Marathon Training Plan 3 Days a Week

16 weeks·3 days / wk·marathon·intermediate

Weeks: 16
Sessions: 48
Peak week: 36 mi; week 13
Long run: 20 mi; week 13
Taper: 3 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Paces assume an intermediate runner (VDOT 42). Enter a recent race to personalise them.

Week-by-week training plan
Wk	Focus	Sessions	Volume	Biggest session
01	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 11 mi	3 · 2 key	20.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
Tue Oct 6 Hill repeats 6 × 60 s 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 6 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 8 Easy run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Oct 11 Long run 11 mi 11 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
Weeks 2–16 locked Unlock the full plan. Every session, every week Paces and loads from your numbers PDF, calendar and Garmin export Re-plans when you miss a key session Billing period$79 / year$14 / month Annual works out at $6.58 a month Secure checkout with Stripe · Cancel any time
02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 12 mi	3 · 2 key	22 mi	Long run 12 mi
03	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 13 mi	3 · 2 key	23.5 mi	Long run 13 mi
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 9.5 mi	3 · 1 key	17.5 mi	Long run 9.5 mi
05	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 14 mi	3 · 2 key	25 mi	Long run 14 mi
06	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 15 mi	3 · 2 key	26.5 mi	Long run 15 mi
07	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 16 mi	3 · 2 key	28.5 mi	Long run 16 mi
08	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 11.5 mi	3 · 1 key	21.5 mi	Long run 11.5 mi
09	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 17 mi	3 · 2 key	30 mi	Long run 17 mi
10	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 18 mi	3 · 2 key	32 mi	Long run 18 mi
11	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 19 mi	3 · 2 key	34 mi	Long run 19 mi
12	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 13.5 mi	3 · 1 key	25 mi	Long run 13.5 mi
13	Peak: marathon-pace long runsLong run 20 mi	3 · 2 key	36 mi	Long run 20 mi
14	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 15 mi	3 · 2 key	28.5 mi	Long run 15 mi
15	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 11 mi	3 · 2 key	23 mi	Long run 11 mi
16	Race week — marathonRace 26 mi	3 · 1 key	7 mi	Race 26 mi

Your paces

Easy / long: 9:28–10:25/mi62–70% VO2max, conversational
Marathon (M): 8:25/mi
Threshold (T): 7:53/micomfortably hard, ~60 min race effort
Interval (I): 7:15/mi3–5 min reps, ~97.5% VO2max
Repetition (R): 6:49/mishort fast reps, mile race pace
marathon race pace: 8:25/mifinish 3:40:33

The numbers

About this plan

This marathon training plan 3 days a week opens with 20.5 mi in week 1 and peaks at 36 mi in week 13. Halfway, week 8 carries 21.5 mi with a 11.5 mi long run. That is 401 mi over 48 runs for an intermediate marathon runner. Load drops in week 4 (17.5 mi), week 8 (21.5 mi) and week 12 (25 mi).

12 key sessions — 4 hill and 8 tempo — back up a long run that reaches 20 mi in week 13. Easy running at 9:28–10:25/mi is 83% of the 401 mi; 8 threshold sessions run at 7:53/mi. Weeks 10–13 finish long runs at 8:25/mi, marathon pace.

The 3-week taper takes race week to 7 mi, 81% under week 13's 36 mi, after 401 mi. Projected finish after 16 weeks and 401 mi: 3:40:33 for the marathon (8:25/mi).

3 sessions and 20.5 mi open this 16-week plan, topped by a 11 mi Sunday.

Structure: base weeks 1–5 (20.5–25 mi), build weeks 6–9 (26.5–30 mi), peak weeks 10–13 (32–36 mi), taper weeks 14–15 (23–28.5 mi) and race week 16 (7 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the marathon training plan 3 days a week?

20.5 mi in week 1, 21.5 mi by week 8 and 36 mi at the peak, week 13: 401 mi total.

How fast should easy runs be on the marathon training plan 3 days a week?

9:28–10:25/mi; that covers 83% of the plan's 401 mi, so a race time to personalise it matters.

What is the longest run in the marathon training plan 3 days a week?

11 mi in week 1, growing to 20 mi by week 13.

Does the marathon training plan 3 days a week work with 4 runs a week?

64 runs instead of 48: switch to 4 days and the 20-mi long run stays.

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