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Sep 2016
9:36pm, 5 Sep 2016
112 posts
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fonch
Hi I wonder if anyone can help me. I'm doing my first marathon next year and it's a trail one(pretty hilly too). I'd like to know about my longest run. Should I measure it in time or distance? Also what time or distance should it be? Thank you
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Sep 2016
10:10pm, 5 Sep 2016
29,897 posts
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NoFleecingAround
I'm no expert but I'm doing Beachy in October and we are running our longest training run of 20 miles. I think it will take a gazillion years to do that, but we're aiming to run-walk the race and walk most of the hills. I'm only doing it cos I was promised a picnic  I think the most important bit is to train on similar terrain as much as you can, which applies to all races really but especially to hilly ones!
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Sep 2016
4:25pm, 6 Sep 2016
113 posts
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fonch
Thank you. Planning to do all long runs off road. Just worried a 20 miler will take me too like my to recover from.
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Sep 2016
4:41pm, 6 Sep 2016
369 posts
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Daz Love
A solid marthon training programme would always include at least one 20 miler in training. The last one would typically be at least 4 weeks before the race.
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Sep 2016
6:20pm, 6 Sep 2016
114 posts
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fonch
The thing is it's a trail marathon and coastal Devon hills too. If I did a 20 miler it would take me at least 5 hours if I ran it on the same type of terrain.
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Sep 2016
8:16pm, 7 Sep 2016
370 posts
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Daz Love
How long do you expect the actual marathon to take? Granted 5 hours is a long time to be out for a training run however it's all relative to the actual event. I run 2 and half hours on a training run for a 3:10 marathon.
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Sep 2016
8:23pm, 7 Sep 2016
21,755 posts
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Derby Tup
Maybe consider back to back outings at weekends. Longish run one day, hilly brisk walk next. I'd want a minimum of say 3 x 18 mile runs before your marathon. Good luck 
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Sep 2016
12:43pm, 8 Sep 2016
115 posts
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fonch
Thank you for all your advice.😀
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Sep 2016
8:16pm, 8 Sep 2016
17 posts
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zolluppepe
I'd just forget all about distance, personally. Trying to meet mileage targets that take no account of the amount of up and down in a route will just leave you exhausted or, worse, injured. Better to limit the duration of your long runs: I'd build up to around 3.5/4 hours at 'race pace', running flats and downs and walking the ups, perhaps. I also like Derby Tups idea of back-to-back outings, long run one day and walk the next.
Of course, on race day, you may well be out for significantly longer than that 3.5/4 hours - something you need to be prepared for mentally. Good luck
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