Running faster because you feel good
The first block always feels easy. Speeding it up means training at a pace you won't hold on marathon day. The session targets a precise pace, not a feeling of strength.
RunningMarathon paceIntermediate 76 min
Marathon-pace blocks (3 × 15 min)
A marathon pace session: three 15-minute blocks at 80–86% of vVO₂max, with 3 minutes of easy jogging between. 45 minutes at race pace in 76 minutes. For locking in your rhythm and learning to recognise marathon pace by feel.
Session profile8 blocks
At a glance
- Duration
- 76 min
- Main target
- 80–86%vVO₂max3 Z3 · Active endurance
- Time at target
- 45 min
- Estimated load
- 89
- Structure
- 3 × 15′ at 80–86% vVO₂max, 3′ recovery
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- GPS watch
The session in detail
vVO₂max
Time in zone
- Z126 min
- Z25 min
- Z345 min
What the targets mean
| Target | Zone | Time | vVO₂max 14 km/h | vVO₂max 16 km/h | vVO₂max 18 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80–86% | 3Active endurance | 45 min | 5:21/km–4:59/km | 4:41/km–4:22/km | 4:10/km–3:53/km |
| 58–65% | 1Recovery | 6 min | 7:23/km–6:36/km 406–455 m per rep | 6:28/km–5:46/km 464–520 m per rep | 5:45/km–5:08/km 522–585 m per rep |
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What this session is for
Marathon pace is slower than your threshold, but you have to hold it for three or four hours. This session gets you used to it without the fatigue of a long continuous block: your stride stays good for longer, and you learn to recognise the pace without looking at your watch.
It's a race-specific session. It won't raise your vVO₂max or your threshold; it teaches you to run your marathon. The 3 minutes' jogging break up the effort without breaking its rhythm.
Who it's for
Runners preparing for a marathon or a long half, after a few weeks of consistent training. You need a recently measured vVO₂max, or a realistic marathon pace from a recent race. Not suited to complete beginners.
When to do it
One session of this kind a week is enough during a marathon build, well away from an interval session. Put it after an easy day or a rest day, never the day before a long run or another hard session. To progress, lengthen the blocks over the build, keeping the same pace.
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%. No need for strides: marathon pace comes without a jolt.
Main set
51 min3 × 15′ at 80–86% vVO₂max, 3′ recovery
Three 15-minute blocks at 80–86% of vVO₂max, with 3 minutes' jogging at 58–65% between blocks. At 16 km/h, that's 4:41 to 4:22/km, or 3.2 to 3.4 km per block, and a jog between 6:28 and 5:46/km. Settle into the pace within the first few minutes of each block, then hold it. If your target marathon pace is slower than the range, follow your target: that's what matters.
Cool-down
10 min10′ at 55–65% vVO₂max
10 minutes of very easy running at 55–65% of vVO₂max. Compare your three blocks: if they're even, the pace is right; if the third slowed, your target pace is probably too quick.
How it should feel
Steady, breathing regular: you can still say a few words. The first block feels almost easy, and that's the trap. The third should stay controlled: if it's clearly slower than the first, you started too fast. Guide: 5 to 6 out of 10.
Common mistakes
Using vVO₂max as your only guide
Marathon pace depends as much on your endurance as on your vVO₂max. If your endurance is weaker, it sits at the bottom of the range, or below. A recent half marathon is often a better guide.
Walking the recoveries
The 3 minutes are jogged. Walking breaks the rhythm, and getting going on the next block becomes harder. Keep a light jog, slow enough to catch your breath.
Putting it next to an interval session
45 minutes at race pace is tiring. If there's an interval session in the same week, leave at least two days between them.
When to skip it
Before you start
- A recently measured vVO₂max, or a realistic marathon pace.
- A few weeks of consistent training.
Skip it if
- You have pain or a recent injury.
- A long run or another hard session is planned for the next day.
Origin and evidence
Level of evidence
Established practice, no dedicated studyLevel 1 of 5
Marathon pace (M) is defined by Jack 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. Pfitzinger and Douglas (Advanced Marathoning) describe marathon-pace sections within long runs, according to secondary summaries. Training plans offer, for example, 4 × 10 minutes at marathon pace with 2 minutes' recovery. For the half-marathon variation, the pace used is 86–91% of vVO₂max. No published protocol in the 3 × 15-minute format was found: that format, the 80–86% range, the jogged recovery, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: coaching practice; the sources define the pace, not the structure.
Sources
- Daniels J., Daniels' Running Formula, Human Kinetics
- Pfitzinger P., Douglas S., Advanced Marathoning, Human Kinetics
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out my marathon pace?
Here, from your vVO₂max: 80–86% of it, or 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. A recent half-marathon time often gives a more accurate estimate.
Marathon-pace blocks or a long run with a marathon-pace finish?
The blocks teach you the pace on fresh legs, broken up. The long run with a marathon-pace finish makes you hold it on legs that are already tired. They complement each other: blocks early in the build, the long run in the specific phase.
How much marathon-pace running in training?
It depends on the phase. Early in the build, 30 to 40 minutes in blocks is enough; closer to the marathon, some plans go up to an hour or more in a single session. Lengthen the blocks gradually, keeping the same pace.
Can I use this session for a half marathon?
Yes, but half-marathon pace is faster, close to threshold. For a half, a common version is 3 blocks of 8 to 10 minutes with 2 minutes' jogging. Cruise intervals are a close cousin.
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