First trail marathon.

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fonch Sep 2016 9:36pm, 5 Sep 2016 112 posts	0 fonch Hi I wonder if anyone can help me. I'm doing my first marathon next year and it's a trail one(pretty hilly too). I'd like to know about my longest run. Should I measure it in time or distance? Also what time or distance should it be? Thank you
NoFleecingAround Sep 2016 10:10pm, 5 Sep 2016 29,897 posts	0 NoFleecingAround I'm no expert but I'm doing Beachy in October and we are running our longest training run of 20 miles. I think it will take a gazillion years to do that, but we're aiming to run-walk the race and walk most of the hills. I'm only doing it cos I was promised a picnic I think the most important bit is to train on similar terrain as much as you can, which applies to all races really but especially to hilly ones!
fonch Sep 2016 4:25pm, 6 Sep 2016 113 posts	0 fonch Thank you. Planning to do all long runs off road. Just worried a 20 miler will take me too like my to recover from.
Daz Love Sep 2016 4:41pm, 6 Sep 2016 369 posts	0 Daz Love A solid marthon training programme would always include at least one 20 miler in training. The last one would typically be at least 4 weeks before the race.
fonch Sep 2016 6:20pm, 6 Sep 2016 114 posts	0 fonch The thing is it's a trail marathon and coastal Devon hills too. If I did a 20 miler it would take me at least 5 hours if I ran it on the same type of terrain.
Daz Love Sep 2016 8:16pm, 7 Sep 2016 370 posts	0 Daz Love How long do you expect the actual marathon to take? Granted 5 hours is a long time to be out for a training run however it's all relative to the actual event. I run 2 and half hours on a training run for a 3:10 marathon.
Derby Tup Sep 2016 8:23pm, 7 Sep 2016 21,755 posts	0 Derby Tup Maybe consider back to back outings at weekends. Longish run one day, hilly brisk walk next. I'd want a minimum of say 3 x 18 mile runs before your marathon. Good luck
fonch Sep 2016 12:43pm, 8 Sep 2016 115 posts	0 fonch Thank you for all your advice.😀
zolluppepe Sep 2016 8:16pm, 8 Sep 2016 17 posts	0 zolluppepe I'd just forget all about distance, personally. Trying to meet mileage targets that take no account of the amount of up and down in a route will just leave you exhausted or, worse, injured. Better to limit the duration of your long runs: I'd build up to around 3.5/4 hours at 'race pace', running flats and downs and walking the ups, perhaps. I also like Derby Tups idea of back-to-back outings, long run one day and walk the next. Of course, on race day, you may well be out for significantly longer than that 3.5/4 hours - something you need to be prepared for mentally. Good luck