16 MILE WORKOUT - 12 Weeks Until London Marathon 2024 - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of “16 MILE WORKOUT - 12 Weeks Until London Marathon 2024” from The FOD Runner. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

First marathon‑specific long run of the block, done 12 weeks before race day.
Goal: run ~16 miles (≈25.7 km) on trails, alternating uphill and downhill to build strength and stamina.
Target pace is roughly marathon pace ± 10 sec per mile (e.g., 9:00 – 9:30 min/mi if aiming for a 4:00 marathon).
Include a 3‑mile easy warm‑up, then repeat an out‑and‑back loop about 1.6 mi each time (10 reps total).
Keep effort steady, use the “gap pace” read‑out to monitor effort on hills vs flats.
Hydration and a gel are optional; the runner tried a gel but felt strong without it.

Workout Example:

Warm‑up: 3 mi easy on flat terrain (≈10:30 /mi).
Main set: 10 × (~1.6 mi) out‑and‑back loop on mixed trail:
- Run each loop at target marathon pace (≈9:15 /mi).
- On uphill sections let the pace drop a few seconds; on downhills let it pick up.
- Use the watch’s Gap Pace to stay within ±10 sec of goal.
Cool‑down: Finish with 2–3 mi easy, keeping heart rate low.
Optional nutrition: Carry a gel for the latter half if you need extra fuel.

Closing Note: Give this 16‑mile trail repeat a go this week, tweak the loop distance and pace to match your own marathon goal, and track it in the Pacing app so you can customize the effort for every mile. Happy running!