Long Run Workouts For Marathon Training | FOD Runner - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of Long Run Workouts For Marathon Training 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

Long‑run workouts combine endurance mileage with targeted speed work, building both aerobic capacity and mental toughness.
You can structure a long‑run workout in many ways: easy‑first half then faster second half, a middle‑section tempo block, or repeated “gap” or marathon‑pace intervals.
For beginners, start with 2 mi easy, then add short 30‑second bursts in the third mile to get used to harder effort in the second half.
A common pattern is 30 min easy + 3 × 12 min at half‑marathon pace (or a slightly faster “gap” pace) + jog home to hit about 2 h total.
As you progress, try 3 × 30 min at marathon pace to build speed‑endurance for the marathon.
Keep the workout easy overall; focus on a slight cadence increase (about 4‑6 steps/min) or 10‑20 sec per mile faster than your normal easy pace.

Workout Example

Total Time: ~2 hours
1️⃣ Warm‑up: 30 minutes easy (Zone 2, conversational pace)
2️⃣ Main set: 3 repeats of 12 minutes at a “gap” pace – slightly faster than your half‑marathon pace (aim for ~10‑20 s per mile faster than your easy pace). Keep effort steady; focus on maintaining form on tired legs.
3️⃣ Cool‑down: jog or easy run for the remaining time to finish at ~2 hours total.

If you’re a beginner (≤5 mi total), try:

2 mi easy warm‑up
1 mi of 30‑second fast bursts with 1‑minute easy recovery between each burst
Finish with easy jog back.

Closing Note Give this long‑run workout a try and tweak the paces to match your own training using the Pacing app. You’ll build both endurance and mental toughness for marathon day. Happy running! 🚀