Running the easy part too fast
The 40 minutes of easy running must stay easy. Run them too fast and you reach the marathon block empty, and the session turns into a training race that costs you several days.
RunningMarathon paceIntermediate 95 min
Long run with a 30-minute marathon-pace finish
A long run with a marathon pace finish: 95 minutes of running, including 30 minutes at 80–86% of vVO₂max after 55 easy minutes. For learning to hold race pace on tired legs, and testing what you'll drink and eat on the day.
Session profile5 blocks
At a glance
- Duration
- 95 min
- Main target
- 80–86%vVO₂max3 Z3 · Active endurance
- Time at target
- 30 min
- Estimated load
- 103
- Structure
- 40′ at 66–74% vVO₂max
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- GPS watch
The session in detail
vVO₂max
Time in zone
- Z120 min
- Z245 min
- Z330 min
What the targets mean
| Target | Zone | Time | vVO₂max 14 km/h | vVO₂max 16 km/h | vVO₂max 18 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80–86% | 3Active endurance | 30 min | 5:21/km–4:59/km | 4:41/km–4:22/km | 4:10/km–3:53/km |
| 66–74% | 2Base endurance | 40 min | 6:30/km–5:47/km | 5:41/km–5:04/km | 5:03/km–4:30/km |
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What this session is for
A marathon isn't run on fresh legs. This session has you rehearse race pace just as fatigue sets in: you learn to hold it without getting carried away, to recognise the feeling when your legs get heavy, and to drink and eat in those conditions.
It's a race-specific session, not a speed session: the difficulty comes from the duration. Respected coaches such as Pfitzinger and Douglas build sections like this into long runs; no study has compared it with an entirely easy long run.
Who it's for
Marathon and half-marathon runners already comfortable with runs of 90 minutes to 2 hours. You need a recently measured vVO₂max, or a realistic marathon pace. Avoid it if you're still building your first long runs: the duration alone is work enough.
When to do it
It's your long run of the week, not an extra session: depending on the plan, every other week or every week during the specific phase of a marathon build. Keep it well away from a hard session and keep the next day easy.
How to do it
Warm-up
15 min10′ at 60–65% vVO₂max + 5′ at 66–72% vVO₂max
10 minutes of easy running at 60–65% of vVO₂max, then 5 minutes at 66–72%.
Main set
40 min40′ at 66–74% vVO₂max
40 minutes of easy running at 66–74% of vVO₂max. At 16 km/h, that's 5:41 to 5:04/km: you should be able to hold a conversation. Start drinking and eating as planned for race day. Don't think about the block to come yet.
Main set
30 min30′ at 80–86% vVO₂max
30 minutes at marathon pace, 80–86% of vVO₂max, without a break. At 16 km/h, that's 4:41 to 4:22/km, or 6.4 to 6.9 km. Ease into the pace over the first minute, then hold it. If fatigue makes your form fall apart, stop the block and finish at an easy pace: the session has already done its job.
Cool-down
10 min10′ at 55–65% vVO₂max
10 minutes of very easy running at 55–65% of vVO₂max. Eat and drink within the hour, and note how your stomach handled what you took during the run.
How it should feel
The easy part is comfortable: you can hold a conversation, 3 to 4 out of 10. The marathon block starts well, then gets demanding towards the end: legs heavier, the pace needing concentration. Guide: 5 to 6 out of 10 on the marathon block.
Common mistakes
Starting the block too fast
The first minutes at marathon pace feel easy, even after 55 minutes of running. Speed up and the last ten minutes fall apart. Hold your target pace, no more.
Not testing anything
It's the dress rehearsal: shoes, kit, drinks, gels. Run this session without taking anything on and you miss half its point.
Treating it as an extra session
It replaces your long run. Added to a week that already has one, it tires you enough to spoil your quality sessions.
When to skip it
Before you start
- Familiarity with runs of 90 minutes to 2 hours.
- A recently measured vVO₂max, or a realistic marathon pace.
Skip it if
- You're still building your first long runs.
- You have pain or a recent injury.
- A hard session is planned for the next day.
Origin and evidence
Level of evidence
Established practice, no dedicated studyLevel 1 of 5
Pfitzinger and Douglas (Advanced Marathoning, Human Kinetics, several editions) build marathon-pace segments into long runs, according to several secondary summaries; one example found: 18 miles with 10 at marathon pace. M pace comes from Daniels (Daniels' Running Formula): in his tables, for a VDOT of 50, it works out at about 86–87% of I pace, treated here as vVO₂max; slower or less endurance-trained runners tend to sit nearer 75–80%. The easy part corresponds to Daniels' E pace. No controlled study comparing this format with an entirely easy long run was found. The durations, 40 then 30 minutes, the % ranges, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: the practice of respected coaches, with no dedicated study.
Sources
- Pfitzinger P., Douglas S., Advanced Marathoning, Human Kinetics (plusieurs éditions)
- Daniels J., Daniels' Running Formula, Human Kinetics
Frequently asked questions
What pace for the end of the long run?
Your marathon pace, here 80–86% of vVO₂max: 5:21 to 4:59/km at 14 km/h, 4:41 to 4:22/km at 16 km/h, 4:10 to 3:53/km at 18 km/h. If your endurance is weaker, aim for the bottom of the range, or a touch below.
Marathon-pace finish or marathon-pace blocks?
Marathon-pace blocks teach you the pace on fresh legs, broken up. The long run makes you hold it once fatigue has arrived, as in a race. Blocks early in the build, the long run in the specific phase.
Should I eat during this run?
Yes, that's one of its purposes. Drink and eat as you plan to on marathon day, at the same times. If your stomach doesn't cope, better to find out in training than at 30 km.
How often in a marathon build?
Depending on the plan, every other week or every week during the specific phase, alternating with entirely easy long runs. Start with a 20-minute block early in the build, then lengthen it in steps.
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