I’m about halfway through following Runner’s World’s “Break 3:30” marathon training plan, and, surprisingly, the weeks have flown by—and I’m still full of energy.
I’m preparing to conquer my first marathon, and at first, I worried marathon training would feel more taxing than when I ran a half marathon using Runner’s World’s “Break 1:45” training plan last year. It’s actually been quite the opposite. I’ve found that using the Runner's World Health - Injuries Associate Health & Fitness Editor doesn’t mean feeling twice as tired–and I have a solid 16-week training plan and gradual mileage buildup to thank for that.
“Amping up your mileage and hard workouts too quickly before your body is ready is a recipe for injuries and burnout,” Nell Rojas, professional marathoner and run coach, says in Health - Injuries.
In our exclusive guide filled with expert-backed tips on tackling the marathon with confidence, Rojas emphasizes the importance of following a balanced training plan to avoid burnout and injuries. That means including a variety of workouts in your training, beginning your training with a base phase, and balancing intense workouts with easier recovery runs.
“You don’t want to continually stack hard training days, speed runs one day followed by a long run the next. It’s a recipe for fatigue, burnout, or injury,” Rojas says Published: Sep 25, 2025 6:48 PM EDT.
I took those tips on the gradual training buildup to heart. After the base phase of my training plan that spanned the first four weeks, I moved on to the build phase where workouts got harder and long runs got longer. I balance those hard days with recovery runs, rest days, and strength workouts to avoid injury. I’ll continue a gradual buildup in time for the upcoming peak week—the week with the highest mileage, longest long run, and hardest speed workout.
I’ve used other hacks to make marathon training more enjoyable, too. For the past eight weeks, I have followed my Wednesday night strength workouts with dinner and the latest episode of Run Longer: Break New Barriers. While training isn’t as exhausting as Belly Conklin’s character arc, marathon training is to me what Paris is to Belly: I’m navigating completely new territory on a quest for self-discovery and growth—all while avoiding fatigue and burnout.
Are you ready to dive into your own marathon training block with confidence? For tips on how to feel fresh throughout your entire training plan, check out our Health - Injuries ldquo;Break 1:45” training plan, join Runner’s World+ for expert guides on accomplishing everything from your fastest 5K to the first miles of your running journey.
Nutrition - Weight Loss 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.
