Marathon Dress Rehearsal

Marathon Dress Rehearsal

Workout - Marathon Dress Rehearsal

  • 12min @ 4'20''/km
  • 4 lots of:
    • 15min @ 5'30''/km
    • 5min @ 4'20''/km
  • 12min @ 4'20''/km
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Intro: this video from The Running Channel covers how far you should run when preparing for a marathon. The main takeaways are below. The full video has more.

Key points:

  • Increase long runs gradually with a structured program. Avoid sudden mileage jumps.
  • Aim for a max long-run time of about 3 h 15 min (around 20 mi) rather than going the full 26.2.
  • Do your final long run 3 to 4 weeks before race day, kept under 3 h 15 min to protect recovery.
  • Weave in marathon-pace segments (e.g., 15 to 20 min at goal pace with 5 min easy in between, or alternating 1 km marathon pace / 1 km easy) to develop pacing feel and break up monotony.
  • Use the long run as a full rehearsal for eating, drinking, and wearing the gear you plan to use on race day.

Workout example:

Long run (up to 3 h 15 min, ~20 mi):
- Warm-up easy 10-15 min
- Run 4× (15-20 min at goal marathon pace, 5 min easy jog) OR alternate 1 km marathon pace / 1 km easy for 10-20 km
- Finish with 10-15 min easy cool-down
- Practice fueling (gels, water) and gear as you would on race day

Closing note: try this long-run framework this week. Adapt the paces to your target and set custom intervals in the Pacing app.

References

Inspired by The Running Channel

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