Is It Safe to Run Back-to-Back Marathons?
I’ve noticed a trend in marathoning—running back-to-back marathons. I am seeing it with my friends, on social media, and in the athletes I coach. It made me wonder—is it safe to run back-to-back marathons?
After all, running 26.2 miles is very demanding on the body. Running a marathon damages everything from your vital organs to your muscles and it takes time to repair. So, what happens when you run two marathons close together (closer than 16 weeks apart? And, is there a way to run two consecutive marathons and have it boost your training?
I’ve been able to have athletes I coach run marathons close together with the first one being for fun and treated as a big long run with a significant down week of recovery. But it is risky. Some have gotten sick post-marathon and required more time off.
I got with Dr. Todd McGrath, a sports medicine doctor at the Hospital for Special Surgery, marathoner, and elite triathlete, to go over these scenarios and learn what the risks and benefits are for running consecutive marathons.
Let’s go!
Back to Back Marathons: Is it Safe?
Yes, you can run two marathons close together; however, it is not recommended, says. Dr. McGrath. “It is not unreasonable to run marathons close together,” he says. “But overall, there are not a lot of positives.”
With there not being a lot of positives because running (or even walking 26.2 miles) is physiologically demanding, you can run two marathons back-to-back if you train smart—running at least one at an easy pace and prioritizing recovery in between.
What are the pros of running two marathons back-to-back?
There are some pros of running consecutive marathons, though few are physiological benefits:
- You get more marathon race experience.
- You get several marathon medals.
- You build mental toughness.
- If you run the first marathon easy and recover well, you can bank that fitness for the second marathon at least three weeks later.
What are the cons of running consecutive marathons?
There are many risks to running marathons close together. Here are the cons of running marathons one after another:
- Increase injury risk
- Decrease in performance
- Risk of overtraining, burnout or fatigue
- Potential to get sick
Okay, let’s look at the different scenarios of people running marathons close together despite these risks.
Different scenarios for running marathons back-to-back:
- Running two marathons just to finish (run at an easy pace)
- Running the first marathon, missing the A goal, and racing another marathon to hit the A goal
- Running a marathon as a long run, then racing the second marathon.
- Racing two marathons close together (not advised).
How is running a marathon much harder than doing a 20+ mile long run?
You may be thinking—how is running a marathon that much more stressful than running a long run of 20+ miles. In most cases, a runner will not do a long run of longer than 20-24 miles. I have never seen a marathon training plan include a long run of 26.2 miles. The reason is because running that length will risk injury and a runner will likely not be recovered in time for the actual marathon.
The length of your long run depends on many factors including weekly volume, experience, pace, and injury risk. In general, your longest long run should be at least 2 hours long and no longer than 4 hours. Runners with an expected finish time of longer than 5 hours may run longer to prepare their bodies for being on their feet for that duration.
The runners that are best able to run a marathon as their peak long run and race a marathon 3 or 4 weeks later, are runners who run higher weekly volume (70 miles per week) and a faster marathon time (under 3 hours). Runners experienced in running ultra-marathons are also better suited to run marathons close together.
Training Tips for Back-to-Back Marathons
Here are training tips for running marathons less than three months apart.
Increase fatigue resistance.
In your training, take a page from ultra-marathoners and increase fatigue resistance by running two long runs back-to-back.
- For example, do your long run on Saturday and then do a run of at least an hour on Sunday.
- You can also run doubles (if your mileage is higher, e.g. over 60 miles per week) 1-2 times a week in which you do your main run in the morning and then run a few miles in the evening.
- Cross-training in addition to running can also increase fatigue resistance.
Cross-train.
You can maintain your fitness and increase fatigue tolerance while optimizing recovery by cross-training more. The elliptical, pool running, and cycling are great cross-training activities that you can do in place of running in between marathons.
Stay on top of the little things.
Ensure you are eating and sleeping enough! If you feel chronically fatigued during your marathon training, take a hard look at your recovery. (Note: Taking Previnex’s multivitamin can help optimize recovery. Get 15% off with code TMR15 plus a money back guarantee. I love Previnex supplements!)
Pick your marathon pace wisely.
Be smart about which marathon you are racing and which one you are running for fun. Or, ideally, you will be running both marathons just to finish and get the medal.
If the marathons are more than three weeks apart, I recommend running the first marathon as a long run and the second marathon as a race. Of course, weather and the racecourse will be determining factors in this.
Prioritize marathon recovery.
After your first marathon, be sure to recover as hard as you trained. Eat and drink well. Keep moving. Use recovery tools such as foam rollers, massage guns, compression boots, a massage, etc. to get the blood flowing and body recovery. Also, SLEEP!
Recovery should be your main priority in between your marathons.
Reverse taper.
Think of the time in between your two marathons as a reverse taper. If you are running two marathons close together, this is how I recommend training:
- Week 1: Take 5-7 days off running after the first marathon. You can do light cross training after 3-4 days off.
- Week 2: Run about 30 to 50 percent of your peak marathon training volume. If you’ve done intensity, you can run strides.
- Week 3a: If you marathon is the following week, maintain half of training volume. In essence, you go right back into the taper you just did.
- Week 3b: If your marathon is more than a week away, run about 75 percent of your peak marathon training volume. Long runs do not need to exceed 90 minutes to two hours for most people.
- Week 4+: If you have more than a month between marathons:
- In most cases, you can hold about 75 percent of your training volume with some intensity and marathon pace miles.
- If you have more than 8 weeks between marathons, you can resume 100 percent of your training volume and normal marathon training intensity.
- Then you can do your marathon taper as you normally would two to three weeks out from your marathon.
Please bear in mind that these recommendations vary depending on factors such as a runner’s training and injury history. The goal is to optimize recovery and maintain fitness.
Here is what NOT to do in between your two marathons:
- Do not jump right back into training.
- Do not neglect recovery.
- Do not ignore your body. If you are fatigued or something hurts, you need to reevaluate your plans.
Dr. McGrath notes that injuries tend to pop-up 4-6 weeks after an acute training phase (e.g. a marathon or peak week). Therefore, it is paramount that you give your body the rest and nutrients it needs to remodel damaged tissues and bones. Pay attention to pain!
Remember, it takes a while to lose fitness and not very much to maintain it. The goal is to stay healthy so you can get to the next marathon start line.
I highly recommend working with a running coach if your goal is to run two marathons close together. An experienced coach will be able to take into consideration all the factors of your running history plus race timelines to develop the best plan for you.
Have you run two marathons within 16 weeks of one another?
