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RunRace-specific

6-5-4-3-2-1K Cutdown

6·5·4·3·2·1 km, each faster, 1 km moderate between

Elite session. As written this is for very experienced, high-volume athletes. Most people should start with the scaled version under the steps.
Time
≈2h35
Difficulty
EliteDifficulty 5 of 5 — Elite
Elite · scaled option below

What we typed

Warm up 15 min easy. 6 km at marathon effort, 1 km moderate. 5 km slightly faster, 1 km moderate. 4 km faster again, 1 km moderate. 3 km at half-marathon effort, 1 km moderate. 2 km faster, 1 km moderate. 1 km at 10K effort. Cool down 10 min easy.

Fit File Forge built the steps below from these words — the same steps your watch gets.

Describe your own

The session

13 steps

Warm up

easy

15 minZ2

Run

marathon effort

6 kmZ3

Jog

moderate

1 kmZ1

Run

slightly faster

5 kmZ3

Jog

moderate

1 kmZ1

Run

faster again

4 kmZ3

Jog

moderate

1 kmZ1

Run

half-marathon effort

3 kmZ3

Jog

moderate

1 kmZ1

Run

faster

2 kmZ3

Jog

moderate

1 kmZ1

Run

10K effort

1 kmZ3

Cool down

easy

10 minZ1

Targets

Set by race effort. Your paces follow from your threshold pace — about what you could race for an hour.

Marathon effort
Half-marathon effort
10K effort

Save it and race efforts become your own paces, from your profile or your Garmin training. Without them every rep keeps its effort cue.

Scaled version

3-2-1 km (each faster) with 1 km moderate between.

Build the scaled version in Forge

About this session

The story

A descending, progressively faster marathon session in the style of Italian-school marathon training. We couldn't find a source tying this exact ladder to a named coach, so we describe it by structure only.

What it trains

Running faster as fatigue builds — marathon effort at the start, near 10K effort by the last kilometer.

Who it's for

Experienced marathoners and half-marathoners. Scaled version recommended for most.

I've been using the AI Training Coach from day 1 for marathon prep and have found it to be a huge step up from ChatGPT/Gemini — I couldn't be happier.

Dave F.Marathon athlete

Related workouts

NOT HERE? DESCRIBE IT.

Describe it and it's built for your Garmin — your coach can plan the weeks around it.

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Garmin and Garmin Connect are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Zwift is a trademark of Zwift, Inc.; Fit File Forge isn't affiliated with Zwift. Athletes and coaches named here don't endorse Fit File Forge.