The foundation of any successful marathon build is mileage, and many experts recommend hitting a minimum of 30 miles during peak week of training. That number gives you enough room to log easy runs, long runs, and adapt to a higher volume of running—not to mention it’ll prepare you for 26.2 miles on race day.
But many runners fall short of reaching 30 miles a week in training.
“It happens more than we’d like to see as coaches,” says Jeff Gaudette, owner and head coach at RunnersConnect. “I would probably say 30 to 40 percent of runners that target that mileage requirement aren’t able to get there.”
It’s newer marathoners who most often fail to hit their minimums in marathon training, Gaudette adds. “The biggest thing is [runners] don’t necessarily realize what it’s going to take from a time perspective. There’s just so many things that they don’t factor in, whether it be family, time, or the wear on their body, so they think they’re going to be able to get to that 30-mile-a-week range, and then they’re not really able to,” says Gaudette.
Roberto Mandje, former Olympic middle-distance runner and New York City-based coach, agrees: “I think more often than not, runners don’t hit the exact number they’re going for. But if you can train well and recover well, you’re going to absorb the training and you’re going to be better for it.”
When you realize you’re coming in below your mileage target, it’s not a time to cram in extra runs. “It’s not going to lead to a good result, and it’s just going to add extra stress,” says Mandje.
Instead of playing catch-up, turn to these smart training tactics, backed by our coaches and designed to help you reach the start (and finish!) of your marathon feeling strong and proud.
1. Split Up Your Long Runs
Oftentimes, runners who fall behind in mileage during marathon training wind up tacking on extra to the end of long runs, but you want to steer clear of this. “That’s the recipe for disaster because we don’t want to really overdo it in the long run,” says Janelle Brade, UESCA-certified run coach and owner of Motivated in Motion. Instead, focus on adding quality to your runs when quantity falls short.
If you’ve fallen behind in weekly mileage and/or you haven’t built up to the suggested long run mileage, try bunching or splitting up your long runs to add in that quality and avoid hitting one big effort that you’re not ready to tackle.
For example, Brade recommends splitting a three- to 3.5-hour peak long run into two parts: the first run is about fatiguing the legs with some distance, the second is slightly shorter and adds marathon pace for intensity.
More specifically, for experienced runners, this would look like:
- Day 1: 2 hours easy running
- Day 2: 90 minutes of running that includes 3 x 1K at marathon pace with 2 to 3 minutes easy jog between, and 10 to 15 minutes of easy running to cool down.
For newer marathoners, this would look like:
- Day 1: 90 minutes easy running
- Day 2: 90 minutes easy with 10 to 15 minutes at race pace about 30 to 45 minutes into the run, followed by more easy miles
As long as you prioritize fueling and recovery that weekend, you can develop gains without running so long in one go.
2. Add a Few Minutes to Midweek Runs
Missing mileage can also come from skipping easy runs. Though you might feel tempted to fill those holes in your training plan all in one run, sprinkling some extra minutes onto the runs you do get done throughout the week can help you build back volume in a safe way, Brade suggests.
“Increase your midweek runs by about five to 10 minutes,” like taking your Wednesday easy run from 40 minutes to 45 or 50, she says. This often comes in handy for athletes who were away on long vacations or work trips who didn’t have the time to log all their miles.
This allows you to accumulate miles in a less demanding way and without adding an extra day of running to your plate.
Another option: Add cross-training to midweek easy runs to reduce risk of injury from the high impact of time on feet, Brade suggests. Try adding a 10- to 20-minute bike ride onto the end of your 30- to 40-minute run to sneak more aerobic work into your schedule.
3. Shorten Your Taper
The further out you are from your marathon race day, the more forgiving it is to miss mileage and come back from it, Mandje says.
If you have a month or two before race day, you have more time to restructure your training, consult a run coach, or opt for a different training plan. But with less time, you might want to consider cutting your typical three-week taper phase down to 10 to 14 days instead to gain more time on foot without major issues, Mandje explains. This means one more quality long run, speed workout, and another week of higher mileage to prepare you for 26.2.
For example, instead of lowering volume in week 14 of a 16-week plan, you’ll clock a similar number of miles to peak week (with race pace miles included), then lean hard into the taper for the two weeks leading up to race day.
“The important thing with that, though, is that we cannot cram for a marathon; the body needs the time to build the adaptations, and allow tendons to strengthen,” Brade adds. “Without that time, it’s just not going to happen,” so you should still protect at least 10 to 14 days before your marathon to recover and taper so you still feel fresh when you hit the starting line.
How to Reframe Your Mindset With Missed Mileage
Spiraling about how much mileage you might’ve missed in marathon training can sometimes cause more damage than the actual runs you missed, says Mandje. “The anxious mindset is going to cause [runners] to want to cram, and then they get hurt, and then that causes more anxiety around what’s happening,” he says.
It’s important to remind yourself of where you’re at and how you can adapt to where you want to be, while staying realistic, Mandje explains. “If you’re two weeks out and you’ve only run a 10K, you’re probably not going to run a marathon in two weeks, but a couple broken weeks of training, or some reduced mileage isn’t going to break your training,” he says.
If you haven’t hit the 30-mile-a-week mark during training or you don’t feel like you’re going to, Mandje recommends focusing on what you have accomplished, and what you’re realistically capable of doing before the race.
For example, you’ve likely clocked weeks (or months) of consistent running, and a gradual increase in your long runs over time. “If you could focus on the core tenets of training for a marathon, which is easy runs or zone 2 running, and really focus on that long run, you’ll be better prepared for the marathon distance,” Mandje says.
If you need to update your goal, Mandje says runners often alter their time goal or wind up treating race day like a practice race or a glorified long run, instead of delaying or wasting their bib—and that’s a perfectly smart strategy. Not every marathon has to be about a PR!
What matters most is reflecting on your consistency. “If that means you can only run three days a week, stick to three days a week,” Mandje says. “Be confident in your decision to run that, and that’s going to help you on race day.”
Kristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.