This is the Sub-4-Hour Marathon training plan.

This plan is 16 weeks and consists of four phases:

1. Prep Phase - 4 weeks

Mostly easy mileage with a few moderate days and introducing short hill strides, you'll also do a FTHR field test to establish HR training zones

2. Build Phase – 4 weeks

Continuing to build mileage, particularly in the long run, begin doing mid-week workouts

3. Race Specific Phase – 6 weeks

Mileage continues to build, mid-week workouts get more intense, and you will begin incorporating marathon pace work within your long runs.

4. Taper - 2 weeks

Reduce training volume while maintaining some intensity so you can show up fresh, sharp, and ready to perform your best on race day!

Things to know about this plan:

1. This plan is designed for someone who has been running consistently for several months and has been comfortably averaging around 25-30 miles per week of running. If you are new to running, see the Cam I Am Endurance Coaching Beginner Plan to build up some consistency and mileage before starting a marathon plan.

2. This plan has 5 days of scheduled running days per week with an additional optional easy or cross-training day on Thursdays. Only do the optional day if you are staying healthy and feeling good. Keep it very easy RPE 1-2.

3. Week one starts with 25-30 miles per week and week 13 is peak mileage week at 40-46 miles. The range allows flexibility depending on your level/time to train. If you are staying healthy, recovering well, and feeling good, you can opt for the higher end of the mileage range. The lower end of mileage is appropriate for newer or lower-volume runners. Do not force the upper end of the range simply because it's listed.

4. All CAM I AM Endurance Coaching Marathon Plans include a marathon training guide to help you navigate your training (see link on the resources page).

Assessing Fitness & Goal:

To run sub-4-hours in the marathon, you will need to sustain an average pace of 9:09 per mile, because of factors such as tangents, crowds, aid stations, etc... You will likely run a little further than 26.2 miles on race day. With this being the case, average pace will likely need to be a few seconds faster than 9:09 avg. per mile on race day. Knowing this will give you an idea of what it's going to take to accomplish a sub-4-hour marathon. Below are some guidelines to help you assess if sub-4-hours is the right goal for you or if you should adjust.

1. Paces for the repeat workouts (400m, 800m, 1k) should be hard but not leave you wrecked afterwards or have you needing to take multiple days off to recover from them. Some repeats are done around a 5k effort. For someone targeting a sub-4-hour marathon, 5k pace generally corresponds to 8:10–8:25/mile, but individual fitness varies, so effort should take priority over pace.

2. Marathon pace (9:09/mi) should feel controlled and sustainable but will require focus.

3. If you’re constantly having to stop when doing marathon pace work in your long runs, or you can only sustain marathon pace for a few miles, then your time goal may be outside your fitness level at this time.

4. A recent half marathon around 1:55-2:00 is a good indicator that a sub-4-hour marathon is a realistic goal. However, half marathon performance is only one indicator of marathon readiness. Your training, consistency, long-run performance and your ability to execute marathon pace work should also be considered.