Aiming to run 2.24 for Marathon - what pace should my long runs be?

I just ran my first marathon last weekend.

Wow was it a surprise.

The last 6 miles killed me beyond anything I could have possibly imagined despite everyone always telling me this on LetsRun and elsewhere.

Anyhow to answer your question, your long runs should be around 6:35 pace if you are actually in 2:24 shape. However, just because you can do 6:35 pace easily for 22 miles does not mean you'll be able to run a 2:24. I ran 22 miles at 6:26 pace (very easily) in training and yet during the race, I ended up averaging 6:28 pace because of serious bonking in the last miles (over 9:30 pace near the end).

May the force be with you.

Also your tempos should be faster.

Maybe 5:10-5:15 pace

Run your long run as fast as you can while still being able to recover for a good workout or two during the week. That will be different for different people. Some people are sore after running 18 mi no matter what the pace. Others can hammer it for 22 and be ready to do a workout with just two days of recovery. But, I think the old thinking of long runs as being secondary to interval/tempo work during the week is backwards. I have heard stories of some epic long runs by E. Africans that include lots of surges in pace and some crazy pace towards the end. And back in the day, Khalid Kannouchi would make his long run the main workout of the week. He even said he would get so nervous the night before a big long run that he throw up.

Personally, I am no 2.24 guy, but run 2:40s as a master. Most recently, travel for work killed my workout schedule (ended up on a tread mill at the Hilton for a lot of my weekly workouts). But, I would go out and hammer it on my long runs. Ended up having one of my strongest finishes despite missing more than half of my scheduled workouts.

I'm a big proponent of alternating weeks.

Week 1 would be a hard long run, 18-22 miles at 5:45-6:00 pace, next week would be more comfortable, maybe start around 7:00 pace and ease it down to 6:20-6:30 towards the end.

As others have already said, the last few miles will to totally different than anything you've experienced as a runner, and preparing your body to run on fat for as long as possible (or a better ratio of fat and glycogen) is really important.

Some marathon-speficic long runs and tempos in the 8 weeks before the race will be critical to develop your fat burning capabilities. Things like a 30 miler with 20 at a comfortable/slow pace followed immediately by 6-10 miles @ race pace will help with this, but I'd do a couple of runs building up to this.

I'd run the long run harder, closer to 6mpm average. For 20 mile runs I shoot for 2 hours. So if I go out in 62-63 minutes for the first ten, the next 10 is in 57-58 minutes. Also, work down to goal pace or even a little quicker for the last 3-5 miles. I run easy the day before, usually one run of 8-10 miles or 2 easy runs, so I'm ready to go. It's going to take some trial and error to find the ideal pace. Like others have said, you don't want to destroy yourself by running them too hard and missing a workout. The 10 miler is a good indicator that you're capable of 2:24.

I think you're in good shape. Your times are all better than mine and I ran 2:24:30. The one thing I did a lot of were progression long runs. 20 plus milers that I would get down to 5:45 pace. The toughest part is getting things to click at the right time. I ran a half 4 weeks before my marathon and couldn't break 71.

Unsure.Pace wrote:

I know these questions are often posted by I was wondering about the pace of my long runs. I am hoping to run a 2.24 marathon. I'm currently running a 10-12 mile "tempos" at 5.25 miling, along with another interval session (8x1mile/6x2k/12x1km). I recently ran 50 minutes for 10 miles, which I have been told suggests near 2.24 pace.

I ran 18 miles at the weekend at 6.20 miling, finishing near 6 minute miling. This was taxing but of course not flat out. Is this pace too slow or too fast for a marathon?

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Yes 6:20 is wayyy too slow for a 2:24 marathon.

You should be working them down to 5:30 mile pace.

Agree those long runs need to be a lot faster. Should be averaging just under sub-6 pace for 20 miles without too much effort if you want to be in 2:24 shape.

Unsure.Pace wrote:

I know these questions are often posted by I was wondering about the pace of my long runs. I am hoping to run a 2.24 marathon. I'm currently running a 10-12 mile "tempos" at 5.25 miling, along with another interval session (8x1mile/6x2k/12x1km). I recently ran 50 minutes for 10 miles, which I have been told suggests near 2.24 pace.

I ran 18 miles at the weekend at 6.20 miling, finishing near 6 minute miling. This was taxing but of course not flat out. Is this pace too slow or too fast for a marathon?

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Actually I like your training a lot.

I do feel it's important to have a marathon paced run every three weeks or so working up to 20-21 miles. The rest of the time the pace of the regular long runs doesn't matter that much, just the usual training pace.

For your easier long runs, 6:30 pace is fine. If you ran 50 flat for 10 miles, you can make a run at sub 2:20.

progression runs and marathon simulations (1-12 miles easy then 8-12 mile tempo/race pace). do that one week then a steady long run of 18-23 the next week at 6:00-6:40 pace

I am a big proponent of cut down long runs. What I used to do 2 or 3 times before a marathon was this:

40k at a moderate pace (for me this was 4:30/k) followed by 10k hard (3:30/k) (I should look these up, I might have my paces wrong... it's late) I ran 2:27.

This was a variation on a workout I read that Bordin did (although, obviously much faster than I, he did 4/k and 3/k) but after I did a few of these, I never bonked or slowed significantly at the end of a marathon again. For you, maybe do 4:20 for the 40k and 3:20 for the 10k. Once you've run 50k like this, you'll never have doubts or trouble at the end of a marathon again. You easily have the fitness to run 2:24 - I'd say that 50 minute 10 miler should get you under 2:20 if you have a good race - you just need to race up to your potential.Workouts like the above will help ensure that you do.

Thank you very much for all your comments. I will aim for 20 tomorrow, near 6 minute miling. I usually run the first few miles in 7 minute miling, so will aim to push last 5 near 5.50 miling.

As for my training, M - 10 miles @ 7 min miling, T - Session (8-10x1 mile), W - 14 miles @ 6.30 miling, T - 8 miles, F - 10-12 mile tempo @ 5.25s (aim to get near 5.15/10), S - 8 miles, Sun - 18-24 miles (will aim to get sub 6 min miling).

Wk mileage: 80-90 miles

Thanks again and will appreciate any other comments.

What would be some good sessions for a marathon runner aiming for 2.24?

Let's be honest here. If 18 miles at 6:20 was even a little "taxing" as you called it, you have NO HOPE of a 2:24. Shoot for a 2:40. If you go out any faster, you will die a horrible death in this race.

Unsure.Pace wrote:

I ran 18 miles at the weekend at 6.20 miling, finishing near 6 minute miling.

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Don't change a thing. Your LRs are right on target.

Raptured wrote:

Let's be honest here. If 18 miles at 6:20 was even a little "taxing" as you called it, you have NO HOPE of a 2:24. Shoot for a 2:40. If you go out any faster, you will die a horrible death in this race.

What a stupid thing to write. Whenever is an 18 mile run that easy, especially at 6.20 pace. The kid has run 50 mins for 10 miles. 2.40 - don't be silly. 2.24 no problems, probably quicker!

thought i would bump this back up.

How many people have actually run 2:24???

I ran 2:25 in my first marathon (on a "tough" course) and my regular long runs were much slower than the OP. I would normally start at 7 min pace and work down to 6:30ish. Usually averaged about 6:40-45.

I did do long run workouts, but I don't refer to these as long runs, to me they are workouts. I would do things like 8 mi @ 7 min pace and the last 12-13 at 5:25 (starting at 5:35 down to 5:10). Or 8 mi easy and 6-8 mi fast (5:35 down to 5:00) with a 5 mi cooldown.

Basically there are different ways to train for a marathon and different people respond to the training in their own way. Don't listen to people who say you MUST run a certain pace.