12-week marathon plan on 3 sessions — target 4:30

12 weeks3 sessions a weekTarget 4:30433 km in total

A 12-week marathon plan on three sessions a week for a 4:30 finish: every pace given, long run building to 28 km.

This plan is for you if…

Already running three times a week for at least two months, without pain.
Able to run for 1 h 15 without stopping, however slowly.
Have run a half marathon under 2:05, or a 10 km under 55 minutes.
Able to give 3 to 5 hours a week to training, long run included.

If one of these is not true, a longer plan will take you further than a short one followed halfway.

Your paces for 4:30

Pace	min/km	What it feels like
Easy	7:15 – 7:45	The pace most of this plan is run at. If you cannot hold a conversation, it is too fast.
Long run	7:30	A little firmer than easy, never hard.
Marathon pace	6:24	Race-day pace — the one that produces the target time.
Threshold	5:54	The pace you could hold for about an hour in a race.
Interval	5:20	For the short repetitions. Fast, but never gasping.

All 12 weeks, session by session

Week 1

Base29 km

Three sessions, three jobs: one quality, one easy, one long. None of them is filler.

1
Short intervals59 min
8 × 400 m at Interval pace, with a recovery between repetitions.
2
Easy run45 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run14 km
14 comfortable km from start to finish. If it feels hard, it is too fast.

Week 2

Base30 km

Threshold enters, and the long run grows.

1
Threshold50 min
20 continuous minutes at Threshold pace.
2
Easy run50 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run16 km
16 comfortable km from start to finish. If it feels hard, it is too fast.

Week 3

Base35 km

First meeting with marathon pace, at the end of the long run.

1
Middle intervals69 min
6 × 800 m at Interval pace, with a recovery between repetitions.
2
Easy run50 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run18 km
18 km, the last 4 at marathon pace.

Week 4

Base26 km

A down week. It is in recovering that the last three weeks turn into fitness.

1
Threshold45 min
15 continuous minutes at Threshold pace.
2
Easy run40 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run14 km
14 comfortable km from start to finish. If it feels hard, it is too fast.

Week 5

Build37 km

Load picks up again. The long run now carries race pace.

1
Long intervals71 min
5 × 1000 m at Interval pace, with a recovery between repetitions.
2
Easy run50 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run20 km
20 km, the last 6 at marathon pace.

Week 6

Build41 km

The densest week of the phase: threshold, marathon pace, and 22 km.

1
Threshold blocks69 min
3 × 10 minutes at Threshold pace, 3 minutes recovery.
2
Marathon pace60 min
30 continuous minutes at Marathon pace pace.
3
Long run22 km
22 km, the last 8 at marathon pace.

Week 7

Build33 km

A second down week. The body digests the two biggest ones.

1
Short intervals59 min
8 × 400 m at Interval pace, with a recovery between repetitions.
2
Easy run45 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run18 km
18 comfortable km from start to finish. If it feels hard, it is too fast.

Week 8

Specific41 km

Specific block: no more intervals, everything converges on race pace.

1
Threshold blocks68 min
2 × 15 minutes at Threshold pace, 4 minutes recovery.
2
Easy run50 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run24 km
24 km, the last 8 at marathon pace.

Week 9

Specific47 km

The heaviest week of the plan. What carries marathon pace is threshold.

1
Threshold blocks60 min
2 × 12 minutes at Threshold pace, 3 minutes recovery.
2
Marathon pace70 min
40 continuous minutes at Marathon pace pace.
3
Long run28 km
28 km, the last 9 at marathon pace.

Week 10

Taper35 km

The taper begins. Volume drops, intensity stays — that is what brings the form up.

1
Threshold50 min
20 continuous minutes at Threshold pace.
2
Easy run45 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run22 km
22 km, the last 6 at marathon pace.

Week 11

Taper27 km

Less again. The temptation to add is this week's main danger.

1
Marathon pace50 min
20 continuous minutes at Marathon pace pace.
2
Easy run40 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Long run14 km
14 comfortable km from start to finish. If it feels hard, it is too fast.

Week 12

Race52 km

Race week. Sleep, eat, and arrive fresh on the line.

1
Pace reminder48 min
4 × 400 m at Marathon pace pace, with a recovery between repetitions.
2
Easy run25 min
Conversational pace: you should be able to talk.
3
Marathon42.195 km
Race day.

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Stibia exports this plan to your watch, on the days you run, with your long session on the day you choose, and the plan ending on your race date.

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This plan is general training material and does not replace medical advice. If it hurts, stop and see someone.