The Big Three of Marathon Training

Let’s talk ‘Big 3’! It’s something I tell my Marathon Squad runners and it’s important to think about right now if you’re training for an October race.

I’m all for marathon training not taking over your life. Your training should work with your other plans, your holidays etc. If you map it out well enough in advance, you can still have a social life and train well. But, it’s important to pay close attention to the Big 3.

What Are The Big 3?

The Big 3 are the three biggest volume weeks of your marathon training plan and will include your longest runs. They typically start six weeks out from your race and lead up to your taper. I say typically because if you have a holiday or big life event planned then you can adjust your training so that your Big 3 don’t clash with it.

For these three weeks, if nowhere else, pay close attention to:

• Your sleep
• Your nutrition
• Your hydration

This *may* (but doesn’t have to) mean saying no to social invites or that extra glass of wine. Your priorities are:

1. Making it as easy as possible to make your runs happen.
2. Give your body the best chance you can to recover well from these big training weeks.

If you’re training for London, your Big 3 starts now. Take out your diary and see if you’re giving yourself the best opportunity to train and recover well. If you’re training for any other race, put these dates in your diary as soon as you can and make choices that are best for you.

Planning for 2023 Marathons

When we browse race listings, we will typically look at the date of a race and then glance at our diary to see if we have anything on that weekend. But that’s not all you should be doing. Take a look at when the Big 3 would fall – what does your diary say then?

The big issues I encounter as a coach are runners who have a skiing holiday booked in the build up to a spring marathon or a wedding in the summer before an autumn. You can do both of these things, but it might be best to choose another race. Or at least consult a coach and plan your training way in advance.

Marathon training plans

Need a little help planning your training. Take a look at my Marathon Training guide. Or the Marathon Squad will reopen in October for those aiming for a Spring 2023 marathon.

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