Sub 4 Hour Marathon Training Plan
To break 4 hours you need to average just under 5:41 per km (9:09 per mile) for 42.195 km, and pass halfway in about 2:00:00. This 16 week plan has every pace already worked out for that goal: five runs a week, one key session, tune-up races in weeks 8 and 12, and a three-week step-down to race day.
Who it is for: you run about 40 km (25 miles) a week over four or five runs, your long run is around 14–16 km, and a recent race says sub-4 is within reach (see the table below). Not there yet? Start with the 16 week beginner plan or the half marathon to marathon plan.
Health note. General plan, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness, an injury, are pregnant or are coming back after a long break, check with a doctor first. Stop and seek help if you feel unwell.
Is sub-4 realistic for you?
These are the race times that point to a 4:00:00 marathon, by two published methods. Both assume you also do the marathon training, especially the long runs.
| Recent race | Riegel (exponent 1.06) | Daniels VDOT 37.9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5K | 25:01 | 25:14 |
| 10K | 52:10 | 52:22 |
| Half marathon | 1:55:07 | 1:56:06 |
If your recent 10K is well slower than about 52 minutes, aim for a goal the marathon time predictor gives you this time, and go for sub-4 next time. Curious what VDOT and VO₂ max have to do with it? vo2max.io explains it in VO₂ max and marathon time.
Your sub-4 training paces
From the Daniels and Gilbert equations for VDOT 37.9 (the score that matches a 4:00:00 marathon):
| Pace | Per km | Per mile | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 6:06–7:17 | 9:49–11:44 | Most runs and all long runs |
| Marathon (goal) | 5:41 | 9:09 | Blocks inside steady runs |
| Threshold | 5:19–5:34 | 8:33–8:58 | "Comfortably hard" repeats |
| Interval | 4:48–5:00 | 7:43–8:03 | Short repeats of 3–4 minutes, about 5K effort |
Easy really means easy: the plan only works if the easy days leave you fresh for the key session and the long run. If heat, hills or a poor night push your heart rate up, slow down and let the pace go.
The plan, week by week
Five runs a week: the long run, the key session and three easy runs (one with 6 × 20 s strides). Distances are for the whole week.
| Week | Phase | Long run | Key session | Week total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Base | 16 km | 4 × 8 min at 5:19–5:34 /km (8:33–8:58 /mi), 2 min jog | 40 km |
| 2 | Base | 18 km | 10 km with 6 km at 5:41 /km (9:09 /mi) | 44 km |
| 3 | Base | 20 km | 5 × 3 min at 4:48–5:00 /km (7:43–8:03 /mi), 2 min jog | 48 km |
| 4 | Easier week | 14 km | Easy runs + 6 × 20 s strides | 36 km |
| 5 | Build | 22 km | 3 × 10 min at 5:19–5:34 /km, 2 min jog | 52 km |
| 6 | Build | 24 km | 14 km with 9 km at 5:41 /km | 56 km |
| 7 | Build | 26 km | 5 × 4 min at 4:48–5:00 /km, 2½ min jog | 60 km |
| 8 | Easier week | 18 km | 10K tune-up race (target about 52 min) or easy + strides | 45 km |
| 9 | Peak | 28 km | 2 × 15 min at 5:19–5:34 /km, 3 min jog | 62 km |
| 10 | Peak | 29 km | 18 km with 12 km at 5:41 /km | 65 km |
| 11 | Peak | 30 km | 4 × 10 min at 5:19–5:34 /km, 2 min jog | 68 km |
| 12 | Easier week | 21 km | Half marathon tune-up race (target about 1:55–1:56) as the long run | 50 km |
| 13 | Peak | 32 km | 16 km with 10 km at 5:41 /km | 70 km |
| 14 | Taper | 24 km | 14 km with 10 km at 5:41 /km | 56 km |
| 15 | Taper | 16 km | 10 km with 6 km at 5:41 /km | 40 km |
| 16 | Race week | — | 4 short easy runs, 2 with 4 × 20 s strides + RACE | 20 km |
Warm up 10–15 minutes easy before every key session and cool down 10 minutes.
A typical week
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Rest |
| Tuesday | Key session |
| Wednesday | Easy run |
| Thursday | Easy run with strides |
| Friday | Rest |
| Saturday | Easy run, short |
| Sunday | Long run |
Use the tune-up races
- Week 8, 10K: about 52 minutes says you are on track. Much slower? Move your goal to what the marathon time predictor suggests and use the marathon pace calculator for your new paces.
- Week 12, half marathon: about 1:55–1:56 is the sub-4 marker. Run it as a race, then take two easy days.
Race-day pacing for sub-4
At even pace you pass 5 km in 28:26, 10 km in 56:53, halfway in 2:00:00, 30 km in 2:50:38 and 40 km in 3:47:31. A gentle 1 % negative split means 5:43 per km for the first half and 5:40 per km for the second, with halfway at 2:00:36. Print your splits from the marathon pace calculator or make a wristband with RunPerform's pace band. The last three weeks, day by day, are in the marathon taper guide.
When to hold back
A goal time makes it tempting to force sessions. Use the green/amber/red daily check before every key session and long run: one amber turns the day easy, two or a red turns it into rest. Flemming, the coach behind this site, coaches the same way. He reviews every logged session and moves hard days when stress, sleep or training say so. See personal coaching if you'd like that on your sub-4 build.
Print the plan
Choose km or miles and press PDF (A4) or PDF (US Letter). The PDF has the week table, the pace table and the daily check.
Questions and answers
What pace do I need for a sub-4 marathon?
Faster than 5:41 per km or 9:09 per mile on average. If you want a small margin for water stations and a crowded start, plan on a second or two per km faster.
What 10K time do I need for a sub-4 marathon?
About 52 minutes by both Riegel's formula (52:10) and the Daniels VDOT method (52:22), assuming you also do the long runs.
How many miles a week do I need to run a sub-4 marathon?
There is no fixed number, because runners differ. This plan peaks at 70 km (43.5 miles) in week 13. What matters most is that the weekly distance and the long runs stay steady for months.
Is 16 weeks enough for a sub-4 marathon?
Yes, if you start at about 40 km a week and your recent races are close to the times in the table above.
What is the hardest week in the plan?
Week 13: 70 km with a 32 km (20 mile) long run and 16 km with 10 km at goal pace. After it the plan steps down.
Sources
- Daniels, J. & Gilbert, J. (1979). Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners. Tempe, AZ: Daniels and Gilbert. Daniels, J. Daniels' Running Formula. Human Kinetics (training intensities: easy 59–74 %, threshold 83–88 %, interval 95–100 % of VDOT).
- Riegel, P. S. (1981). Athletic records and human endurance. American Scientist, 69(3), 285–290. (Table 1: men 1.07732, women 1.08283; men over 40 to over 70: 1.05352–1.06370.)
- Bosquet, L., Montpetit, J., Arvisais, D. & Mujika, I. (2007). Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(8), 1358–1365.
- The plan itself is our own and follows common principles: mostly easy running, one long run a week, easier weeks and a taper.
Related
- All marathon plans · 12 week plan · Marathon pace calculator
- On RunPerform: Pace band · Marathon taper and race week
- On vo2max.io: VO₂ max and marathon time · Recovery-guided marathon training