About a month ago, I signed up for a Saturday morning 10K. I wanted to try a new race distance, gain more racing experience, and hang out with a few family members, so I picked a local race and put it on my calendar.
A little while later, I started training for my first marathon. And that’s when I realized the mercilessly hilly 10K that I chose fell on my typical rest day, the day before a 12-mile long run. I panicked thinking about how I would fit both into one weekend. Would I be able to run hard for the 10K and still conquer 12 miles? Should I add the extra six miles to my warmup or cooldown I figured I could miss?
Health - Injuries Mallory Creveling, deputy health and fitness editor and RRCA-certified run coach, about what to do, asking for some direction on how to do both. She suggested skipping my typical Sunday long run altogether. That’s when my eyes widened with fear, worrying that I’d lose fitness and derail my training if I skipped my long run.
As this is my first marathon, I’ve heard about how crucial long runs are to the training plan, and I told myself I wouldn’t miss a single one.
“When you’re looking at marathon training, the general prevailing wisdom is that long runs are sacred because you’re building up your endurance, and you’re getting your bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments used to the demands of being on your feet for that long,” says Angie Spencer, USATF- and RRCA-certified run coach and founder of How to Avoid Injuries When Marathon Training.
What You Do and Don’t Need on a Training Plan 16-week marathon training plan, I figured I could miss one of my long runs and still gain fitness, especially considering it was so early on in my training block. Plus, seeing that unchecked box on my training plan is just proof that I actually have a social life outside of running, and it’s okay to adjust the plan so I can live it. So, I took a deep breath, scratched the long run Exactly What to Do On Your Rest Days.
Missing that long run didn’t put a kink in my training—it surprisingly benefited me in more ways than one. Turns out, everyone can take advantage of mixing up their long run mileage—or even skipping runs. Here’s what to know.
The Simple Analogy That Helps Me Pace Smarter
1. There’s More Room in Your Training Block for Races
Associate Health & Fitness Editor race option in lieu of a long run. I thought missing out on mileage would mean sacrificing progress. But it turns out swapping some mileage for intensity, in this case, evens out. “The effort that you’re putting into this 10K is probably going to be similar to doing an easy 12-miler,” Spencer says.
Many runners prefer to add shorter races to their marathon training blocks like 5Ks, 10Ks, or half marathons because you get to practice your race-day rituals like fueling, mental preparation for dealing with prerace jitters, testing out gear, and nailing your hydration plan, Spencer says.
If you’re like me and you’re nervous about missing mileage when swapping a long run for a shorter race, Spencer suggests tacking on extra easy miles with an extended warmup, and a cooldown if you feel up for it afterward. For example, when I ran my 10K, I did a two-mile warmup instead of my typical one mile, and walked about a mile around the zoo when I was done to cool down (and look at the cute animals!).
2. You Learn How to Prioritize Rest
Runners who are reluctant to skip a long run likely struggle with taking extra rest days t remember exactly why, but I do remember feeling like I really needed the rest’m guilty of this, too. During the week leading up to the 10K, I felt stressed because I also missed a four-mile easy run. I don’t remember exactly why, but I do remember feeling like I really needed the rest.
“If you need an extra rest day that week, just take the rest,” says Spencer. She explains that runners who avoid extra taking rest days often have a harder time sticking to their tapers, and instead push to do more than they should. Learning how to prioritize rest earlier on in your buildup teaches you to take recovery as seriously as the other elements of your training plan, and enter into the taper period more prepared to take it easy.
3. You’re More Likely to Dodge Overtraining Syndrome, Injury, and Burnout
While you might be tempted to check off every single workout listed on your training plan (which very few runners do, btw!), overdoing it earlier on in your training plan often leads to a higher chance of getting injured, Spencer explains.
Missing a few workouts can actually help you to avoid falling into overtraining syndrome, so you can show up feeling fresh come race day. “You really cannot borrow fitness from tomorrow. Once the body gets itself in a deficit, there is no clear-cut timeline to recovering and digging yourself out of that hole,” says Spencer.
Why I’m No Longer Scared to Miss a Long Run in My Marathon Buildup
I Realized Marathon Training Should Push Me, Not Break Me
Health - Injuries half to full marathon training for the first time, I no longer think that going double the distance means putting in double the amount of work. I was initially extra nervous to miss a long run in my buildup because I’m training for a distance that I’ve never run before and would only run on race day. But Spencer helped me realize that training for a marathon shouldn’t make me feel like I’m running myself into the ground.
If I had gone with my first thought to run my 12-miler the day after the 10K just to cross it off the calendar, I likely would not Sydney Marathon Results.
And, Spencer reminded me that if I kept pushing myself to get through workouts without adequate rest, there would likely be a toll to pay later on in my marathon training. This is often the case for first-time marathoners like myself, Spencer adds, because we can get so caught up in logging enough miles that we tend to neglect the recovery portion of training.
I Refreshed My Training Routine
I got really used to Sunday long runs Kristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined base. So when I fully accepted that I would skip my 12-miler that Sunday, I really looked forward to having the day completely off with nothing on the calendar; a much-needed shake up in my routine.
I needed that rest, too, considering how sore my quads felt after two-plus miles of hills during the 10K. I spent the day in my pajamas, baking cookies, and kicking my legs up in front of the TV. Then on Monday, I walked into the weight room for my strength workout feeling well-rested and more excited about the new week ahead.
I Became a More Adaptable Runner (and Person)
Missing my long run also helped me feel more secure in the fact that I could switch things up in my training without the whole plan unraveling. “Running has to be a flexible sport, even in whatever race you’re training for,” says Spencer. It helps to be adaptable in running when dealing with things like the weather or illness, but adaptability extends outside of running, too.
“Marathon training really teaches you a lot about yourself. It can be very instructive in how you approach things in life,” says Spencer. While I know it’s valuable to thrive on a routine like a training plan and stick to my commitments wholeheartedly, I’m equally capable of responding to change, like adjusting the plan in order to keep living my life.
Find the Perfect Training Plan for You
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Recommended Experience: This plan is for a new runner who is just getting back into exercise.
Get the Plan
Recommended Experience: For a new runner who has been exercising regularly for at least a year, or someone who has completed a few 5Ks or 10Ks and can complete 6 miles in one workout. This plan peaks at 28 miles in a week with a 12-mile long run.
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Recommended Experience: For runners comfortable exercising for at least an hour at a moderate effort. This plan peaks at 32 miles in a week with a 14-mile long run.
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Recommended Experience: For a consistent runner used to regularly working out four to five times a week. The plan starts with a 10-mile long run and peaks at 44 to 47 miles a week with a 22-mile long run, helping you average under a 9:10 per mile come 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.
