Lewis and Sara became marathoners overcoming many setbacks.
Lewis and Sara, a married couple, contacted Foultips Running after falling short in previous marathon attempts. As back-of-the-packers, they missed the finish line cutoff in two prior attempts. Yet, those setbacks became fuel to conquer their goals.
Knowing they’d spend hours on their feet, we built a solid aerobic base so they could consistently run at least four times a week, including back-to-back long runs on weekends. These long runs were key, as a 15–20 miler would demand too much physically to be beneficial. They both worked diligently and were ready for race day. And then the obstacle course began.
Race-day weather in Miami was expected to be brutal, far from idyllic for back-of-the-packers. So, we opted for a half-marathon. They next registered for the Tobacco Trail Marathon in North Carolina, six weeks later, hoping for better weather. However, the day before, a storm forecast led organizers to shorten the time limit, beyond what they could have achieved. Undeterred, they immediately registered for the Newport Marathon in Oregon, 11 weeks later. This time, they crossed the finish line together and finally became marathoners.
Nothing is guaranteed in marathon training. For some, the path is long and even more challenging. But Lew and Sara persevered in their goal, put in the work back-to-back-to-back, and made it happen. As a coach, you can’t ask for more than that.
As long-distance runners, we focus on the long-distance run. Obvious. For marathoners, that 20-miler has been a staple our training for decades. The psychological advantage of having achieved that distance starting with a 2 instead of a 1, when you are about to run 26.2, cannot be overstated.
The benefit of that 20-mile run lies in the time it will take you to complete it (Image by ChatGPT)
Yet, there is no magic to be gained at 20 miles. If you train in kilometers, 20 miles is 32.18 Km, far from a round or memorable number. The “magic marker” for those who train in kilometers is 30, for the same psychological reason. This is equivalent to 18.64 miles. Nothing special to that figure either.
But, is there a physiological benefit from running a 20-miler or 30 kilometers, or two or three of them before your marathon? Does it apply to all marathoners? What does science say about this? How does all this apply to you and your training for your next marathon?
Let’s get into it.
While the confidence boost of having a 20 or 22 mile run under your soles is undeniable, its benefits are proven to diminish the longer you are on your feet. The elite Kenyans can cover the distance between less than two hours. The 3-hour runner can do it in 2:30-ish at an easier pace. But the 4-hour marathoner may take 3:45 at an easy pace. You can see the progression.
According to scientific studies: “after running 3 hours the aerobic benefits (capillary building, mitochondrial development) aren’t markedly better than when you run two hours.” This means that a 3-hour run will provide as much aerobic benefit as a 2-hour run. So you will accumulate additional fatigue and need a longer recovery before resuming your normal training.
I’ve read about coaches that do not prescribe 20-mile runs for anyone looking to run over 3:45 in the marathon. Others say 3:30 or even less. Remember that coaching is the intersection between art and science. An art based on science, not a science per se, so trial and error are part of the deal.
In my professional experience, runners that will run their marathons on the slower side than 3:30ish, will benefit from back-to-back runs that will allow accumulated fatigue to do its thing without breaking down the body too much. A long run today followed by a “longish” run tomorrow, where you accumulate from 18-22 miles in a weekend, produces better results than plowing through that mileage in one push.
You can achieve more with less time on your feel and more time to recover (Photo Pexels)
This is not to say that for certain runners, at a certain level of fitness, with a certain goals and with enough time to recover, may not benefit from a 20-miler. And I am not discounting the psychological benefit either. What I am stating is that the 20+ miler is not the key to achieve your marathon goals if you are not on the faster side.
Coach Jeff Gaudette, from Runners’ Connect, wrote recently that one of the two primary reasons why runners get injured is “orogressing their training volume and running speeds at a pace that their body is not ready to handle. Or, as coach Jay Johnson would technically define it, ‘metabolic fitness precedes structural readiness’”.
Before you ask, the other reason is structural imbalances and/or bio-mechanical issues.
Coach John Davis, a PhD in biomechanics at Indiana University’s School of Public Health, provides the following recommendations when it comes to the long run in a marathon training cycle.
Don’t overemphasize the long run, especially when training for the marathon. Not only do aerobic benefits flat line after 2 hours of running, but as this research shows, injury risk increases significantly.
Think prehab rather than rehab. Work on strengthening known or potential weak areas in your running mechanics.
Fix flaws in your running form that become exacerbated during long runs. Improving posture, learning to generate proper hip extension, and fixing overstriding can help prevent many potential injury issues.
In conclusion:
The long run continues to be an essential element of the marathon training. There’s no way around it. But contrary to what has been drilled to us for so many years, the qualifying aspect of the long run is time, not necessarily mileage. It is not the longer the merrier. It is the longer you can run without hindering your recovery, the merrier.
Before I answer the question in the title, I want to answer something else: Is this a self-serving post? Yes. It is. I am a running coach. You are looking for one and have questions about how this works and whether it’s a good fit for you. I am here to provide you with answers. So, here we go.
If you Google “running coach,” as I just did, you will get over 300 million results. If you Google “marathon training plans,” the number is severely reduced to just 150 million. How are you supposed to sort through that? How will you find the right plan or coach that is a good fit for you?
A runner I coach told me once that a buddy of his stated that a running coach was a waste of money because you can download a free marathon plan from the internet. My client responded by saying: “It is more complicated than that. You need to know what you’re doing, and you must read about 40 books. My coach has the experience and has read them all. I don’t have time for that.”
According to a data study by RunnersConnect, runners with custom plans ran 10% faster. They were injured 36% less than those using basic, generic plans. If that wasn’t enough, they also achieved their goal 54% of the time, compared to 29% with stock programs.
It is essential to know that unless you live in your coach’s city or are part of their running groups, you will see very little of your coach in person, and you may never meet them. This is normal. The only coaches present at every one of their athletes’ sessions are either high school or college coaches or elite coaches. If you are searching for an online coach, most likely you don’t fit that description and your goals are different.
So, what are the advantages of hiring Foultips.Run as your running coach:
► Experience and Knowledge: I’m the head coach at Foultips.run with over 40 years of running under my belt. I hold an RRCA Level II certification, have completed over 150 races ranging from 5Ks to marathons, and I stay current on the latest scientific and physiological insights in the sport. To learn more about my background, click here. The coaches I work with are handpicked; each one personally vetted and backed by proven expertise.
► Individualized Plans: Downloadable programs are dime a dozen. Some free, some paid. Those programs, you must understand, are generic and do not consider neither your starting point nor your specific running goals. They apply equally to the Olympic swimmer transitioning to marathon training to the overweight middle-aged want-to-be runner just getting off the couch after 15 years. Additionally, they are not flexible and usually lack cross-training. Additionally, you won’t have access to the person who wrote it should a personalized adjustment be needed.
► Access to your coach: I cannot speak for other coaches, but with Foultips.run, your coach is a phone call or text message away. We pride ourselves on not just telling the runner what to do but educating them on why we recommend a specific workout or an extra day off. Access to your coach is the primary reason you chose an online coach over a downloadable static program.
► Tech platform: Foultips.run works with the FinalSurge software, which is included in the athlete’s monthly fee. This platform syncs with multiple fitness watches, allowing the coach to provide feedback based on all the performance parameters your watch records. This makes adjustments to optimize progress a common occurrence.
► Guidance: An athlete wishing to run needs a different level of guidance than an experienced runner pursuing another PR or returning after a hiatus. Your running coach has the necessary experience to understand the different stages of your journey, so you can be guided accordingly with the correct feedback and resources to navigate your process.
► Flexibility & Customization: You are not a professional athlete, and life will eventually get in the way. Maintaining a life/run balance is paramount, so sometimes runs need to be adjusted or shuffled. Sometimes it all needs to be scrapped and go back to the start
► Motivation, not cheerleading: While keeping the athletes motivated is vital, especially during the inevitable downturns of a running cycle, your running coach is not a cheerleader. They will guide you through thick and thin but will not sugarcoat it if you have screwed up. It is never a failure if you get a valuable lesson from it.
► To read what athletes have to say about their experience training with Foultips.run, click here.
► To read success stories about athletes who achieved their goals with our guidance, click here.
► To read our Google reviews, or with to leave one, click here.
Ready to get started with your online running coach? Leave a message below or send a message by clicking the WhatsApp logo icon at the bottom right of your screen.
It took me a while to understand it, but with maturity, I finally did. Training consists of two separate and different elements: Work and recovery. They are equally important, and they complement each other. Their symbiosis confirms the Aristotelian saying that the whole is more than the sum of the parts.
Recently, I heard that the second element is labeled as The Invisible Training.
It got me thinking about a classic Emil Zatopek quote where he states: “What you do when the stadium is full is important, but what you do when the stadium is empty is a thousand times more important.”
For us amateur weekend warriors, a standing ovation at an Olympic stadium is no more than a pleasant dream. Yet, well into the XXI Century, each one of us has the equivalent of our own Olympic stadium, and we have become addicted to that standing ovation of kudos Strava, followers on Facebook, and likes on Instagram. These may be cool for many, but they won’t get you any better.
As Zatopek (a 4-time Olympic gold medalist and multi-world record breaker) said, that is not the key to success. It is what we do outside the limelight that counts. A thousand times more.
► It is the strength training that will help you get stronger, more resilient, have a better form, and make you injury resistant.
► it is the physical therapy you do to take care of your bones, muscles, and soft tissues. Not just face-to-face with a professional, but as a prehab to avoid a recurring injury.
► It is your daily nutrition that allows your body enough of the good stuff to repair itself and be appropriately fueled for your activity.
► It is the hydration throughout the day that will allow you to sustain a hard run even in the harshest of weather conditions.
► It is the scheduled recovery for your body to adapt to the stress we have put it through and accepting that sometimes it will require more time.
► It is understanding that sleep is the champion of recovery tools in your arsenal and that lack of sleep is not a badge of honor.
► It is accumulating knowledge about the sport and the function of your body, which will allow you to understand what’s happening and why.
► It is the evaluation of your training, especially when you have bonked or screwed up, and accepting it as an opportunity to learn and build experience.
► It is living a balanced life, one where your job, your family, and your friends won’t be neglected, and end up resenting you and your running.
► It is allowing yourself to have fun outside your running life. Keeping it all in perspective and always remembering why you are doing this.
These are just ten of hundreds of parameters of what is encompassed within the realm of invisible training.
In summary, everything you do while you are not running is equally essential to the running time.
Yes, it all sounds intuitive, simple, even obvious. But we’ve all fallen into the trap of only accepting hard work as worthwhile training. And to many, an injury has taught us how wrong we were. My wish is that this brief writing will help avoid the injury part for you, dear reader.
Share your thoughts in the box below so other runners may benefit from your experience.
No sugar coating it: Running in the heat and humidity of the summer sucks. It does. However, if we want to remain active during these challenging summer months of running and have any chance of having a solid racing season come fall, we must continue training. And to make hot weather running enjoyable and safe, the only way is by making substantial adjustments.
I’ve shared summer running tips every year since I began blogging, but this time I decided to do something different. I have gone through my previous writings on the issue and consolidated the tips. These, plus a handful of new ones I’ve added, bring the final count of summer running tips to 39.
To be clear, nobody expects you to apply all 39 of these hot weather running tips on every run. These are just guidelines and suggestions with very short explanations to get your thoughts started. I have included links to posts where I have explored the issues in more depth. And if you’re looking for more background or science behind these summer running safety tips, a quick Google search will point you in the right direction.
So, without further ado, here they are:
1 – Listen to your body – If you feel dizzy, nauseated, or overheated, don’t hesitate to stop, cut the run short, seek shade, ask for help, or just call it a day.
2 – Recognize heat stroke symptoms – Know the difference between exhaustion and heat stroke and familiarize yourself with warning signs like confusion, rapid pulse, or clammy skin.
3 – Hydrate all day – Hydration should be a 24/7 habit that keeps you close to fully hydrated by the time you start your GPS watch.
4 –Don’t overhydrate– Overindulging in water or sports drinks can cause hyponatremia, a condition in which diluted sodium levels may lead to seizures, coma, or worse.
5 – Use electrolytes– Supplementing with sodium, potassium, and magnesium helps your body retain and use the fluids you’re drinking more effectively.
6 – Run early or late – Run before sunrise or after sunset to avoid the most extreme heat and protect your body from overexertion.
7 – Monitor the heat index– Skip your outdoor workout if it’s over 98°F with more than 70–80% humidity, as your risk of overheating skyrockets.
8 – Slow down your pace – Running in the heat is harder, so let go of your pace goals and focus on effort instead of speed.
9 – Accept higher perceived effort – A rise in core temperature, not lactate or heart rate, becomes the main fatigue limiter in hot conditions.
10 – Use effort and time, not pace – In summer, pace and heart rate can be unreliable, so go by effort and run by minutes instead of distance.
11 – Recognize the signs of dehydration – Watch for fatigue, brain fog, darker urine, dizziness, or a dry mouth—these may all signal fluid imbalance.
12 – Prehydrate before long runs – Do not cram your hydration; it doesn’t work that way. Hydrate throughout the day and days, not just before your run.
13 – Rehydrate after running – After a sweaty session, replace fluids with water or an electrolyte drink. Not only as soon as you’re done but throughout the day.
14 – Dress light and bright – Light-colored, loose, and moisture-wicking clothing helps reflect sunlight and allow sweat to evaporate more easily.
15 – Train in the shade – Routes with trees or buildings that block direct sun can be 10–15°F cooler and far more comfortable, and safer.
16 – Freeze your gear – Put your shirt and hat in the freezer before a run to delay overheating and make the first few miles more tolerable.
17 – Take short breaks – Stop for 1–3 minutes during a hot run to drink, throw water on your head, or reset your effort perception.
18 – Use water for recovery – Jumping into a pool, cold bath, or even running through sprinklers post-run can drop your core temp and revive you.
19 – Know where the water is – If you don’t know where the reliable water sources are, run with a handheld bottle or hydration pack.
20 – Run indoors if needed – If conditions are extreme, choose a treadmill or indoor track to get your miles without the heat risk.
21 – Build heat tolerance gradually – It takes a few weeks to acclimate, so ease into hot-weather running instead of diving into hard efforts.
22 – Move workouts around when necessary – Move long or intense workouts to cooler days and use weather apps to plan smarter each week.
23 – Use a heart rate monitor – Heat elevates heart rate, so monitor it to avoid overexertion while running.
24 – Expect it to suck – The first few weeks of heat running will feel awful, but your body will adjust and it will suck less. Proceed with caution.
25 – Adjust your training plan – In very hot climates, push harder workouts like long tempos to the fall and focus on base-building instead.
26 – Exploit cooler days – When temperatures drop, use the opportunity for a strong tempo or threshold session to boost confidence.
27 – Don’t obsess over metrics – During summer training, forget about pace, Strava comparisons, or even distance—survival and consistency are the priority.
28 – Take advantage of trails – Shaded trails provide natural cooling, softer surfaces, and often more enjoyable running when it’s hot out.
29 – Eat hydrating foods – Boost your fluid intake by eating fruits and veggies like watermelon, cucumber, and oranges, which are 80–90% water.
30 – Beware of diuretics – Limit high doses of caffeine or alcohol around runs, as they increase urination and risk of dehydration.
Learn how to gauge your level of exhaustion (Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko, Pexels)
31 – Set hydration reminders – Pair water intake with daily habits like brushing your teeth, meals, or use phone alerts to stay on track.
32 – Sip, don’t guzzle – Drink water steadily throughout the day and during your run to avoid bloating and improve absorption.
33 – Internalize year-round hydration strategies – Treat hydration like a year-round discipline, not just something to focus on when it’s hot.
34 – Know your sweat rate – If you’re a heavy sweater, you may need more fluids and sodium than the average runner.
35 – Pair hydration with daily habits – Combine drinking water with routines like meals, workouts, or bedtime to form easy-to-remember habits.
36 – Double instead of going long – On non-long run days, two shorter sessions may be safer than a longer push under the brutal heat. Consider it if needed.
37 – Use treadmill for quality work – Use a treadmill to maintain pace accuracy or intensity when outdoor heat makes it unsafe.
38 – Keep someone informed – Always tell a friend or loved one your planned route and expected return time, or use live tracking apps.
39 – Know the line between tough and dumb – Being smart and cautious during summer training keeps you healthy and able to run tomorrow.
Did I miss anything, or would you like to contribute to the list? Please do so in the comment box below.
