Our editor-at-large, Amby Burfoot, recently sent me a new study that looks at the training practices of over 150,000 recreational marathon finishers – and my observation is that most of us are probably overengineering our marathon training.
How?
First, let’s look at how these guys sorted the data.
It’s the first time a study has analyzed marathon training strategies against finishing times on this scale – it breaks down the training habits of runners in the 16 weeks preceding their marathon.
First, the study bucketed workout intensities into three zones, which I’m just going to refer to as “easy,” “moderate,” and “hard” to keep things simple and avoid confusion over other types of zone training. Consider:
- Easy runs – Heart rate zones 1 and 2, below the lactate threshold. Think slow, conversational pace.
- Moderate runs – harder, threshold-style runs. Think a pace you can maintain for up to 45-60 minutes.
- Hard runs – Think intervals, sprints, maximum intensity.
The study then looks at how much of each zone the runner does, and buckets each runner into one of four training strategies:
- Pyramidal: Mostly easy training, some moderate, and a little hard training.
- Polarized: Mostly easy and hard training, with little moderate training.
- Threshold: Heavy focus on moderate training.
- High-Intensity Training (HIT): Majority of training in hard mode.
Pyramidal Training Strategy For The Win
The study found that most runners followed a pyramidal approach—and this proportion was highest amongst the fastest runners.
‘Pyramidal’ means you’re doing the vast majority of your training in easy miles, with limited moderate running and even less hard running.
This approach lends itself to accumulating high training volume without putting undue stress on your body, as it’s done at a forgiving pace.
Both male and female runners, as well as younger and older athletes, benefited from the pyramidal approach. While men tended to log slightly higher volumes, the principles held true regardless of demographics.
Faster Runners Don’t Do More Hard Running
The fastest runners in the study do book a lot more miles than slower runners: but practically all these extra miles were added in easy running.
“Total training time completed within Z2 (moderate runs) and Z3 (hard runs) remained relatively stable irrespective of marathon performance”, the study reported.
In other words, if you want to improve your marathon time, you probably don’t need to add any more speed workouts. Just add easy miles.
Mid-pack runners’ weekly mileage Lower Than Expected
The conventional wisdom around weekly mileage for marathon training is that beginners should be aiming for at least 25 miles (40 km) and intermediate runners targeting 35-50 miles (56-80 km). The actual data suggests that most recreational marathon runners are doing fewer miles than their coaches would advise.
For example; our sub 4-hour marathon training plan has an average weekly mileage of around 36 miles (58 km); yet you can see in the chart above that the average sub 4-hour runner is bagging just under 25 miles (40 km) per week.
(What the data doesn’t show is injury rates, or marathon splits for these runners. Most coaches and training plans will be focussed on getting you injury-free and comfortably over the finish line.).
Volume is King
Nothing new here, but worth pointing out: the fastest runners in the dataset—those completing marathons in 2 to 2.5 hours—logged an average of 66 miles (107 km) per week. This was three times the mileage of slower runners finishing in over 4 hours.
Here’s Why Easy Run Training is Crucial
Easy run training might feel too easy, but that’s exactly why it works. Running at low intensities builds your aerobic engine, enhancing mitochondrial density (effectively your body’s endurance batteries), capillary development, and overall endurance. It also minimizes fatigue and injury risk, allowing you to train more consistently over time.
Elite marathoners spend upwards of 80% of their training doing easy runs, while recreational runners in the study hovered around 50-60%. Increasing time spent in “easy mode” proved to be a reliable predictor of faster finish times.
So, Can I Dump Moderate And Hard Workouts?
Hmm, probably not. These workouts definitely offer myriad benefits. Think about the purpose of each zone like this:
- Easy efforts boost aerobic capacity, which is critical for marathon running.
- Moderate workouts provide race-specific preparation by simulating marathon pace.
- Hard runs develop speed and efficiency, but need to be used sparingly to avoid overtraining.
My main takeaways from this study are:
- Avoid the temptation to overdo moderate and hard sessions, even if they feel “productive.”
- If in doubt, just add in more easy miles. They’re low-intensity, unlikely to lead to injury or need much recovery time, and they’re what everyone from Kipchoge to the 5-hour marathon finisher use to improve their time.
In other words, when I’m gearing up for my next marathon training block, I will likely “keep it simple, stupid” and focus more on bagging easy miles than squeezing in the latest fad interval workout.
