4:18/km with 3min rest · 11km total
THU
Easy run 13km @ 6:10/km
SAT
Tempo run 9km @ 4:32/km · 14km total
SUN
Long run 26km @ 5:35/km
Week 7
~54 km
TUE
6×1km intervals @ 4:13/km with 90s rest · 12km total
THU
Easy run 14km @ 6:10/km
SAT
Tempo run 10km @ 4:30/km · 15km total
SUN
Long run 28km @ 5:30/km
Week 8
~38 km
↓ Recovery Week — reduce effort by ~25%
TUE
4×800m strides @ 4:20/km · easy effort · 8km total
THU
Easy run 10km @ 6:20/km
SAT
Easy tempo 6km @ 4:45/km · 10km total
SUN
Long run 19km @ 5:50/km
Phase 3 — Peak Training
Weeks 9–13 · Maximum Load
Week 9
~57 km
TUE
4×1.5km intervals @ 4:15/km with 2min rest · 12km total
THU
Easy run 14km @ 6:00/km
SAT
Marathon pace run 13km @ 4:58/km · 16km total
SUN
Long run 29km @ 5:25/km
Week 10
~60 km
TUE
2×3km intervals @ 4:18/km with 3min rest · 12km total
THU
Easy run 15km @ 6:00/km
SAT
Marathon pace run 15km @ 4:58/km · 18km total
SUN
Long run 32km @ 5:25/km — your longest run!
Week 11
~58 km
TUE
5×1km intervals @ 4:10/km with 90s rest · 11km total
THU
Easy run 16km @ 6:00/km
SAT
Tempo run 12km @ 4:30/km · 16km total
SUN
Long run 29km @ 5:25/km
Week 12
~42 km
↓ Recovery Week — reduce effort by ~25%
TUE
4×800m @ 4:20/km with 90s rest · 8km total
THU
Easy run 11km @ 6:20/km
SAT
Marathon pace run 8km @ 4:58/km · 11km total
SUN
Long run 22km @ 5:40/km
Week 13
~55 km
TUE
3×2km intervals @ 4:15/km with 2.5min rest · 12km total
THU
Easy run 14km @ 6:00/km
SAT
Marathon pace run 16km @ 4:58/km · 19km total
SUN
Long run 29km @ 5:25/km
Phase 4 — Taper & Race
Weeks 14–16 · Trust the Training
Week 14 Taper
~42 km
Begin taper — reduce volume, keep intensity
TUE
4×1km intervals @ 4:12/km with 90s rest · 9km total
THU
Easy run 12km @ 6:10/km
SAT
Marathon pace run 10km @ 4:58/km · 13km total
SUN
Long run 22km @ 5:30/km
Week 15 Taper
~29 km
Deep taper — legs fresh, mind sharp
TUE
3×1km strides @ 4:55/km + 4 fast strides · 7km total
THU
Easy run 8km @ 6:20/km
SAT
Marathon pace run 6km @ 4:58/km · 8km total
SUN
Easy long run 14km @ 5:50/km
Week 16 🏁
Race Week
Stay calm. Trust the training. You've got this.
MON
Rest or walk
TUE
Easy shakeout 6km @ 6:20/km + 4 strides
WED
Rest
THU
Easy shakeout 5km @ 6:30/km
FRI
Rest — gear prep, early sleep
SAT
Rest — carb load, hydrate
SUN
RACE DAY 🏆 — go get 3:30!

Key Training Tips

Easy Days

80% of your running should feel genuinely easy. If you can't hold a conversation, you're going too fast. Easy days make the hard days work.

Nutrition

Practice race-day fueling on long runs. Aim for 30–60g carbs per hour after the first 45 minutes. Test gels in training, never on race day.

Sleep

Sleep is the most underrated recovery tool. Aim for 8+ hours during peak weeks. Your body adapts to training while you sleep, not while you run.

Trust the Taper

Feeling sluggish or anxious during taper is completely normal — it's called "taper madness." Resist the urge to add extra miles. Your body is loading up.

Strength Work

Add 2×/week hip, glute, and calf exercises on easy days. Single-leg squats, calf raises, and glute bridges reduce injury risk significantly.

Race Strategy

Start 5–10 sec/km slower than goal pace for the first 5km. Run the first half in ~1:46 and negative split. Going out too fast is the #1 marathon mistake.