A training plan that successfully delivered a sub-3:00 marathon, after recovering from an early season injury. Previous PR had been 3:03, end result from this plan, executed using paces determined by a VDOT score of 55, was 2:55:41. A write-up of the plan can be found on the Predawn Runner blog at http://predawnrunner.com/2011/11/threehour-marathon-plan/.

1. Sub-3:00 Marathon Training Program - 18 Weeks, 55-70 Miles / Week
For futher details, see the write-up on the Predawn Runner blog.
Block Wk M T W Th F Sa Su Tot
1 LT9 (4T) ML11 Rec5 GA9 Rec5 ML 15 Rest 54
Endurance
2 GA8 w Str ML12 Rec5 GA9 Rec5 Rest 10M Race 55
3 ML11 ML13 Rec5 LT9 (4T) Rec5 ML15 Rest 58
4 GA9 w Str ML14 Rec5 ML11 Rec5 Long18 Rest 62
5 LT9 (5T) ML14 Rec5 ML12 Rec5 ML12 Rest 55
6 MP18 (10M) GA8 w Str Rec5 GA10 Rec5 ML15 Rest 61
7 LT10 (5T) ML14 Rec5 ML11 GA7 w Str Long21 Rest 68
Threshold +
Endurance
Lactate
8 Rec6 + 4 ML14 Rec5 LT11 (6T) Rec6 Long20 Rest 66
9 Rec6 + 4 ML15 Rec6 ML13 Rec7 w 6Str MP16 (12M) Rest 67
10 GA9 9 w 6x800 Rec6 ML11 ML15 Rest 10M Race 60
11 Rec6 + 4 ML15 Rec6 LT12 (7T) Rec5 Long22 Rest 70
12 9 w 8x600 ML14 Rec6Str*+4 Rec5 GA8 w Str Rest Long18 64
Race
Prep
13 10 w6x1000 ML15 Rec6 + 4 ML12 Rec5 MP18 (14M) Rest 70
14 9 w 8x600 ML14 Rec6 w 6Str Rec5 Long17 Rest Half-Mar. 64
15 Rec6 + 4 GA8 w Str ML14 11 w5x1200 Rec5 Long20 Rest 68
16 Rec7 w 8Str ML12 Rec5 w 6Str LT10 (6T) Rec5 Long17 Rest 56
Taper
17 GA9 w 8Str Rec4 8 w 3x1600 Rec5 Rec6 w 8Str ML13 Rest 43
18 Rec7 7MP (2M) Rest Rec5 w 6Str Rec6 Rec4 Marathon 51
R1 Rest Rest Rest Rec4 Rec5 Rec6 Rest 15
Recovery
R2 Rec5 Rec5 Rest Rec6 Rest Rec8 Rest 24
R3 Rec5 Rec5 Rest GA7 w 8 Str Rec5 GA9 Rest 31
R4 Rec5 GA7 Rest GA8 w 8Str Rec5 ML11 Rest 36
R5 Rec6 GA8 Rest GA9 w 8 Str Rec6 ML12 Rest 41
VDOT 55 ML = Medium Long Run - easy pace
800's 2:55 GA = General Aerobic - easy pace
Miles 5:55 LT = Lactate Threshold (T = tempo pace miles)
Tempo (LT) 6:20 Rec = Recovery - easy pace or slower
Half-Marathon (HMP) 6:30 MP = Marathon Pace (M = marathon pace miles)
Marathon (MP) 6:45 Str = Strides (10x100m unless noted)
Easy 7:54 * = 6x100m strides
+ = Double Run
TM = Total Mileage