Marathon Training Paces
Quick answer: Your marathon training paces depend on your current race fitness. A 3:30:00 marathon runner (RPI 44.6) trains at 9:08/mi easy, 7:17/mi threshold, and 6:23/mi intervals. Marathon-pace training runs at 7:43/mi. A 4:00:00 runner (RPI 37.9) trains at 10:20/mi easy, 8:05/mi threshold, and 7:03/mi intervals with marathon-pace runs at 8:35/mi. The table below shows exact paces for common marathon times.
Marathon Training Pace Table
| Race Time | RPI | Easy | Marathon | Threshold | Interval | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:30:00 | 66.3 | 6:53 | 5:57 | 5:35 | 4:57 | 4:36 |
| 2:40:00 | 61.5 | 7:18 | 6:18 | 5:57 | 5:15 | 4:53 |
| 2:50:00 | 57.3 | 7:41 | 6:37 | 6:15 | 5:30 | 5:08 |
| 3:00:00 | 53.5 | 8:04 | 6:56 | 6:31 | 5:44 | 5:20 |
| 3:10:00 | 50.2 | 8:27 | 7:14 | 6:47 | 5:56 | 5:30 |
| 3:15:00 | 48.7 | 8:37 | 7:21 | 6:54 | 6:03 | 5:36 |
| 3:20:00 | 47.2 | 8:47 | 7:29 | 7:02 | 6:10 | 5:43 |
| 3:30:00 | 44.6 | 9:08 | 7:43 | 7:17 | 6:23 | 5:55 |
| 3:40:00 | 42.1 | 9:32 | 8:00 | 7:33 | 6:36 | 6:06 |
| 3:45:00 | 41 | 9:43 | 8:08 | 7:40 | 6:42 | 6:11 |
| 4:00:00 | 37.9 | 10:20 | 8:35 | 8:05 | 7:03 | 6:29 |
| 4:15:00 | 35.2 | 10:57 | 9:03 | 8:32 | 7:24 | 6:48 |
| 4:30:00 | 32.8 | 11:47 | 9:40 | 9:07 | 7:53 | 7:14 |
| 4:45:00 | 30.6 | 12:40 | 10:19 | 9:44 | 8:24 | 7:41 |
| 5:00:00 | 28.7 | 13:22 | 10:53 | 10:16 | 8:52 | 8:06 |
All paces in minutes per mile. Easy pace means "this pace or slower."
What each training zone does
For marathon training, Marathon pace (M) and Easy pace (E) are the most critical zones. Marathon-pace long runs — running the final 6–10 miles of a long run at goal marathon pace — are the most race-specific session. They teach your body to sustain effort when glycogen is depleted, which is exactly what the last 10K of a marathon demands. Easy pace makes up 80%+ of your weekly volume: this is where aerobic capillary density and fat oxidation develop. Threshold runs build the stamina buffer above marathon pace.
Common Marathon training mistakes
The marathon has the highest mistake rate of any distance. The #1 error: going out too fast on race day. Your first 10K should feel almost too easy — if it feels "good," you are going too fast. The #2 error in training: insufficient weekly volume. Most runners who race well at the marathon run 40–60+ miles per week at peak. You cannot fake marathon fitness with speed work alone. The #3 error: running easy days at marathon pace. Easy pace for a 4:00 marathoner is 10:22/mi — not 9:09.
Calculate your exact training paces
The table shows paces for common Marathon times. Enter your exact race time below to get your personalized training paces.
Training Pace Calculator
Your paces are a starting point
These paces are calculated from your race result — they reflect your current fitness as a single number. StrideIQ goes deeper: it learns how your body responds to training over time, identifies which sessions produce your biggest fitness gains, and adapts daily based on your actual data. Population-based paces get you started. Individual response data keeps you improving.
Common questions
What training paces should I use for a 3:30 marathon goal?
A 3:30:00 marathon gives an RPI of about 44.6. Training paces: Easy 9:08/mi, Marathon 7:43/mi, Threshold 7:17/mi, Interval 6:23/mi. Your marathon-pace long runs should target 7:43/mi for the final 8–10 miles. All other long runs should be at easy pace (9:08 or slower). Tempo runs at 7:17/mi for 20–30 minutes once per week.
How fast should easy runs be for marathon training?
Easy runs should be at your calculated easy pace or slower. For a 4:00:00 marathoner, that is 10:20/mi — often 1–2 minutes per mile slower than race pace. Most marathoners run their easy days too fast, which accumulates fatigue and prevents quality sessions from being truly high quality. If you are breathing hard on an easy day, slow down.
How many miles per week do I need for a marathon?
Peak weekly volume depends on your goal and experience. General guidelines: sub-4:00 typically requires 35–45 miles/week at peak; sub-3:30 requires 40–55; sub-3:00 requires 55–70+. More important than the peak is consistency — 12–16 weeks of steady volume building matters more than one big week. Easy running should be 80% of that volume.
Training paces for other distances
Paces calculated using the Daniels/Gilbert oxygen cost equations — peer-reviewed exercise physiology published in 1979. These are the same formulas used by the StrideIQ training pace calculator. All paces fetched from the live calculator to ensure exact consistency.