Question about base building before Marathon training
pondee629
Posts: 2,469 Member
How many miles a month should someone be running before seriously starting a Marathon training program? For how long should that someone be running those miles? Does it really make a difference, or can someone just start with a training program? I've started to train for a marathon in October of next year (2020). Last month (August) I did 61 miles and am on a pace to do 53 this month (September 19). Thanks all
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you've got time, but I'd say that for a marathon training program, you want to be up to like 30 miles a week, minimum, before starting.1
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Most typical marathon training programs are 16-18 weeks long, including your taper. My advice would be to find a plan you like and start it the appropriate number of weeks before your race. Things to look for when choosing a plan include:
- How many days per week you want to run- Plans can range anywhere from 3-7 days per week depending on the level of difficulty. Most novice plans will be 3 or 4 runs per week and may also include a day of cross training. I would suggest at least two rest days per week.
- What types of runs you want to do- There are many different schools of thought on what is the best way to train for a marathon. Some plans center around running as many slow and easy miles as possible and some prefer to cut back on the mileage a bit in favor of quality level runs like tempo runs and short intervals. Most plans will have a max long distance run of 20 miles, but some (Hanson is one) do not believe this high of mileage is needed in training and opt for more back to back longer runs (for example 10 miles then 16 the next day). The theory here is to simulate the fatigue factor of a marathon without the wear and tear of a 20 mile run. I would suggest taking a look at several different novice plans and deciding which one best fits your preference with consideration to time, ability and recovery.
- Level of difficulty- Obviously if you are a first time marathoner, you probably want to start with a novice plan. I would look at the total weekly mileage of each plan and choose one that is going to fit your schedule as well as your style of running. Some people opt for plans like the Galloway plan that calls for running for four minutes then walking for one. Again, it's all up to personal preference and how you like to run. I will say that Hal Higdon's plans are very popular for first time marathoners.
Ok, now with all of that said, back to your original question. You have done the really smart thing by giving yourself plenty of time to train for your race. There is no benefit in starting a training program this far in advance. What you want to focus on now is your base building. You are off to a good start. I would suggest slowly adding mileage at a rate of 10% or less per week. One run per week should be longer than the others. The biggest benefit is going to come by adding distance to your long run. Most people will add one mile or even a half mile per week. Every 3-4 weeks, take a cut back to allow for recovery. This is important! Enjoy those weeks for what they are. This is where you will see your biggest jump in improvement and it will definitely help to avoid burnout.
There is no set rule on how many miles per week or month you should be running before starting a formal program other than the obvious that you should be capable of running the distances assigned in the first week of the plan. In fact, you may find that the plan you choose starts off with far lower mileage than what you are used to running. This is okay. You can either enjoy the lightened load or add a few extra miles to the assignments until you get to a point where the plan catches up to you. For now, focus on building mileage slowly and avoiding injury. If you feel like you are progressing too fast, slow it down. You have plenty of time to get there. Better to take it slow than to wind up injured. Hope this helps.3
