Are you seeking a new sub 3hr marathon training plan? You have come to the right website. I've run 2:19:35 for the marathon distance and know what it takes to run this event. That being said, I also understand the challenges involved in running a sub 3 hour marathon.
You have to be smart and use leverage to run a marathon under 3 hours. Leverage simply means doing more with less. We all are taught to work hard but working harder doesn't always equate to faster times.
How did I got from having a marathon best of 2:43:36 to 2:19:35? I started using leverage in training rather than just working hard. I tried running higher mileage thinking that was the answer. It left me fatigued and irritable as well as frustrated.
So, I dropped my mileage somewhat and focused on quality versus quantity. A sub 3hr marathon training plan has to encompass that strategy.
Key Strategies A Sub 3HR Marathon Training Program Should Focus On
- Hydration – far too many marathoners are not ingesting enough fluids during the race and in training. Practice and improve upon this. Learn from the mistakes of others. For example, watch the video I made below where I was asked some of the mistakes I made in training for marathons
- Alternate a faster long run followed by a long, slow recovery long run the following week
- Train at 6:52 mile pace often
- Train at sub-5:30 mile pace – get comfortable being uncomfortable – adapt and make marathon goal race pace feel more in control rather than labored.
- Conduct your harder long run at 160 beats per minute or approximately 85 percent of your maximum heart rate
- Be patient – if you want to set yourself up for success you have to be more patient than your competitors
- Believe in delayed gratification – everyone wants instant results.Are you willing to wait a year, 5 years or a decade to see your goal come to fruition?
- Do strides every other day – 4-6x100m strides will improve your running economy and recruit more fast twitch muscle fibers
- Work your plan and plan your work
- Invest in the Sub 3 Hour Marathon Pro course
Sub 3 Hour Marathon Pro Course
I teach athletes how to dip under 3 hours for the marathon in the sub 3 hour marathon pro course. The course is a combination of text and video lessons along with weekly wrap up videos covering what we did each week.
I pull no punches with this course. If you are training to break a 3 hour marathon it tells me you are a highly driven and talented athlete. That being said, breaking a sub 3 hour marathon is not achieved by that many people each year.
It will take a sub 3hr marathon training plan that has a strong focus on improving lactate tolerance to do that. A common mistake many marathoners make is spending too many miles at aerobic effort. Yes, it is important to still run slow. That being said, you need stamina and to sustain pace for long periods of time to become a 2:59:59 marathoner.
It will not fall in your lap.
What Needs To Be Done Not Being Taught To Break A 3 Hour Marathon
I'm going to throw you a gold nugget. It is up to you to take advantage of it.
Learn what glutathione is. I haven't run across one middle to long distance runner in 28 years that knows what it is. If they do, they more than likely read one of my posts.
Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant responsible for detoxifying the body. Our bodies build up oxidative stress, free radicals and heavy metals. These occur from the pollution we breathe in, the stress we undergo from training and our jobs. In addition, it has another critical role, oxygen transport.
Every cell of the human body produces glutathione. If you are an endurance athlete I highly recommend you visit the max international website and learn about it.
You may want to also check out these helpful posts I've written about a product I've used for nearly 7 years, Cellgevity.
What Does Cellgevity Do?
A Cellgevity Independent Review
Cellgevity by Max International
The Importance of Glutathione
I highly doubt you will hear about glutathione on other running-related websites. That being said, when it comes to athletic performance knowledge of it is critical. You can visit PubMed, the internet authority on medical peer-reviewed articles and find over 145,000 articles written about glutathione.
The medical community is very well-aware of it. The athletic community is not. Do you want to know why this is so important? It isn't just about running a sub 3 hour marathon but your health as a whole. The below graphic shows just a few of the many common illnesses and diseases directly associated to having low glutathione levels.
Do I have your attention yet?
If you want to know more about Max International, the Glutathione Company, click the link below to do so.
Learn About The Max International Difference
What Else Needs To Be Done To Run 2:59:59
Alternate paces of your long runs.
Here is an example of the style of long run I did while preparing to break the sub-2:20:00 marathon barrier. Please keep in mind, this was when I was very fit and not at the beginning of my marathon build up.
2 mile warm-up, 8 miles at 160 beats per minute (5:30-40 mile pace), 1 mile in 4:50, 2 miles at 150 beats per minute (6:00-6:10 mile pace), 1 mile in 4:50, 4 miles at 160 beats per minute, 2 mile cool-down (20 miles) total
I've always believed that long slow running produces long, slow runners – Sebastian Coe, former world record holder for 800m, 3:47 miler
The above mentioned long run is very taxing. That being said, you have to really focus on jogging on recovery days. If you want to break 3 hours you have to have the discipline to back off so you can get those physiological benefits.
Furthermore, the real benefits of these styles of workouts come in the rest.
Below is a video I made which covers some additional tips on what it takes to run a sub 3 hour marathon.
If you want more than just a sub 3hr marathon training plan and are ready to take your marathon to the next level click the link below.
Learn More About The Sub 3 Hour Marathon Pro course
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