[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"public-library:en-GB:hub:running:tempo":3},{"sport":4,"category":5,"head":6,"modified_at":9,"children":10,"content":25,"workouts":161},"running","tempo",{"title":7,"description":8},"Marathon pace sessions: 2 formats","2 marathon pace sessions, from 3 × 15 min blocks to a long run with a marathon-pace finish: exact structure, paces as a % of vVO2max, level, sources.","2026-10-25",[11,14,17,20,23],{"sport":4,"category":12,"workout_count":13},"endurance",1,{"sport":4,"category":15,"workout_count":16},"threshold",5,{"sport":4,"category":18,"workout_count":19},"vo2max",9,{"sport":4,"category":21,"workout_count":22},"sprint",8,{"sport":4,"category":24,"workout_count":16},"test",{"h1":26,"intro":27,"how_to_choose":76,"faq":124},"Marathon pace sessions for runners",{"type":28,"children":29},"root",[30,55],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":33,"children":34},"element","p",{},[35,38,45,47,53],{"type":36,"value":37},"text","Marathon pace is slower than your threshold, but you have to hold it for three or four hours. In Jack Daniels' tables, it's around 86–87% of vVO₂max for a fast runner, closer to 75–80% for slower or less endurance-trained runners; the sessions on this page aim for 80–86%. They are race-specific sessions: they don't raise your vVO₂max or your threshold, they teach you to run your marathon. The 2 sessions differ in how tired you are when you hit the pace: on fresh legs, in ",{"type":31,"tag":39,"props":40,"children":42},"a",{"href":41},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Frunning\u002Ftempo\u002Frunning-marathon-pace-blocks",[43],{"type":36,"value":44},"3 × 15 min blocks",{"type":36,"value":46}," broken up by jogging, or at the end of a ",{"type":31,"tag":39,"props":48,"children":50},{"href":49},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Frunning\u002Ftempo\u002Frunning-long-run-marathon-pace-finish",[51],{"type":36,"value":52},"long run",{"type":36,"value":54},", after 55 easy minutes.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":56,"children":57},{},[58,60,66,68,74],{"type":36,"value":59},"The ",{"type":31,"tag":39,"props":61,"children":63},{"href":62},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Frunning\u002Fthreshold\u002Frunning-tempo-run",[64],{"type":36,"value":65},"tempo run",{"type":36,"value":67},", despite its name, is run faster, at threshold: it sits with the threshold sessions. Every pace is a % of your vVO₂max: without a recent measurement, start with a ",{"type":31,"tag":39,"props":69,"children":71},{"href":70},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Frunning\u002Ftest\u002Frunning-half-cooper-test",[72],{"type":36,"value":73},"fitness test",{"type":36,"value":75},". Each page gives the exact structure, the paces for a vVO₂max of 14, 16 or 18 km\u002Fh, how to run it and what the sources say.",[77,91,107],{"situation":78,"body":79},"You're starting a marathon build",{"type":28,"children":80},[81],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":82,"children":83},{},[84,89],{"type":31,"tag":39,"props":85,"children":86},{"href":41},[87],{"type":36,"value":88},"marathon-pace blocks 3 × 15 min",{"type":36,"value":90},", to lock in your rhythm on fresh legs.",{"situation":92,"body":93},"You're in the specific phase and 90-minute to 2-hour runs feel comfortable",{"type":28,"children":94},[95],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":96,"children":97},{},[98,100,105],{"type":36,"value":99},"the ",{"type":31,"tag":39,"props":101,"children":102},{"href":49},[103],{"type":36,"value":104},"long run with a 30-minute marathon-pace finish",{"type":36,"value":106},", in place of your plain long run.",{"situation":108,"body":109},"You're training for a half",{"type":28,"children":110},[111],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":112,"children":113},{},[114,116,122],{"type":36,"value":115},"half-marathon pace is faster, close to threshold; ",{"type":31,"tag":39,"props":117,"children":119},{"href":118},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Frunning\u002Fthreshold\u002Frunning-cruise-intervals",[120],{"type":36,"value":121},"cruise intervals",{"type":36,"value":123},", on the threshold page, are a closer match.",[125,134,143,152],{"question":126,"answer":127},"How do I work out my marathon pace?",{"type":28,"children":128},[129],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":130,"children":131},{},[132],{"type":36,"value":133},"A recent half-marathon time is a good guide. Failing that, your vVO₂max gives a starting point: the sessions on this page use 80–86%, lower if your endurance is still limited. Check it by feel: sustained, breathing steady, a few words possible.",{"question":135,"answer":136},"Blocks or a long run with a marathon-pace finish?",{"type":28,"children":137},[138],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":139,"children":140},{},[141],{"type":36,"value":142},"The two work together. The blocks, on fresh legs, teach you to recognise the pace; the long-run finish teaches you to hold it as fatigue sets in, and to drink and eat in those conditions. Start with the blocks, then add the long run in the specific phase.",{"question":144,"answer":145},"How many marathon pace sessions a week?",{"type":28,"children":146},[147],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":148,"children":149},{},[150],{"type":36,"value":151},"One session of blocks a week is enough during a build, away from interval sessions and never the day before a long run. The long run with a marathon-pace finish doesn't come on top: it replaces your plain long run, every other week or every week depending on the plan. These are common training guidelines, not rules drawn from studies.",{"question":153,"answer":154},"Why isn't the tempo run on this page?",{"type":28,"children":155},[156],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":157,"children":158},{},[159],{"type":36,"value":160},"Because it's run at threshold, 87–91% of your vVO₂max, faster than marathon pace. \"Tempo\" doesn't mean the same pace to every coach: here, it groups the sessions slower than threshold and held for a long time, like marathon pace.",[162,192],{"slug":163,"sport":4,"category":5,"level":164,"intensity_unit":165,"name":166,"card_summary":167,"duration_seconds":168,"profile":169,"work":189},"running-marathon-pace-blocks","intermediate","pace","Marathon-pace blocks (3 × 15 min)","Three 15-minute blocks at your marathon pace, broken up by 3 minutes' jogging. 45 minutes at race pace, easier to hold than one continuous block.",4560,[170,173,177,181,184,185,186,187],{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":171,"intensity":172},600,"62.5",{"zone":174,"duration_seconds":175,"intensity":176},2,300,"69",{"zone":178,"duration_seconds":179,"intensity":180},3,900,"83",{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":182,"intensity":183},180,"61.5",{"zone":178,"duration_seconds":179,"intensity":180},{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":182,"intensity":183},{"zone":178,"duration_seconds":179,"intensity":180},{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":171,"intensity":188},"60",{"intensity_min":190,"intensity_max":191},"80","86",{"slug":193,"sport":4,"category":5,"level":164,"intensity_unit":165,"name":194,"card_summary":195,"duration_seconds":196,"profile":197,"work":206},"running-long-run-marathon-pace-finish","Long run with a 30-min marathon-pace finish","A 95-minute long run whose last 30 minutes before the cool-down are at marathon pace. Race pace, but on legs that have already done some work.",5700,[198,199,200,203,205],{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":171,"intensity":172},{"zone":174,"duration_seconds":175,"intensity":176},{"zone":174,"duration_seconds":201,"intensity":202},2400,"70",{"zone":178,"duration_seconds":204,"intensity":180},1800,{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":171,"intensity":188},{"intensity_min":190,"intensity_max":191}]