YEARLY MILEAGE -- Goal of Running 2,000 Miles a Year

If you want to attack 2000 mile next year you need to run exactly 38.46153846153846 per week.

Build a cushion.

I think I can average that for the entire year. I already have a February half marathon on the schedule, and a April full marathon. Haven't thought about Fall 2024 yet, but will likely do another half marathon in October 2024.

With some "down" months, along with some "peak" months, I am confident that I will be able to average 38 miles a week over the entire year.

I also want to know your own yearly total mileage goal!!

Training for a marathon is good motivation for putting in the miles. My goal for 2024 is 1200 miles. 100 miles per month. All will depend on my health.

you got it! That is a great goal.

Why didn't you get there this year? That's where to look first. Did you take a month or more off at a time? Get injured? There's no secret to what you need to do - get out the door and run, all the time.

You need to hit that asap. Then you can chill the rest of the year. So try to do 200 mile weeks. Then you have about 42 weeks to recover from that ordeal.

Zero injuries, but good question!

I had two very low mileage months immediately after my October full marathon. Only ran 50 miles in October and I only ran 70 miles in November. During my "peak" months the most mileage I hit was170 miles and I hit that volume for the months of January, April, July, and August.

Getting to a certain mile number at the end of the year can be a fun little thing to do. But it doesn't really matter. Hitting the main goal matter. The race you wanted to do this year and get a new PR over that distance. At the end of the year there will be the sum of these efforts manifested in the yearly mileage. But that should not be the main goal for any running year.

Of course you can do what you want. :-)

Currently at 1,222 miles for 2024 so I will not be hitting 2,000 total miles this calendar year, but that’s okay! I essentially took May off from running after my April marathon, and have slowly built back up to 100-120 miles a month at the back end of the year.

If your only goal is running 2000 miles, then run every single one of your miles easy, and don't plan on any races unless somehow it makes doing a run that day easier to get done than if you hadn't entered.

Focus solely on running as many miles as you reasonably can, with the goal to finish in good enough condition that you can do it again tomorrow.

Yes, a lot of you LR regulars run way more than this and 2000 mi/year is no problem. Obviously this OP is not in that position and needs to do things differently than you would.

i think you're a lot like me. most years I end up around 1400-1500 without thinking about it. i guess thats just how much mental energy i have for dedicating to running. anything more, and im going out of my way to get there, and probably burn out.

Only year of my real adulthood that I've been over 2000 was the covid year. work from home march to june. then nothing from june through august. getting together with running friends was the greatest thing I had to look forward to at the time.

This year, I haven't been feeling it and will only end up around 700. My lowest in around 10 years. i still hit my sole yearly running goal of going sub 20:00 for 5k 1x in the year. Into my 40s now, and im sure there will come a time down the road when I need to be back to 2000 miles just to crack that number.

find meaningful running goals. let the goals dictate your training/mileage.

I don't think you get to call yourself "something something marathoner" if you only run 30 miles a week.

For people who obviously devote a lot of your lives and identities to running, you sure don't do a lot of it.

I fluctuate around 2000 miles a year. Last year (2023) I think I ran 2100 miles or just over. I will probably run about the same this year. But I am over 50 and also do cross-training, so I don't run every day.

Here are my last ten years (basically my late 30s and 40s):

2012 - 3403 (65 miles per week)
2013 - 2543
2014 - 2965
2015 - 3029
2016 - 2043
2017 - 1541 (switched my focus to triathlon, rowing, cycling, etc.)
2018 - 1649
2019 - 1902
2020 - 2038
2021 - 1440 (27 miles per week; my all-time low)
2022 - 1760

As to your question about how to "attack it" --- just do the math and don't let yourself get too far behind.

I know a guy who had to do like 80 miles a week in November and December to hit his goal. That sucked because he was doing a lot of mileage in the dark (and rain).

Try to factor in your work schedule and the seasons/weather/daylight where you live. For example, some of us like running in the cold, but if you don't, then try to get a lot of your mileage done in the Summer.

Also, if you have some "training blocks" and "peaks" built into your year, it can make training a lot more fun. Can you get your training partners to join you? Do you have any races you want to do?

I’m an alcoholic who has suffered numerous relapses and injuries this year and I am also old. I’m at at 2250 right now, so I’ll make 2500 without any trouble. You should aim higher.

Math is my weak suit, but that looks like a pretty modest goal to me. Just fine for health and fitness! But if the half or whole marathon with some degree of competitiveness--or pr--is in your picture, that seems minimal, to me.

Be helpful; give the daily mileage required.

5.4794520547 miles per day (or 8,767.12328752 km per day).