Welcome to the Marathon Maker series of workouts! Whether you’re targeting a marathon or half or just wanting to enjoy your training and stay fit, this series of workouts will make you the endurance animal you were born to be!

WHAT?

Marathon Maker #1

3k – 2k – 1k (3k @ your half marathon pace, 2k & 1k @ 10k pace)

1k recovery run between each interval

Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway.

This workout incorporates three blocks run at two different speeds. The 3k is at your half marathon pace, while the 2k and 1k blocks are run at your 10k pace.

In order to make this a true endurance workout, we’re keeping the recovery runs in the upper end of your easy range (about 30secs per km slower than your marathon pace).

WHY?

The marathon is a tricky beast to slay. It requires plenty of miles logged at an easy pace, but it also requires workouts specifically designed to go both long and quick. This new series of workouts builds up those long, endurance-style sessions that prep the body to be able to handle a steady pace for LONG time.

This workout is a good bridging session between what we have been doing with 1k reps and bodyweight exercises towards doing those marathon-specific sessions.

HOW?

As always with set paces in workouts, be conservative and realistic around your half marathon and 10k race paces. Use the calculator at tempofit.org to estimate your paces accurately.

WHAT’S TO COME IN THE MARATHON MAKER SERIES?

This week’s workout is just the first rung on the ladder that will take you to some pretty epic heights in terms of marathon-style sessions. So here’s a look at what the next four weeks will look like:

Week 1: 3k – 2k – 1k (3k @ your half marathon pace, 2k & 1k @ 10k pace)
6k of work total

Week 2: 4k – 3k – 2k – 1k (4k @ your marathon pace, 3k & 2k @ half pace, 1k @ 10k pace)
10k of work total

Week 3: 5k – 4k – 3k – 2k – 1k (5k & 4k @ your marathon pace, 3k & 2k @ half pace, 1k @ 10k pace)
15k of work total

Week 4: 6k – 5k – 4k – 3k – 2k – 1k (6k, 5k & 4k @ your marathon pace; 3k & 2k @ half pace; 1k @ 10k pace)
21k of work total

So, there are some big sessions in the pipeline. If you’re not training for a marathon and haven’t done the big long easy runs already, don’t worry, we’ll provide alternatives to week three and four that will focus on shorter and faster.

Ready to make yourself a marathon master?!