In the ‘YES’ corner
Andrew Lemoncello is an international marathoner runner and steeplechaser, who’s represented Team GB in the Olympics and finished eighth in the 2010 London Marathon. He also works as a running coach at mcmillanrunning.com
What are the benefits of running more than 20 miles in training?
It allows your body and mind get used to the time that you’re going to spend out on the roads. I find these runs vital for athletes because, without them, they will get scared of the marathon distance. If you run these at an easy pace, your body learns to burn fat, the fuel you predominantly use in the marathon. And if you run part of the long run fast – like doing the last half at marathon pace – your legs and body get used to running at marathon pace when you are tired. This allows you to learn to run fast at the end of the race when most athletes are fading.
Is there ever a case for running the full 26.2 miles in training?
If the athlete is strong enough, it’s not a bad idea. I wouldn’t recommend a five-hour marathon runner to do it as they will be out running for a long time, which will be very hard to recover from. The faster a runner you are, the more likely I will prescribe a run as long as the full marathon distance. I know for me it helped my head a lot by going out for a long time and covering marathon distance or more.
What is likely to happen to marathon hopefuls who don’t do enough long runs?
The long run is one of the most important, if not the most important, run during marathon training. If you don’t do enough of them then, you may end up fading badly towards the end of the race. If it’s the case where athletes have missed a few long runs, I’ll have them scale back the pace for the first half of the race so we can reduce the risk of slowing towards the end.
Is there ever an argument for doing fewer long runs in training?
Endurance training isn’t one size fits all. If someone has been injury prone for a while, you may not want to risk inserting more long runs and, instead, have them cross train a little more. My coach, Greg McMillan, always says you never want to be the fittest spectator. If scaling back the long runs means you can get to the start line fresh and healthy, that is something you should think about.
In the ‘NO’ corner
Jeff Ford is an endurance expert at Conviction Training. He ran a time of 2:51:49 at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, running no more than 18 miles a week in training. He says it’s quality, not quantity, that counts convictiontraining.com
In your opinion, is it necessary to include a run of more than 20+ miles in training for a marathon?
In my opinion, you should only go more than 20 miles if your purpose is to test mental strength, your race day nutrition, or if you meet elite-level criteria. Aerobic benefits can be made in other ways as long as you set up your training appropriately. I’ve had runners qualify for Boston [running a sub-3:05 marathon] with their longest run only being a speedy 15 miles.
Aren’t you likely to fade away in the latter stages of a marathon if you haven’t put in high mileage in training?
Says who? After the 10K distance, the issue is not a runner’s aerobic capacity. Not fading comes down to an athlete’s ability to pace, execute their nutrition plan and their durability. Training mileage can be replaced with strategically planned strength work and high-intensity interval sessions. Most runners tend to fade away late in a race because their running technique breaks down and their legs are not strong enough to turnover at the same rate at which they started.
How else can runners prepare for the challenges of the marathon besides logging loads of miles?
Runners should hone their technique, get stronger and develop mental toughness by varying workouts. Running technique is something that is rarely talked about. Yet, contrary to popular belief, there is a standard of what constitutes good technique. I would recommend getting a video analysis from a seasoned coach and working on your form for six to eight weeks before starting any marathon programme. Also, most runners don’t bother with strength training and therefore fail to train muscle fibers that directly improve efficient oxygen use and the ability to sustain higher work rates. At minimum you should start lifting weights once or twice a week. Finally, prepare for your next marathon by making your long runs more challenging (i.e. faster). You’ll not only be well prepared, but get to the finish line quicker.
