Marathon Myths
Common Training myths that you need to stop believin' ASAP. As a running coach and 18-time marathoner, I've been around the block—literally and figuratively. Along the way, I've encountered nearly every running myth out there, from misguided training advice to race day misconceptions. I've made the mistakes, so you don't have to. In this post, I'm here to debunk those myths and show you how to train for a marathon in a way that not only prepares you for the big day but also ensures you enjoy every mile of the journey. Whether you're a first-time marathoner or a seasoned runner looking to improve, let's clear up the confusion and get you on the path to a successful race day.
1) I need to run a 20 miler (for a marathon) or a 10 miler, or more, (for a half marathon) - WRONG -
Time on feet is most important and considering the time we spend between our weekday runs compared to the time it takes us to do our long run. A long run should not be more than 25-30% of your total training volume. I’d argue that unless you are training 40+ miles a week, you should not do a long run of 20 miles! Most of us should not. I’ll wait for you to get mad at me and argue…. done? Ok learn more here.
2) I need to know all of my workouts between now and race day. - WRONG -
You need to set aside the appropriate amount of time for the demands of your training. Whether you are running 1200's or 400M repeats doesn't matter. Block the time and then fill the time with the workout.
3) If I'm not tired and sore all the time, I'm not training hard enough. - WRONG -
During the early weeks as you get in shape you may be a bit more sore. During your peak week you may feel a little more tired. But generally speaking you should not feel like you got hit by a truck for the entirety of your training.
4) Doing a fasted run will help my body learn how to run when I'm depleted on race day - WRONG -
You do not plan to show up to the race empty handed, why would you need to plan for that? Depriving your body of fuel is only going to prolong your recovery. So that one depleted run could actually be putting your next 2-3 runs at risk too. Very few of us need to practice running underfueled.
5) My Strava pace matters - WRONG -
Ugh Stop doing it for the kudos. In fact, give your friends more Kudos on their long runs at slow paces to encourage that behavior. When doing interval workouts or taking a walk break on your long run - let your watch keep running. It's part of the workout and hiding it isn't going to magically make you faster on race day.
6) Training for a marathon is a great way to lose weight - WRONG -
Circle back to my fasted run comment. When we want to lose weight (body recomposition) we need to be in a calorie deficit. A body training for performance needs calories to perform and to recover. By being under your caloric requirements your body is going to not recover as well and not give you the output of it's highest potential.
7) I should be doing all of my long runs at goal marathon pace - WRONG -
I know what you’re thinking, but how else will I practice my marathon pace if I don’t do it on my long runs. So here’s the deal with marathon training, you run 4-6x per week and should have a day where you are running intervals (a workout or strides!) faster than goal pace. The rest of those miles? Those should be 1-3 minutes slower than goal pace. That’s crazy right? Well it’s crazy enough to work! Why? The principle of marathon training is a concept called cumulative fatigue. Learn more about your long run WHY here.
8) My training should look like my friends training - WRONG -
If you are following the exact same plan as your training partner you will not have the exact same results. We all experience different stress, have different fitness levels and manage training differently. So while I support having a training partner, I warn athletes that training all the time together could results in one person being over trained and the other being undertrained. This often ends in frustration for one party and honestly a not so fun workout session. My advice? Run with your fast friends on speedwork days and be the fast friend on your friends speedwork days (you take it as an easy day). Every run has purpose and intent - talk through your training so you can maximize your efforts!
9) Race day determines how well my training went - WRONG-
Oh so wrong. This could be it’s own blog post. First time marathoners especially - I can promise you - things will go wrong. I would so much rather an athlete finish a race and say “I had more in the tank” vs finishing dragging themselves across the finish line. As you get more experienced with racing you learn more about your pacing and how to manage the stress of the marathon. Most importantly what happens on race day does not determine your worth or your fitness. Some days we just aren’t handed a good deck. The weather could have been shit, you might have had a stressful week at work or travel may have caught up to you. I could go on and on. The time on the clock when you cross the finish line does not take away your training and grit that you put into the day.
10) Still reading? - oh man - you’ll want to read my common mistakes made during marathon training so you can cross the finish line strong! Read more here.
