Q: Can I run a marathon without doing long runs (like 20-milers)?
Absolutely.
If your goal is simply to finish, not crush a personal best, you can pull it off without ever running the classic 18- to 20-miler. I’ve coached runners who did it — one of them only hit 13 miles in training and still crossed the finish line.
But let’s be real: skipping long runs comes with trade-offs.
You’ll need to double down on consistency — rack up weekly mileage, stack back-to-back medium runs, and simulate race fatigue through other methods like tempo workouts and cross-training.
Long runs teach your body how to handle hours on your feet, so if you’re skipping them, you better make those alternatives count. At the very least, aim to get in a few runs around 13–16 miles to build confidence and durability.
What about you? What’s the longest run you’ve done so far?
Q: What’s the shortest long run I can get away with?
Honestly? The bare minimum most coaches (myself included) are cool with is around 13–16 miles. Research shows benefits kick in around that 13-mile mark — especially for building endurance.
Programs like Hansons cap long runs at 16 miles, and plenty of runners have nailed their marathons off that. But here’s the thing: if you’re slower and 13 miles takes over 3 hours, it’s smarter to think in terms of time, not distance. A 2.5 to 3-hour run is generally enough. Anything longer? You’re more likely to get injured than gain fitness. So if you’re asking what you can “get away with,” the answer is: enough to train your body — without breaking it.
Real talk: What’s your comfort zone for long runs? Could you push that boundary safely this season?
Q: How can I train for a marathon when I don’t have much time?
Simple — train smart.
When time is tight, go for frequency over distance. Running four to five days a week, even if the runs are shorter, can build a solid base. Mix in tempo runs or intervals to squeeze out more gains from less time. And use weekends wisely — a 10-mile Saturday and 6-mile Sunday adds up!
Don’t forget cross-training. A bike ride or swim can add cardio without pounding your legs. And always leave room for recovery — rest is training too.
A study showed that even runners doing only 3 runs a week, averaging 25 miles total, made solid progress, as long as they were consistent.
Busy runners, how many days a week can you realistically train? Let’s build from there.
Q: How do I avoid injury while training for a marathon?
Stay on top of the basics:
- Don’t make the long run your monster run. Keep it under 30% of your total weekly mileage.
- Add mileage gradually. Follow the 10% rule and build in easy weeks.
- Strength train. Build glutes, core, and quads — strong muscles absorb stress.
- One full day off per week. Sleep. Eat well. Hydrate.
- Listen to pain. Persistent discomfort = back off. Better to skip a run than lose a month.
And here’s a tip from someone who learned the hard way: Just because the plan says “20 miles” doesn’t mean you have to do 20. You’re the boss of your body.
Have you ever pushed through pain and regretted it? What will you do differently this time?
Q: Will I “hit the wall” if I skip long runs?
You might. That mile-20 crash — the infamous “wall” — often shows up when glycogen runs out and your body panics. Long runs train your system to manage fuel better and handle the grind.
But even without traditional long runs, you can prepare for it. Practice fueling on runs longer than 90 minutes.
On race day, eat early and often. Pace wisely. Start too fast and you’ll hit the wall no matter how many long runs you did.
The wall isn’t just about energy — it’s about unfamiliar territory. If your longest run was 14 miles, mile 15 and beyond will feel like Mars. Prepare for that. Mentally rehearse it. Break the race into chunks. Be ready to fight for every step.
Have you ever hit the wall? What did you learn from it?
Q: Do elite runners skip long runs?
Not really. Elites typically run 18–22 miles regularly because it’s only a couple of hours for them. Their bodies are used to the workload, and recovery is part of their job. But here’s the key: even elites don’t let those long runs become more than 25% of their total weekly volume.
And they don’t just slog through long runs — they make them count with tempo efforts, surges, or back-to-back hard sessions. So don’t feel bad if a 20-miler takes you four hours and wipes you out for three days. That’s not the point.
If you’re not elite, don’t train like one. Borrow the principles, not the mileage.
Do you find yourself comparing your plan to elite runners? Time to rewrite your own playbook.
Personal Story Time
One of my favorite hacks? The “26 in 24”. I used this with a time-crunched runner training for his first marathon. Saturday morning: 16 miles easy. Recovery all day. Sunday morning: 10 miles.
Twenty-six miles total in 24 hours. Not continuous, but still legit. He told me afterward, “I know I can cover the distance now.” That mattered more than the pacing. On race day, he hit the wall at mile 20 — then remembered he’d already done this. And he powered through.
Another time, I coached a marathon newbie who was terrified of the fueling part. So we did a two-hour easy run one day, then a few days later we hit the treadmill for a one-hour goal pace session — with every gel, sip of drink, and fueling moment practiced.
Come race day? She nailed it. Zero stomach issues. No bonk. Just execution.