Laying the Groundwork for The Dublin Marathon: What to Focus On in July for Success in October

Every fortnight, professional running coaches Eoin Flynn and Réne Borg will be sharing their expertise with Run Republic readers. They’ll be covering the ins and outs of running performance with sharp, practical advice.

This week, they lay the groundwork for anyone gearing up for the Dublin Marathon , with some essential guidance that’s well worth your attention.

Mark your calendars: a fresh piece from Eoin and Réne lands every second Wednesday.

By Eoin Flynn, Running Coach Ireland

The Dublin Marathon may still seem a long way off, but it is important to plan strategically for a successful result in October. We are now entering the crucial phase that often separates a consistent and confident build-up through August, September and October, from one that feels rushed or reactive that can often leave to under-performance or even a knock-out injury before race day.

With 16-17 weeks to go, this is the time to lay the strong aerobic, mental, and mechanical foundations that support your specific marathon training later in the summer and early Autumn. The focus now is on preparing to train at a higher level later over the final 10-week period, not chasing peak marathon workouts just yet.

In this article, we break it down for three key groups of runners who are starting July with different journeys behind them, but the same destination ahead: the finish line on Mount Street Upper on October 26th.

You’ve already completed 26.1 miles earlier this year. Your primary job right now is not to rush back into big mileage but to use your post-marathon fitness wisely.

Key Focus Areas:

Target for this period: Arrive in August mentally fresh and excited and physically ready to take on another specific marathon block of training.

You’ve enjoyed the last few months or even years racing 5k and 10ks around the country. Now you need to gently shift gears toward volume and marathon-specific demands as you build towards crossing that finish line in October and bringing home that finishers medal.

Key Focus Areas:

Target for this period: Arrive in August with confidence in your aerobic engine and long-run readiness, excited to take on the new challenge of a specific block of Marathon training

Welcome to the journey and to the build-up for The Dublin Marathon! For you, July is the beginning of serious marathon preparation. Your success will hinge on sustainable habits and consistency from now until October. You may have enjoyed some shorter distances like the many great Park Runs around the country, but we are now moving on to the Marathon and the wonderful endurance challenge that it is.

Key Focus Areas:

Target for this period: Develop the training habits and base mileage that make the big training weeks in August/September feel doable, not daunting.

The upcoming month of July isn’t about perfection. It’s about progression and readiness for what lies ahead. The athlete who can train consistently and stay healthy through July is set up to thrive in the specific block that begins around 10 weeks out which is the weekend of the 16th/17th of August. If in a position to race, enjoy a 5k or a 10k race. If the family or friends are close by, make sure to bring them along so they not only have an enjoyable race day with you but they also get a chance to buy in to the marathon project with you. You will need their support come the hard training days and race day itself.

Over the next few weeks, remind yourself of two of our core Running Coach Ireland principles:

Stay tuned for our next marathon specific article in a few weeks’ time, where we’ll break down what to focus on when the countdown hits 10 weeks to go.

Until then, enjoy this wonderful time of year for training and racing, one run at a time.

Eoin Flynn has been racing and training since 2004 and has been coaching since 2015. He has over 95 individual race wins with National Medals at Novice, Intermediate and Senior level across road, track and cross country including a bronze medal at the National Marathon Championships and 6 World Championships with the Irish Mountain Running team. 

Are you looking to train for a your first 10km or smash your PB at Dublin, or anything in between? - Then pop over to the Running Coach Ireland website and get in touch with Eoin and Réne - www.runningcoach.ie