Sub-2:45 Marathon Training Plan: 6:18 per Mile and the Women's Elite Line

Sub-2:45 is one of the most respected marathon times in recreational running. The pace is 6:18 per mile for 26.2 miles. It is well under the Boston Athletic Association qualifying standard for every published age band — 40 minutes under for women 18-34 (BQ standard 3:25), 10 minutes under for men 18-34 (BQ standard 2:55). And in the women's field, sub-2:45 lines up with the open elite qualifying times for many championship races.

This article covers what a sub-2:45 plan demands. For the broader picture, see the marathon training plan guide. For the step below, see the sub-3 marathon plan. For BQ context, run the Boston qualifying time calculator.

The Honest Prerequisites

Sub-2:45 is rarely a first or second marathon. The honest prerequisites:

• Recent half marathon under 1:18. Most sub-2:45 runners have a half PR in the 1:15-1:18 range.
• Recent 10K under 35:00. Plug your 10K into a VDOT calculator — if it doesn't predict sub-2:45, build 10K speed first.
• Multiple marathons completed. The pacing discipline at 6:18 takes experience.
• Weekly mileage history of 55+ miles. Ramping from 40 to 80 mpw inside one cycle is an injury sentence.

If you're not at all four, the right move is a year (or more) of base building before the sub-2:45 attempt.

Weekly Mileage Required

Most sub-2:45 marathon plans peak at 70-90 miles per week (112-145 km). At this level, doubles (two easy runs in a single day) become common to absorb the volume without making any single run dangerously long.

• 6-7 days per week. Five-day weeks are too crowded.
• Two quality sessions per week, sometimes three. Tempo, VO2max, and marathon-pace work.
• Long run with significant marathon-pace work. 14+ miles at marathon pace inside a 22-24 mile long run is a typical late-build session.
• Recovery weeks every 3-4 weeks. Drop volume by 25-30%.

The Plan Structure

A typical sub-2:45 week in mid-build:

• Monday: Easy 8 miles (sometimes doubled with 4 AM)
• Tuesday: VO2max or threshold session. 6×1 mile at 10K pace, or 4×2 miles at half marathon pace. 12-14 miles total.
• Wednesday: Easy 8-10 miles, sometimes doubled
• Thursday: Medium-long run, 13-15 miles with marathon-pace miles built in
• Friday: Easy 6-8 miles (recovery)
• Saturday: Easy 5-7 miles (pre-long-run shakeout)
• Sunday: Long run, 20-24 miles, often with marathon-pace finishes (e.g., 22 miles with last 14 at marathon pace)

Total: 70-85 miles. Two-to-three quality days. The marathon-pace volume inside the long run is what makes the goal time achievable.

Marathon-Pace Workouts

At sub-2:45 level, marathon-pace volume is the central organizing principle. A progression:

• Week 4: 16 miles with last 6 at marathon pace
• Week 8: 20 miles with last 10 at marathon pace
• Week 10: 22 miles with middle 12 at marathon pace
• Week 12: 22 miles with last 14 at marathon pace
• Week 14: 22 miles with 14 at marathon pace, then 4 at half-marathon pace
• Week 15: 18 miles with 13.1 at marathon pace + 4 at slightly faster

The week-14 session is the most-cited sub-2:45 indicator. If you can do it, you're ready.

Pacing Sub-2:45 on Race Day

The pace is 6:18 per mile. There is no margin.

1. First mile in 6:20-6:25. Slightly slower than goal. The crowd will pull you faster.
2. Miles 2-22 at goal pace (6:18). Lock in. Don't surge with the pack.
3. Miles 22-26 at goal pace or slightly faster. If you've trained right, the legs are there. If you went out at 6:10, you'll be running 6:45 here and miss.

Course choice matters more at this level than at slower goals. CIM (net downhill), Berlin (flat), Valencia (flat), and Chicago (flat) are the most common venues for sub-2:45 attempts. Print a pace band — use the marathon pace band generator.

Common Sub-2:45 Mistakes

Inadequate volume. Sub-2:45 cannot be run honest off 55 mpw. The aerobic base must be there.

Going out at 6:00 pace. Common at this level — runners feel fresh in early miles and chase early splits. 6:10 for the first mile becomes 6:50 by mile 22.

Treating it as sub-3 with more mileage. Sub-2:45 has its own demands. The threshold and VO2max work has to be sharper, the marathon-pace volume higher.

Skipping doubles. At 75+ mpw, doubles preserve recovery while building volume. Avoiding them either limits volume or makes long single runs too long.

Wrong course choice. Sub-2:45 on Boston or NYC is harder than sub-2:45 on Berlin or Valencia. Pick the right course.