“If your legs aren’t a bit sore and your laundry basket isn’t 80% running gear, you’re probably not training for a marathon.”
It’s September 4th. The Dublin Marathon is now seven weeks away. That’s 52 days. Roughly the same amount of time as it takes to get through a box of Celebrations if you’re “just having one every night” (spoiler: you won’t).
This is the point in your training when you stop pretending it’s ages away and start realising the start line is closer than you’d like. Don’t panic, unless you’ve spent the last three months “training” by occasionally jogging to the bus stop, you’ve got time to make this work. Let’s check in on where you should be right now.
Weekly Mileage: The Meat and Potatoes of Training
At this stage, most first-time marathoners will be somewhere in the 35–45 km per week range (22–28 miles if you like your measurements in old money). That’s enough to build endurance without grinding your body into dust.
If you’re a bit below that, it’s not the end of the world. You can add mileage over the next few weeks, just do it gradually. The old 10% rule still stands. Jumping from 20 miles to 35 in a week is a great way to end up Googling “Why does my knee make that noise?” at 2am.
Long Run Target: The Big One
By early September, your long run should be creeping into the 16–20 mile (26–32 km) zone. That’s where you build the mental and physical stamina you’ll lean on in the final 10K of the race.
Haven’t hit that distance yet? You can still get there, but be smart. Increase your long run by no more than 2 miles (3 km) per week, and don’t cram all your big runs into the last fortnight. Nothing says “DNF” like trying to do three 20-milers in a row.
Recovery: The Secret Weapon Nobody Brags About
If you’re feeling perpetually knackered, snappy, or like you could happily sleep in your compression socks for the rest of your life, you’re not underperforming, you’re under-recovering.
Right now, your weeks should include:
- One full rest day (and no, walking round IKEA does not count as rest).
- Easy recovery runs after your long run, slow enough that you could describe the plot of Father Ted without gasping for breath.
- Some stretching or mobility work, ideally in front of the telly so you don’t notice how boring it is.
If You’re Ahead of Schedule
First of all, congrats. But don’t get cocky. You can’t “bank” fitness for race day. Keep training hard, but resist the urge to turn every run into a personal best attempt. There’s nothing heroic about limping through Merrion Square with a pulled hamstring because you decided September was the time to “just see if I can break 40 minutes for 10K.”
If You’re Behind
Take a deep breath. You still have time to turn things around, but now’s the moment to get serious. Pick a plan, stick to it, and be realistic about what you can achieve in the weeks left. Cut out the junk miles, focus on quality sessions, and make the long run non-negotiable.
The Big Picture
The next three weeks are your training peak. Hit them right, and you’ll head into October ready to taper with confidence. Get sloppy now, and you’ll be spending your taper wondering if you can “wing it” (you can’t).
Remember: the goal isn’t to arrive at the start line with perfect training, it’s to arrive healthy, fit, and ready to go. The perfect plan doesn’t exist. The consistent one does.
Conclusion
You’ve got just under two months. Train smart, recover harder, and keep your eyes on the prize, namely, crossing that finish line before they pack away the medals. Merrion Square is waiting, and it doesn’t care if your weekly mileage was textbook or a bit of a shambles.