The pace you need
Sub-3 is the benchmark of a serious amateur marathoner. It needs 4:15 per kilometer or 6:51 per mile for 42.2 km, which is the pace of a 1:30 half marathon held for twice the distance.
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Pace per km to hold | 4:15 (finishes in 2:59:20) |
| Pace per mile to hold | 6:51 (finishes in 2:59:36) |
| Exact average pace | 4:16.0 /km · 6:51.9 /mi |
| Speed | 14.1 km/h · 8.7 mph |
| Halfway at even pace | 1:30:00 |
The paces above are rounded down to the second, so holding them gets you home just inside the goal.
Checkpoint times
What your watch should read at each marker for an even-paced race, and for a plan where the second half is 2% faster than the first. A 2% negative split means going through halfway in 1:30:55 and running the second half in 1:29:05.
| Checkpoint | Even pace | 2% negative split |
|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 21:20 | 21:43 |
| 10 km | 42:40 | 43:19 |
| 15 km | 1:03:59 | 1:04:49 |
| 10 miles | 1:08:39 | 1:09:31 |
| 20 km | 1:25:19 | 1:26:13 |
| Halfway | 1:30:00 | 1:30:55 |
| 25 km | 1:46:39 | 1:47:32 |
| 30 km | 2:07:59 | 2:08:43 |
| 20 miles | 2:17:18 | 2:17:58 |
| 35 km | 2:29:18 | 2:29:49 |
| 40 km | 2:50:38 | 2:50:49 |
| Finish | 3:00:00 | 3:00:00 |
How to pace a sub-3 marathon
- Go through halfway in 1:29:30 to 1:30:00. A 1:28 first half is a common way to miss sub-3 by minutes.
- Race-day fueling matters at this pace. Use the same drinks and gels you trained with.
- From 32 km, count down kilometers rather than up. Each one at 4:15 is banked.
Want the numbers on your wrist? The pace band generator prints a strip with the elapsed time at every kilometer or mile.
Training paces for this goal
A sub-3 marathon scores a VDOT of about 53.5 on the scale from Jack Daniels’ Running Formula. These are the training paces that go with that score, using Daniels’ intensities: easy running at 59 to 74% of VO2 max, threshold at 88% and intervals at 97.5%.
| Session | Per km | Per mile | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 4:38 to 5:33 | 7:27 to 8:56 | Most of your weekly running, including long runs |
| Marathon | 4:16 | 6:52 | Steady segments of long runs |
| Threshold | 4:01 | 6:29 | Tempo runs of about 20 minutes, or cruise intervals |
| Interval | 3:42 | 5:58 | Repeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recovery |
Train at the paces for the fitness you have now, not the goal. If your recent races are slower, use the VO2 max calculator with a recent result and move to these paces as your races improve.
16-week sub-3 marathon training plan
Built on the training paces above: 6 runs a week, a peak week of 87.3 km and a longest run of 35 km. Paces start from your current fitness and move to goal pace over three phases, with a half marathon tune-up in week 12 to check progress and a two-week taper before race day.
It suits you if
- You run about 6 times a week, around 58 km in total.
- Your longest run in the last month is at least 16 km.
- A recent race of about 1:29:10 for the half marathon or 40:17 for the 10K. The plan closes the gap from there to the goal.
Week 1 and a week from the build phase, free
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Easy 8 km4:46 to 5:44 /km | 8 km5 mi |
| Tue | Easy 8 km4:46 to 5:44 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 8 km5 mi |
| Wed | Easy 8 km4:46 to 5:44 /km | 8 km5 mi |
| Thu | Easy 8 km4:46 to 5:44 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 8 km5 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Easy 8 km4:46 to 5:44 /km | 8 km5 mi |
| Sun | Long run 18 kmEasy, 4:46 to 5:44 /km | 18 km11.2 mi |
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Easy 8 km4:42 to 5:38 /km | 8 km5 mi |
| Tue | Threshold: 4 × 2 km2 km easy, then 4 × 2 km in 8:10 each (4:05 /km) with 90 s easy jogging between, 1.5 km easy | 12.3 km7.6 mi |
| Wed | Easy 8 km4:42 to 5:38 /km | 8 km5 mi |
| Thu | Marathon pace 10 km2 km easy, 10 km at marathon pace (4:20 /km), 1 km easy | 13 km8.1 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Easy 8 km4:42 to 5:38 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 8 km5 mi |
| Sun | Long run 27 kmEasy, 4:42 to 5:38 /km | 27 km16.8 mi |
Easy means conversational. If a session feels far too hard, use the paces for your current fitness from the VO2 max calculator and move up as you improve.
The full 16-week plan, with km and miles editions, a calendar file and a pace band, is on its way.
Race times that match this goal
The same VDOT gives these times at other distances. If you have run close to them recently, the goal is within reach on equal training. For the marathon, treat these as the minimum: many runners find the marathon slower than their shorter races predict, especially without long runs of 30 km or more in training.
| Race | Equivalent time | Pace per km |
|---|---|---|
| 5K | 18:48 | 3:46 |
| 10K | 38:59 | 3:54 |
| Half marathon | 1:26:16 | 4:05 |
Questions
What pace is a sub-3 marathon?
4:15 per kilometer or 6:51 per mile. Holding exactly 4:15 per km gets you to the finish in 2:59:20, and 6:51 per mile gets you there in 2:59:36.
What is the halfway split for a sub-3 marathon?
1:30:00 at even pace. With a 2% negative split, go through halfway in 1:30:55 and run the second half in 1:29:05.
What treadmill speed is sub-3 marathon pace?
14.1 km/h or 8.7 mph. Many runners add a 1% incline, which roughly makes up for the lack of air resistance on a treadmill.
What 5K time do I need for a sub-3 marathon?
About 18:48 on equal fitness, using Daniels’ VDOT tables. A half marathon of 1:26:16 is the better guide for the marathon.
How do I train for a sub-3 marathon?
Build most of your week from easy running at 4:38 to 5:33 per km, with one threshold session near 4:01 per km and a weekly long run. Run the goal pace itself in shorter sections so it feels familiar on race day.
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Sources
- Daniels J. Daniels’ Running Formula. 4th ed. Human Kinetics; 2022. VDOT tables and training intensities.
- Daniels J, Gilbert J. Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners. 1979.
- Jones AM, Doust JH. A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running. Journal of Sports Sciences. 1996;14(4):321-327.
- Bosquet L, Montpetit J, Arvisais D, Mujika I. Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007;39(8):1358-1365. Basis for the two-week taper.