Description
Are you seeking a new sub 2 55 marathon training plan to sustain sub 2:55 marathon pace? If so, our 20 week marathon training plans are designed to help you get better results. Athletes that are seeking to run under the 2 55 marathon barrier need to sustain 6:40 per mile or 4:08 per kilometer. The biggest issues most runners have is pace sustainment.
The goal of our 2 hour 55 minute marathon training plan is to set the athlete up for success. The objective is to improve your body's lactate tolerance. Easy running will not do this. Yes, easy running is a key part of our 20-week marathon schedule options that we have here. Remember, the benefits of your hard training will come from within the rest period.
How do we make sub 2 55 marathon pace feel easier over 42.2 kilometers? The first step is spending a few weeks building your aerobic base with strides thrown in. Strides are too short to build up any serious lactic acid. We then work toward the marathon specific phase which lasts just over 4 weeks. We will then move into the speed development phase lasting 6 to 8 weeks before moving into the taper phase.
What Pace is a Sub 2 55 Marathon?
The pace you need to sustain comes out to 4:08 per kilometer for 42.2 kilometers or 6:40 per mile for 26.2 miles. A common mistake I see a lot of runners making is running too many of their miles or kilometers each week too slow. The training plans I have created here work to get the athlete into better anaerobic shape. Of course, we focus on easy running the first few weeks before moving into marathon specific training.
The overall objective with the RunDreamAchieve 20-week marathon training plans is to help athletes to work smarter. Again, our aim it to train you to follow a program that will help make sub 2:55 marathon pace to feel easier. In addition, to teach the body to clear lactic acid faster than it is building up. Lastly, to slow down less in your race versus your competition.
You will be using the same types of strategies, workouts and tactics I used to run my personal best of 2:19:35. In fact, I dropped over 21 minutes off of my previous best (2:43:36) using the workouts you will be following.
20 Week Marathon Training Plan Benefits
- Higher focus on anaerobic threshold (tempo) runs spent training at and below goal marathon race pace
- Focus is on on longer, varied paced long runs followed the next week by easier long runs
- Emphasis on jogging on easy days to ensure the highest return on your time investment
- Vo2max workouts build to improve you stamina and to make sub 2 55 marathon pace to feel more like a moderate effort
- Program consists of mileage between 32 miles and high of 80 miles per week (only 1 week this high)
- Leverage strategies to help outwit your competition
- 20 weeks long
- Emphasis placed on a 10-day taper to make sure you don't go into your marathon tired and fatigued.
How to Maintain Sub 2 55 Marathon Pace
Our 20 week marathon plans were build by 2:19 marathoner and founder of RunDreamAchieve, Nathan Pennington. Nathan has over 30 years of experience as a middle to long distance runner. You will be following the same strategies and tactics Nate was taught by some of the world's top distance running coaches.
Athletes seeking to sustain sub 2 hour 55 minute marathon pace have to train fast and often enough to succeed. Again, it isn't just about the volume you are doing. The quality of the workouts and the way you set up your training is what matters most. Yes, this is an investment but it also takes the guesswork out of knowing what workouts you should and should not be doing each day.
Free Coaching Tips via the RunDreamAchieve YouTube Channel
Make sure to visit and subscribe to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. Nathan created new content there each week helping beginner to advanced level athletes get to the next level in their training. Nathan was coached by three of the world's top distance running coaches, one of which being a Boston Marathon champion.
- Jack Hazen (Nate's collegiate coach from 1995-2000 and 2012 USA Olympic Mens and Womens distance coach)
- Dr. Joe Vigil (one of Nate's mentors and a world-renowned exercise physiologist and distance coach)
- Lisa Rainsberger (coached Nate from 2007-2010 while he was assigned to the US Army World Class Athlete Program)
The training principles contained within your 20 week marathon training program are the same Nathan was taught. The way to success in the marathon distance is following all of the fundamentals, not just physical training. We also need to spend 10 minutes per day mentally rehearsing achieving our goals.
The subconscious mind, cannot tell the difference between reality and imagination – Billy Mills, Olympic Gold Medalist, 10,000m
Additional Tips to Sustain 2:55 Marathon Pace
A 20 week marathon build up is the best time frame there is for training for a marathon. We do have 16 week marathon training plans as well. Would you like to train for a shorter period of time? You may want to check out our 8 week, 12 week and 16 week marathon training plans. That being said, 5 months is sufficient time for your body to physiologically adapt to the daily training you are putting in.
Remember, it takes the body between 21 days to 4 weeks to adapt to any stress load that you are placing on it. So, the process of getting into better shape cannot be rushed. The goal of our 20 week marathon training schedules is to get that sub 2 55 marathon pace to feel more sustainable.
Who Designed Our 20 Week Marathon Training Plans?
Coach Pennington brings over 30 years of experience to the products and services he has created here at RunDreamAchieve. Nathan is a former member of the US Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) and achieved a marathon time of 2:19:35 while assigned to the prestigious unit.
He also is a retired US Army medical service corps officer and served just over 20 years on active duty. Nathan served his first 6 years as an enlisted Soldier before graduating from the US Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) in 2009. Nathan made two world Armed Forces Cross-Country teams while serving in the military and has trained and lived with some of the world's top runners including Olympians.
More importantly, Nathan's focus is to help runners surpass what they think they are capable of. The 5 month marathon training programs here are designed to help runners gradually get into peak anaerobic shape. You are more than welcome to visit our about page if you would like to know more about Coach Pennington's running career.
20 Week Marathon Training Plan Facts
- Comes in easily downloadable, powerpoint PDF format upon purchase
- Once notification of your purchase Nathan will personally send you your training plan
- Low week is 32 miles with the highest week at 80 miles (mileage (easy runs) can be adjusted according to your needs
- Hand designed by a 14:18 5K, 50:54 10-Miler and 2:19:35 marathoner
- Easy and simple week-to-week scrolling training plan
- Purchase is encrypted for your protection
- PayPal verified
- 30 day money back guarantee
- 20 week marathon training plan with a 10-day taper to ensure recovery takes place and you go into your marathon in peak shape
- Purchase also comes with 10% off all RunDreamAchieve Merchandise apparel and gear
So, if you are ready to become a sub 2 55 marathon athlete get your copy of the 20 week sub 2 hour 55 minute marathon training plan today. Make sure to visit RunDreamAchieve University for more resources.
Need more ongoing coaching regarding this training plan? Make sure to check out the RunDreamAchieve private coaching community to learn more.
