Key takeaways
Marathon training raises VO2max in newer runners, by about 9% in one 16-week study of novices, but gains flatten in trained runners
Marathon time depends on VO2max, the fraction of it you can hold for hours and running economy, so two runners with the same VO2max can finish far apart
Keep one short VO2max session a week early in the block, then shift towards threshold and marathon pace as race day nears
A marathon is run well below VO2max, so it's fair to ask whether VO2max matters for it at all, and whether marathon training improves it. Short answer: VO2max sets the ceiling, the marathon is decided by how close to that ceiling you can run for hours, and classic marathon training raises VO2max mainly in runners who are new to it.
Does marathon training increase VO2 max?
For newer runners, yes. Luden and colleagues followed six recreational runners through 16 weeks of training and a taper for their first marathon. VO2max rose by about 9%, and citrate synthase, a marker of mitochondrial capacity, rose 66% in the thigh muscle. That fits the wider picture: almost any consistent endurance training raises VO2max in people starting from a modest base (VO2max trainability).
In experienced runners, extra easy mileage on its own does less for VO2max. In Helgerud's 2007 trial in moderately trained men, intervals at 90–95% of max heart rate raised VO2max more than the same total work at 70% of max heart rate or at lactate threshold. Seiler's review notes that adding more high-intensity work in already well-trained athletes has not given convincing long-term gains either; the winning pattern is mostly easy volume with a modest dose of hard work (80/20 polarised training).
Fractional utilisation: why VO2max is not the whole story
Joyner and Coyle describe endurance performance as three interacting factors: VO2max, the lactate threshold, and efficiency (the oxygen cost of a given speed). VO2max and threshold together set the "performance VO2" you can sustain; economy turns that oxygen into speed.
The idea of fractional utilisation goes back to Costill and colleagues in 1973. As Joyner and Coyle summarise that work, much of the marathon is run at about 75–85% of VO2max, compared with 90–100% for 10 km and close to VO2max for 5 km. Joyner's 1991 model used VO2max × threshold percentage × economy to argue that a marathon of around 1:45 was physiologically possible with the best values ever recorded for each factor.
That is why the VO2max of elite athletes is high but not decisive within an elite field, and why lactate threshold training matters so much for marathoners.
VO2 max marathon time: what the numbers imply
Hagan and colleagues studied 50 male marathoners aged 21 to 61. Finish time correlated with VO2max at r = -0.63, with total training distance over nine weeks at r = -0.67 and with average distance per workout at r = -0.64. VO2max predicts, but no better than how much you train.
The table below uses the Daniels and Gilbert VDOT equations from our VO2max running calculator. These are model estimates: VDOT is a performance-based number that assumes typical economy and full marathon fitness. In the model, marathon pace costs roughly 81–83% of VDOT, inside the 75–85% range described above.
| VDOT (model VO2max) | 5k | Half marathon | Marathon | Marathon pace (per km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 26:59 | 2:04:13 | 4:16:06 | 6:04 |
| 40 | 24:06 | 1:50:54 | 3:49:37 | 5:27 |
| 45 | 21:49 | 1:40:14 | 3:28:16 | 4:56 |
| 50 | 19:56 | 1:31:31 | 3:10:40 | 4:31 |
| 55 | 18:22 | 1:24:16 | 2:55:55 | 4:10 |
| 60 | 17:03 | 1:18:09 | 2:43:22 | 3:52 |
| 65 | 15:55 | 1:12:54 | 2:32:35 | 3:37 |
Two cautions. First, a lab VO2max is usually higher than a VDOT from the same runner, because VDOT folds economy into the number. Second, the marathon column assumes you have done the long runs; many runners with a strong 5k fall well short of the model marathon time. A watch VO2max is a third, separate estimate.
VO2 max training for marathon runners
VO2max work still earns a place in a marathon block, mostly early on. It raises the ceiling that marathon pace is a fraction of, and it makes marathon pace feel relatively easier. A practical 18-week outline:
| Weeks | Focus | VO2max session | Other key sessions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Base | Strides, hill sprints | Long run builds to 90–110 min |
| 5–8 | VO2max emphasis | 1 per week: 4 × 4 min or 5 × 1000 m at 90–95% HRmax | Long run, short threshold run |
| 9–12 | Threshold | Every other week: 6 × 3 min | 2 × 15 min threshold, long run with marathon-pace finish |
| 13–16 | Marathon specific | Optional short reps, e.g. 8 × 400 m | Long runs with 10–20 km at marathon pace |
| 17–18 | Taper | Strides and a few short reps | Volume down 41–60%, keep some pace work |
The Bosquet meta-analysis behind the taper figures found the best results from about two weeks with volume cut by 41–60% while intensity was kept (tapering before a race). For a block-style alternative, such as one week with several interval sessions followed by easier weeks, see periodisation for endurance. Classic sessions like the Norwegian 4×4 work well in weeks 5 to 8.
Marathon training VO2max: putting it together
- Newer runners: just build consistent easy mileage and a long run; VO2max will rise anyway. An 8-week 5k training plan is a good primer before a first marathon block.
- Experienced runners: one VO2max session a week for four to six weeks early in the block, then prioritise threshold and marathon pace.
- Use workouts as checks, not crystal balls. Yasso 800s are a popular marathon predictor with no research behind them; a recent half marathon plugged into the VDOT model is more reliable.
- If you like low-heart-rate base training, the MAF training method can cover the easy weeks; set targets with the heart rate zone calculator.
Safety: this is general information, not medical advice. Marathon training places real stress on the heart, bones and tendons. See a doctor before starting if you have heart disease, symptoms on exertion or a family history of sudden cardiac death.
Frequently asked questions
Does marathon training increase VO2 max?
In newer runners, yes. Six novices training 16 weeks for a first marathon raised VO2max by about 9%. In trained runners the gains are smaller, and most marathon improvement comes from threshold, economy and fatigue resistance.
What VO2 max do you need for a sub 3 hour marathon?
The Daniels VDOT model puts a 3:00 marathon at a VDOT of about 53 to 54. That is a performance-based estimate, not a lab value, and real runners with lower VO2max but excellent economy can still break three hours.
How much does VO2max predict marathon time?
Moderately. In a study of 50 male marathoners, VO2max correlated with finish time at r = -0.63, about as strongly as weekly training distance did. Fractional utilisation and economy explain much of the rest.
How do marathon runners train VO2max?
Usually one interval session a week of 3 to 5 minute reps at 90 to 95% of max heart rate in the early and middle part of a block, alongside long runs and threshold work, then less of it in the final weeks.
Sources
- Costill DL, Thomason H, Roberts E. Fractional utilization of the aerobic capacity during distance running. Med Sci Sports, 1973. PubMed (figures quoted as summarised by Joyner and Coyle)
- Joyner MJ, Coyle EF. Endurance exercise performance: the physiology of champions. J Physiol, 2008. PubMed
- Luden N, Hayes E, Minchev K, et al. Skeletal muscle plasticity with marathon training in novice runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2012. PubMed
- Hagan RD, Smith MG, Gettman LR. Marathon performance in relation to maximal aerobic power and training indices. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 1981. PubMed
- Helgerud J, Høydal K, Wang E, et al. Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2007. PubMed
- Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2010. PubMed
- Bosquet L, Montpetit J, Arvisais D, Mujika I. Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2007. PubMed
- Daniels J. Daniels' Running Formula. Human Kinetics (VDOT equations used for the table).