An 8 Week Marathon Training Plan To Complete A Marathon In Under Five Hours

The distances in this marathon training program are the minimum requirement to complete a marathon in under 5 hours.

If you are capable of doing slightly more each day please do, but don’t increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent of the training.

Easy Means that you are able to talk normally while running, you should not have any long gaps between words.

Long slow distance Exactly what it says, very slow, a casual jog would best describe this run.

Please take a few minutes to read this article on marathon training by my wife Samantha. She’s a very accomplished marathoner and it’s packed with good advice. Just click the link below.

Marathon Training

Marathon Guide

Week 1

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 6 km easy
  • Day 3: 5 km easy
  • Day 4: 8 km @ 6:30 min/km
  • Day 5: 4 km easy
  • Day 6: Rest
  • Day 7: 18 km Long slow distance

Week 2

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 7 km easy
  • Day 3: 6 km easy
  • Day 4: 9 km @ 6:25 min/km
  • Day 5: 6 km easy
  • Day 6: Rest
  • Day 7: 20 km Long slow distance

Week 3

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 8 km easy
  • Day 3: 5 km easy
  • Day 4: 12 km long slow distance
  • Day 5: 5 km easy
  • Day 6: Rest
  • Day 7: 10 km race in 63min.

Week 4

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 8 km easy
  • Day 3: 6 km easy
  • Day 4: 10 km at 6:20 min/km
  • Day 5: 6 km easy
  • Day 6: Rest
  • Day 7: 24 km long slow distance

Week 5

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 8 km easy
  • Day 3: 5 km easy
  • Day 4: 8 km at 6:10 min/km
  • Day 5: 5 km easy
  • Day 6: Rest
  • Day 7: 24 km long slow distance

Week 6

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 6 km easy
  • Day 3: 8 km easy
  • Day 4: 8 km in app 48min.
  • Day 5: 5 km easy
  • Day 6: Rest
  • Day 7: 15 km race in app 86min.

Week 7

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 8 km easy
  • Day 3: 5 km easy
  • Day 4: 12 km at 6;00 min/km.
  • Day 5: 5 km easy
  • Day 6: Rest
  • Day 7: 28 km long slow distance

Week 8

  • Day 1: Rest
  • Day 2: 10 km easy
  • Day 3: 6 km easy
  • Day 4: 7 km easy
  • Day 5: Rest
  • Day 6: 2km easy
  • Day 7: MARATHON RACE

You can also download this training program in pdf format.

click here to download the sub 5 hour marathon program

from sub 5 hour marathon training back to marathon training


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