I have been to Iten and Eldoret, Kenya and seen what the guys do. Here is an example of a training week for a 2:06 type marathoner. And there would be hundreds of them, if they were given the chance to race overseas in the right races.
Monday - 6am - 45" - 60" progressive run, starting slow, but going down to around 3.20 - 3.30 in the last 20 minutes or so. Includes a long hill near St Patrick's school (in Iten).
pm - 30"- 40" slow run....slower than the morning.
Tuesday - 6am - 50" slower run (around 4 mins per km)
10am - warmup - 25' mins. Then 20 - 25 times 400m track (dirt track in Iten at 2800m above sea) in the 61 - 63 secs range. Jog 400 recovery. 20' - 25' jog.
4pm - 30" slow jog (around 4.30 per km or slower).
Wednesday - same as Monday
Thursday - 6am - 45" - 60" steady (3.45 - 4.00 per km)
10am 25" then 8 times 1000m on dirt track, starting at around 2.55 per 1000 and finishing around 2.40 - 2.45 per 1000. 25" jog
4pm - 30" slow (4.30 per k)
Friday - 6am - 45" - 60" progressive run, finishing around 3.15 per km.
pm - 45" run, steady, around 4" per km
Saturday - 30 - 35 km time trial over 5km course, running each 5k section faster. Starting with first in 20" and getting down to around 16.30 for the last few 5km loops.
Sunday - rest, or walk to town. On this day, you can see some of these guys in Iten, at the cafe, eating sausages and chips (fries) and drinking tea.
In addition - Gym work 2-3 times a week at the Lornah Kiplagat camp. Circuits with mostly low weights. In and out in 40" - 50"
Ghost in Saudi, wwww.kfupm.edu.sa