Coopah How To: Work Out Your Marathon Pace
In this series of ‘HOW TO’ blogs, we are going to share our tips for the most common questions we get asked by our community of runners, and this blog is all about How To Work Out Your Marathon Pace.
What does marathon pace mean?
Your marathon pace is the pace you need to run on average, over the entire marathon to achieve your goal time.
So for example, for a Sub 4 Hour Marathon your pace would need to be 9.08 min miles/5.41 min km.
I have never ran a marathon before, how do I know what to set as my goal?
This can be tricky if you are running a marathon for a first time, as you have nothing to base it on.
If you have run a half marathon, the standard formula is to double your half marathon time, and then add 10-20 minutes.
So for example, if you ran a 2 hour half marathon, you could set yourself the goal to run a marathon around the 4.15 - 4.20 mark.
The one thing to note though is that this can be really dependent on the individual and their running history, so this may not be true for everyone.
If you are a completely new runner, we would advise not to set yourself a specific goal, especially so early in your training. Just aim to gradually increase the distance of your runs over the weeks, and as the weeks go on you will find a pace that feels comfortable for you.
Do I need to run all my long runs at marathon pace?
Absolutely not! There are definitely benefits to running some of your runs at marathon pace, but you will be pleased to know that the majority of your long runs should be at a comfortable, easy pace, and especially at the start of your training block.
Once you have got the miles up and are feeling comfortable over the longer distances, you can then look at adding some marathon pace sections to your runs. The good thing about doing it this way is that you can get used to what marathon pace feels like (and whether it is realistic for you) but not completely exhausting yourself by doing really long, hard runs.
Here is an example of a marathon paced long run for a Sub 4 Marathon to get your started;
5 Miles @ Easy Pace (avg 10.00- 10.15 min mile pace)
3 Miles @ Marathon Pace (avg 9.08 pace)
5 Miles @ Easy Pace (avg 10.00-10.15 min mile pace)
Do I need to know what my marathon pace is?
Ultimately, it is really important to remember that you don’t need to set yourself a time goal or worry about your pace. For a lot of runners, just completing a marathon is enough without that added pressure of getting a certain time or getting caught up in numbers. But, if you are wanting to aim for a certain time, or perhaps a PB, then knowing this information can be really useful.
Here at Coopah we want to take all the stress out of marathon training and make life easier for you, which is why we have created our app.
A fully personalised training plan built around your availability and goals
Unlimited coaching support 24/7
Streaks and incentives to keep you motivated
Access to our community of other runners, physios and mental health experts to give you support and advice up to the day.
Track your progress and your weekly/monthly mileage