Your MARATHON BLOCK Starts Now - HERE'S WHY

Time flies. Half a year has already passed, and winter—oh no, October is coming. Thanks for the reminder and your consistently outstanding content!
My tip: mileage, mileage and mileage. :)

Build the weekly distance and long run slowly up until where you want the block to ‘start’ . Then include marathon paced long runs to sharp that arrow! 2 Mile reps are your friend!

14 weeks out 🥰 its just running, just one more step^^

Thanks for the reminders and great advice! For those who have already reached their goal frequency/mileage, work on velocity at V02max and LT2. This will make marathon pace feel easier at the start of your marathon block and create a bigger buffer so you can potentially push your marathon pace further. Other than that, mileage (plus cross-training for those prone to injury) is king.

I tend to find its all irrelevant really. All you need to do a 4x4 minutes at 5k pace 5 days before the marathon. Ready to go.

Still worth the watch as just entered Newport marathon last Friday thanks Andy

You read my mind… first video for my sub 3 marathon training block out today after completing my first week of base training - all roads lead to Abingdon Marathon! 😅

OH goshTHANKS Andy, this is great timing... I've really lost my marathon fitness focusing on trail marathons and ultras the last 18months with heaps of EG, but I really really wanna do a great time for a flat road marathon mid-November and I've been thinking I need to start preparing to prepare, including really upping my strength training too yes! I was also thinking that taking advantage of the heat should really help make me stronger too... I remember you telling me a couple of years ago how heat is the poor man's altitude training😂 BUT since then I've seen some research on just how much heat makes us faster!! As for shoes, since I've almost exclusively run trails for a couple of years now, my trusty Alphaflys are still in awesome shape, both my training pair AND my race pair😂

Another reason to do some mileage with racing shoes before a big race is to break them in. For instance, I'll most likely be using the Adios Pro 4 for my marathon early next year. I've raced two 10ks in them and did a very fast workout in them prior to that. I plan to have about 60mi to 70mi prior to the race, but no more than 75mi. I noticed that after my first run in them, I felt a bit of warm spots under the ball of my feet. Very subtle, almost imperceptible, not something that would bug me at all in shorter distance. I don't feel it anymore and I'm planning of adding at least two actual long runs in them before I fully commit to them. I don't foresee that initial minute sensation ever showing up again. However, I've heard of people racing a full marathon in the AP4 just out of the box and having a bad time. I feel that with every shoe, you need to at least break in the surface material inside the shoes before doing a long race in them. 

My plan calls for a structured ~23mi long run that I'm going to treat it as rehearsal, since it calls to actively target goal race pace for a good chunk of it. I have the AP4 reserved for that run. Plan to use it for a HM tune up race exactly a month before the full. Then add another ~20mi runs from the plan and/or a few speed workouts. That way I get to do a good rehearsal, gauge if the shoes are going to work for me in the marathon, break them in, but maintain it within its optimal performance range. Yes it's light strike pro, but because they work so well for me right now, I'm weary of breaking the 100mi mark before or during the marathon. Too perfect so far for me to want to risk changing the foam dynamic.

Thats the secret fod, im always in marathon training mode.

My next marathon is in less than three weeks. I hope the block doesn't start now! Hehe

Mileage is KING, until it isn't. Most people never hit that point where the added mileage starts to provide significant diminishing returns.
Nearly EVERYONE under fuels for the marathon, which makes the 32k fade a forgone conclusion. Having negative split multiple marathon now, fueling is everything on race day.
I could throw in a bunch more from all my HARD earn experience! LOL But my posts are too long as it is, and you've hit a bunch of great ones already Andy.

I need strength training and figure out how to hydrate. I don't like the thought of leaving bottles in the bushes.

Already in for London next year so training starts end of June. Left it too late this year and got injured, hence the deferral to next year. Sound advice from you Andy as always.

I usually try to find a bear when I’m running the trails and piss it off in order to have it chase me. A great way to be motivated to run faster. Works every time…so far.

I did London.. took a week off then went back in with easy miles just 4 miles 5 days per week. Now in Berlin training hitting 60 miles per week, long runs are 16 miles, more tempo runs with two session per week. I’m definitely feeling a bit underwhelmed.. It’s feeling a bit of a chore. Running burnout? Who knows 🤣🤣🤣

9. Get your race weekend logistics sorted. Don't leave it to the last minute to book hotels, car parking etc. The last thing you need is last minute avoidable stress.

This is more of a race day specific tip, but becoming familiar with the route, the topography, so that you know where to be conservative (on the hills!) so that you can be strong when the race really starts at 30km.

Fueling absolutely made a big difference to me and I moved away from gels and onto chews (cliff bloks etc) which just suited my stomach more. On the day no problems from an energy perspective. Also replicated race which was two laps so mentally was prepared for repeating those miles and "counting down" on the second lap. Hardest is thing (as an older runner) is balancing the load and rest. Need to push hard but know when to ease off.

Question: If I do 2 marathons a year, separated by about 6 months, and peak at about 70 miles/week, what weekly mileage should I maintain during the “off” time between training blocks?

Prior preparation prevents poor performance! What would you add to the list?