Marathon Specific Training: Five 35km+ Brutal Training Sessions By Elites
Sondre Moen – 2:05:48 Marathoner
36km Training Session
30km continuous run, consisting of 2km at Marathon pace + 1km 15% slower than Marathon pace for the full 30km. For Moen, this means 2km @ 3:00-3:05/km, 1km @ 3:20-3:25/km 10 times through. Moen would do this workout at 2000m+ altitude in Kenya. Include a 3km warm up and cool down, this makes for a 36km training day and 30km of it fast!
Stefano Baldini – 2:07:22 Marathoner, Olympic Champion
35.5km Training Session
1hr30mins @ 4:00/km (22.5km). Followed by 4km, 3km, 2km, 1km repetitions at Marathon pace with 1km in between, only 5% slower than goal Marathon pace. For Baldini, this meant his 4km, 3km, 2km and 1km reps would be at right around 3:00/km and his recoveries would be at 3:10/km. The final 13km of this 35.5km training day would be run in around 40min (averaging under 3:05/km).
Robert De Castella – 2:07:51 Marathoner, World Champion
37km Training Session
16km @ moderate effort. 10km @ Just slower than Marathon goal pace. 5 x 1km @ just faster than Marathon goal pace with 1km recovery at moderate pace. For De Castella, that meant: 16km @ 3:45/km, 10km @ 3:10/km, 5 x 1km @ 2:55/km with 1km recovery @ 3:45/km. Following this, he would do an easy 10min jog to cool down. All added up, this is about a 37km training session.
Geoffrey Mutai – 2:03:02 Marathoner, Boston Winner
35km Training Session
20km progressive run, ending at near Marathon pace. 3 x 3km @ Marathon pace with 1km float recovery. For Mutai, that meant 20km starting at around 3:50/km and ending at 3:00/km, averaging 3:25/km. After a very quick break and a drink of water, Mutai would attack 3 reps of 3km at 2:55-3:00/km on a flat road at 2000m altitude in Eldoret area. Between the 3km reps, a 1km recovery in around 3:30/km. A 20min jogging cool down makes for a 35km training day.
Julio Rey – 2:06:52 Marathoner
36km Training Session
10km moderate effort. 10km @ 10% slower than Marathon goal pace. 10km @ goal Marathon pace or just quicker. For Rey, this meant 10km @ 3:30/km (35mins), 10km @ 3:10/km (31min40sec), 10km @ 3:00/km (30min). All in all, it’s 30km at an average pace of around 3:13/km. Rey would take at maximum 2min recovery between 10km efforts to consume fluids before taking off on the next one. Add in a 3km warm up and cool down, it makes for a 36km training day.
