06/09/2025
Most runners don’t realize this… your long run should never go over 3 hours.
Here’s why 👇
If you’re aiming for a 4-hour marathon, chances are you’ll cover ~20 miles in under 3 hours during training. That’s fine.
But if you’re training for a 6-hour marathon and try to hit 20 miles in one session, that run could take 4–5 hours. And that’s where the problems start:
✅ In the first 3 hours you get the major benefits — aerobic development, tendon & muscle adaptations, endurance gains.
❌ After 3 hours, the benefits plateau and risks skyrocket — fatigue, glycogen depletion, higher injury risk.
The biggest issue? Recovery.
If your long run on Sunday wipes you out, you’ll likely miss quality runs on Monday, Tuesday, maybe even Wednesday. That costs you far more fitness than what you gained slogging through those extra miles.
👉 Marathon success isn’t about forcing a 20-mile run. It’s about:
Consistent long runs week after week (12–16 weeks)
Smart mileage across the week (not just one session)
Mixing in quality workouts
A proper taper into race day
Takeaway: The long run is important — but it’s not the only part of marathon training. Don’t chase 20 miles if it means sacrificing recovery, consistency, and performance. Cap your long runs at ~3 hours and focus on the bigger picture.
But what do you think?
👉let me know your thoughts in the comments.
