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Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes

St Albans, United Kingdom

Patrick Hayes is the founder and editor of Sub-3. He is a long-time competitive distance runner, a 10-time sub-3 marathoner (2:37 PB), and an England Masters athlete competing with St Albans Striders.

Cartoon-style runner chanting a mantra while grimacing through a marathon, with speech bubbles showing “Pain is bread”.

Mantras for a sub-3 marathon (even if you're not the mantra type)

If mantras work for someone as unmystical as me, they might just help you push through mile 23 too.

A determined runner in a SUB-3 shirt holds a white baton of ice, leading a race on a sunlit path while other runners struggle and fall behind in the heat.

How I beat the heat racing while training for a sub-3

Why cooling your palms might be the smartest way to handle heat on the road to sub-3

Stylized vintage illustration of Emil Zatopek crossing the finish line with arms raised, wearing a dark singlet with the Czech coat of arms and a race bib numbered 903.

Should you try for sub-3 in your first marathon?

A measured first marathon builds experience, fitness, and confidence, setting you up for long-term sub-3 success rather than risking burnout or injury.

10 things you must do to run a sub-3 marathon

Breaking three hours isn’t easy, but it’s possible. These are the ten habits, strategies and mindsets that set successful sub-3 runners apart.

A male runner in a SUB-3 shirt ascends a staircase made of bricks labeled with weekly mileage targets from 70km to 160km, with a sunrise over hills in the background.

What mileage should I run during my sub-3 training block?

What’s the right weekly mileage for sub-3? The evidence is clear: more miles, more often, produces better results. The key is finding what your body can handle.

A stylized digital illustration shows three marathon runners sprinting side by side, all wearing race numbers, with one runner slightly ahead in an orange SUB-3 singlet.

Should sub-3 runners take creatine?

A long-time gym favourite, creatine is now finding a home in the world of distance running – and for good reason.

Cartoon of a sub-3 runner in a shoe store, torn between worn-out trainers and new super shoes, with an angel and devil offering conflicting advice on each shoulder.

Should I get my dream pair of shoes for my sub-3 attempt?

When you’ve done the hard training, is it really worth dropping another £250 on race-day shoes? Maybe not. But you don’t want to be blaming your feet at 35K.