Is It OK To Miss A Long Run During Marathon Training?

If you’re following a training plan, getting in those long runs can be a challenge sometimes. If you happen to miss one

there is no need to panic

. It’s ill-advised to skip to the next distance, considering that long runs can jump up by two miles at a time.

How important are long runs in marathon training?

The key aims of the long, steady distance long run are

to increase your ability to burn fat, store more glycogen and to challenge the body and mind to continue running even when fatigued

. From physiology, we know that the body uses fats and carbohydrates while running – the portion of each is determined by the pace.

How much marathon training can you miss?

Generally speaking, if you miss

a week

of training, you can jump back into your plan as long as you were consistent and diligent with your workouts for at least four to six weeks before the break. But if your downtime stretches from 10 days to two weeks (or more), you have to re-evaluate your comeback strategy.

What if I miss a day of marathon training?

Here are the general guidelines I use to return to training after missing running workouts: If you’ve missed 7 days or one week of running,

adjust your training volume by lowering it 10%

. If you’ve missed two weeks of training, lower your training volume by 20%. If you’ve missed 3 weeks, lower it by 30%, etc.

Can you run a marathon without long runs?

You can run a good marathon without logging 20-mile training runs. Most running experts agree that

it’s impossible to run a successful marathon

without completing some long training runs first. … In short, there is no definitive minimum distance that every runner must cover in training before running a marathon.

What is the longest distance to run before a marathon?

The longest run before a marathon usually occurs about 4 weeks before race day, when mileage peaks. This long run should last between 3-3.5 hours, but should be

at least 16 miles in length

, regardless of your running speed.

When should your longest run be before a marathon?

The vast majority of plans recommend running no more than 20 miles in your longest run, and usually suggest doing so

3-4 weeks before race day

.

Is it OK to skip a day of running?

If you skip a run one day, it likely isn’t going to affect you in the long run – but it often leads to a spiral of low motivation. There are many times when you should be okay with a missed run, but make sure to tell yourself that this is only

temporary

.

Is it OK to skip a long run?

If you happen to miss one

there is no need to panic

. It’s ill-advised to skip to the next distance, considering that long runs can jump up by two miles at a time. For example—if you skip a planned 12 mile run, jumping from 10 miles to 14 can be problematic, opening the door for injury.

When should I skip a run?

1. You’re Feeling Sick. “Am I too sick to run” is one of the most common questions in this arena (seriously, it has over two million search results). …
2. Shortness of Breath. …
3. Muscle Pain. …
4. Joints Pain. …
5. Chest Pain. …
6. Faintness & Dizziness. …
7. When You’re Pregnant. …
8. You’re Seriously Injured.

How fast should a long run be?

Using pace as your guide

Your optimal long run pace is

between 55 and 75 percent of your 5k pace

, with the average pace being about 65 percent. From research, we also know that running faster than 75% of your 5k pace on your long run doesn’t provide a lot of additional physiological benefit.

What is the longest run in marathon training?

This is where your goal time comes into play: If the average marathon finisher runs a 10-minute mile, their longest run should be

21 miles

. Someone racing 8-minute miles could literally finish a marathon in 3.5 hours. Honerkamp recommends PR-chasers cap their long runs at 20 to 22 miles.

How hard is a 4 hour marathon?

A 4:00 hour marathon is

approximately 9:00 per mile

. To break 4:00, you should eventually be capable of a sub-1:50 half-marathon (8:20 per mile) and sub-50:00 10K (8:00 per mile). Right now, you should be running at least 20 miles per week, and be able to run for an hour non-stop.

Should I make up a missed run?

If you do miss a run,

don’t try to make up for it

. Instead of increasing your mileage on your next run, just do the planned mileage at the pace you intended. The purpose of a missed run is to let your body recover, so don’t try to overexert your body on your next run.

Should I feel guilty for not running?

Exercise guilt

is a real thing, but you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a workout. … When this happens, many runners may experience exercise guilt, but they shouldn’t. It’s OK to miss a run every now and then. Forget about it, don’t stress and shift your focus to your next training session.

Is it OK not to run?

Stress fractures, torn muscles, tendons and ligaments or chronic pain are all clear conditions that require time off running. A general rule is that anything that

causes you to alter your gait or running form is probably significant enough to warrant stopping

.