My Long Run Seems too Short for Marathon Training?

It’s common to think you must run 20 miles (or more) in training to be ready for a marathon. While long runs can boost confidence, from a training and injury-prevention perspective, longer isn’t always better.

Your plan is designed to build endurance safely and progressively, helping you arrive at race day strong, healthy, and well-prepared.

Time on Feet Matters More Than Distance

For marathon training, total time spent running is more important than hitting a specific mileage number.

• Running for too long in training (e.g., over 3 hours) significantly increases fatigue and injury risk

• Your plan balances fitness gains with recovery so you can train consistently

Why Long Runs Are Capped

Aerobic Fitness

• Most aerobic benefits occur within 60–90 minutes

• A well-structured 2-hour run can provide similar aerobic gains to a much longer run

Injury Risk

• Running beyond 2.5 hours increases injury risk as fatigue sets in

• Form breakdown and muscle weakness raise the chance of overuse injuries

Recovery

• Very long runs take longer to recover from

• This can reduce the quality of key workouts like:

  • Marathon-pace runs

  • Tempo sessions

  • Speed work

These sessions are crucial for race-day performance.

Nutrition Practice Is Just as Important

Long runs aren’t only about duration—they’re also your chance to:

• Practice race-day fueling

• Train your gut to tolerate higher carbohydrate intake

• Improve endurance and maintain pace late in the race

Trust the Process

It’s normal to wonder, “If I’ve only run 17 miles, how will I manage 26.2?”

For marathon (and IRONMAN) training, there’s a limit to how much distance you can safely do in training before it becomes counterproductive. Success comes from:

• Smart pacing

• Effective fueling

• Consistent, structured training

Stick with the plan—you’re building exactly what you need to perform on race day.

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