How best to race when you’re not on peak form
You can’t be in PB shape for every race. If the training hasn’t quite come together, the key is to accept the fitness you have, adjust accordingly and avoid making things worse in the final few days.
Latest
When the pace gets hard, a familiar voice can carry you through
When the final kilometres of a marathon begin to bite, support from friends and family can provide a powerful mental boost. Back My Run founder Daniel Moores explains how hearing a familiar voice at just the right moment can help runners through the toughest miles.
Sydney Marathon 2026: Tenfold growth, a course record – but is it getting faster?
Sydney Marathon has grown from just 3,453 finishers in 2022 to more than 36,000 in 2026. Sub-3 has analysed five years of results to see what that extraordinary expansion has meant for the race – and for runners chasing a sub-three-hour marathon.
We need to talk about the other meaning of ‘Sub-3’
To runners, ‘sub-3’ has long meant one thing: completing a marathon in under three hours. Apparently, the TikTok generation has other ideas.
How to represent England as a Masters marathon runner
England Athletics gives club runners aged 35 and over the opportunity to earn an England vest through its Age Group Masters programme. Here’s how marathon runners can qualify, which races count and what you need to do before race day.
How to use energy gels for a marathon
Energy gels can help keep you fuelled through 26.2 miles, but taking the right amount is only part of getting your marathon nutrition right. From training your stomach to choosing your carbohydrates and caffeine, here are five tips for making sure your fuelling strategy works on race day.
Why a summer of training in the heat could pay off this autumn
Months of running in hot weather may have meant slower paces, higher heart rates and frustrating race times. But as temperatures begin to fall, the training you banked over the summer could put you in a stronger position to chase that sub-three marathon this autumn.
How to qualify for the London Marathon through Good For Age
London Marathon Good For Age offers faster UK runners an alternative route into one of the world’s most oversubscribed races. Here’s how the system works, the times you need to target and how to maximise your chances of securing a place.
In praise of the Voom Pocket Rocket
The latest in our series celebrating the overlooked products that deserve more recognition among sub-3 marathon runners. This time, it's an energy bar that has become a race-day staple for many endurance athletes.
10 things I wish I'd known before running the Berlin Marathon
Berlin is one of the fastest and most iconic marathons in the world, but a little advance planning can save a lot of unnecessary stress, leaving you free to focus on what really matters on race day.
What sub-3 runners can learn from Josh Kerr's mile world record
Josh Kerr's remarkable Project 222 culminated in one of the greatest moments in modern athletics: breaking the 27-year-old mile world record. Yet beyond the record itself lies a masterclass in preparation, mindset and consistency that offers valuable lessons for every ambitious marathon runner.
How fast can I really run a marathon?
You've finished your first marathon. The medal's hanging on the wall, the sore legs have recovered, and a new question starts to creep into your mind: what if that wasn't the best I could do?
Best marathon watch settings for chasing sub-3
Discover the best GPS watch settings for a sub-3 marathon. Keep screens simple, use alerts wisely, and focus on effort over data.
What are the phases in a sub-3 training cycle?
A sub-3 marathon cycle has six phases: endurance, strengthening, sharpening, tapering, recovery, transition. Here’s how to time them and why they matter.