“It’s not you. It’s the training. And also you. But mostly the training.”
Welcome to mid-August. The excitement of starting your Dublin Marathon plan is a distant memory. The big day still feels ages away. Every run feels like you’re dragging a wheelie bin full of wet cement.
Congratulations, you’ve entered mid-plan misery, the grim middle chapter of marathon prep where you’re tired, cranky, and not entirely sure why you signed up in the first place.
It’s not because you’re unfit. It’s not because you’ve “lost it.” It’s because this is the hardest part of the entire training cycle and it’s absolutely normal.
Why August Feels Like Wading Through Porridge
By now you’ve been training long enough to have built up a decent base, but not long enough to feel the taper’s sweet relief. The weekly mileage is higher, the long runs are longer, and your legs are essentially filing HR complaints.
Throw in the heat, the humidity, and the fact you’re probably still half-wrecked from holiday pints, and you’ve got the perfect cocktail for rubbish runs.
This is the point where:
- Every route feels uphill (even the downhill bits)
- Pace feels harder to hold
- You start envying cyclists (“Look at them, sitting down while exercising”)
The “I’m Getting Worse” Illusion
One of the cruelest tricks of marathon training is that you can feel like you’re regressing just as you’re actually getting fitter.
Here’s what’s happening:
- Training load fatigue: Your legs are never truly fresh right now — because they’re not meant to be.
- Cumulative miles: You’re stacking weeks of training on top of each other, so your body’s in a constant low-level state of “ah here now.”
- Heat effect: Warm weather slows your pace even if your fitness is improving.
You’re not slower. You’re just tired. And that’s part of the plan.
How to Survive the Mid-Plan Slump
1. Dial Back the Pressure
Not every run needs to be a Strava-worthy masterpiece. If today’s “tempo” feels more like a “shuffling panic”, so be it. The big picture matters more than one bad session.
2. Make Your Long Run a Social One
Find a running buddy or a group for the weekend long run. Misery loves company and you’ll be amazed how much easier it feels when you’re too busy slagging someone’s new water belt to notice the miles ticking by.
3. Switch the Scenery
If you always run the same loop, change it up. Phoenix Park instead of the canal. Sandymount instead of suburbia. A change in view can trick your brain into forgetting how tired your legs are. Briefly.
4. Drop the Watch for a Run
Liberate yourself from pace anxiety. Run to feel instead of numbers. Yes, it might look like a crime scene on Garmin Connect, but it’s a crime scene your legs will thank you for.
5. Remember Why You Started
Print out the confirmation email for the Dublin Marathon and stick it on the fridge. This is bigger than one bad week, it’s about getting to the start line in one piece.
The “Mini-Taper” Cheat
If you’re really on the ropes, there’s no shame in giving yourself a mini-taper. Cut back your mileage by 20–30% for one week, focus on recovery, and come back fresher.
This isn’t quitting. This is strategy. You can’t train well if you’re constantly running on fumes.
Conclusion
Mid-plan misery is the unglamorous heart of marathon training. The medal’s not for race day, it’s for surviving this bit without binning your shoes and taking up pottery.
So accept the tiredness, adjust when you need to, and keep your eyes on the bigger goal. Because here’s the good news: once you’re through this patch, everything starts to feel more manageable.
And if it doesn’t? Well, there’s always Guinness at the finish line. Consider it your emotional support pint.
