Q+A: Marathons: How far apart should they be?
Our experts answer real-life questions
Posted: 16 August 2004
by Bud Baldaro
Q I’m going to celebrate my 50th birthday by running two marathons with a gap of just three weeks between them. What’s the best way to go about this task?
A A three-week gap between marathons isn’t my usual recommendation. Ordinarily, I’d suggest that you have at least three months before tackling another 26.2-mile race. As it’s your birthday, though, I’ll make an exception. (In fact, such a feat isn’t that unusual or unachievable. Rory Coleman, who took part in the Flora 1000-Mile Challenge, famously runs a marathon a week.)
The first thing to do is, of course, to make sure that you’ve trained enough. The good news is you don’t need to complete two marathon schedules. The training you do for the first of your marathons will be perfectly adequate to get you through the second.
In fact, you shouldn’t even try to train for the second one. Instead, take a week to 10 days recovery. That could mean complete rest, or some gentle swimming or relaxed cycling, but little else.
It’s also essential that you eat well to replenish your energy reserves and drink plenty of fluid. I’d recommend that you treat yourself to two or three gentle massages during this time. When you feel fully rested you can include some very, very relaxed runs of 25-30 minutes. That means no speedwork, no hill reps and no long runs.
It’s important that you use the three weeks between the races not only for your body to recover but also for your mind to relax and de-stress. It’s also important that, no matter what happens in your first marathon, you take only the positives into the second.
—Bud Baldaro, RW Contributing Editor and elite coach
Discuss this article
I have found that "each to their own" - I did London in 2002 and did Belfast 3 weeks later - my body was really struggling at the 24 mile marker in belfast...  .  but, that was because my body was recovering from London.... in 2006 I decided on 2 marathons in a week to mark my dad's 20th anniversary - Dublin and NYC as Dublin is run on the bank holiday Monday I had 5 days between them...  in Dublin I knocked 20 mins from my previous pb  , 5 days later knocked a further 30 mins from the pb I set earlier in the week..  but... I had put in the training - each weekend I was 30- 35 miles over the 2 days... I broke up the mileage as well... as I'm a "plodder" time is not an issue - so did a 7 mile route early am, did a few things round the house and garden, then lunch time did another 5 miler, home again, late afternoon another 3 miler and in the late evening another 6 miles or so... therefore the mileage was in my legs - I did a route of 27 miles point to point 5 weeks before Dublin(walking), following week did 18 miles hike in the mountains, next week the 27 miler again.. then broke up the distances again.. it worked for me.. it may not work for somebody else.. this year I'm aiming to do 3 maras in a month  and my training so far is going well - might even knock my pb again! and doing the same type of training - I'm slow so maybe that's why I can do this (6 hours -6 1/2 hours) somebody doing a 4 hour mara may not be able to do it.... so, as I said at the beginning "each to their own" I am the only expert of my body and mind.... and i think that each marathoner or half marathoner is like that too... yes we can take on board what others say... but 2 very similar people in build, speed, stamina etc can have a very different mind set... we are all individuals and we should all acknowledge that!!!
Posted: 08/02/2008 at 11:57
My sister, having run single marathons before, is going to attempt to do the marathons on Lewis and Harris in May with a day in between. Has anyone out there done something similar and have you got any good training advice or other tips which might help her to achieve this. I am going along to support her and would like to be able to give her as much help as possible but, as I have only just started runnning myself, this is way beyond my experience! Thanks Liz
Posted: 09/03/2008 at 16:09
Evelyn I read you bit with interest. I am doing the London Marthon 26th April 2009. My fist marathon was the Dublin marathon 27 October this year 2008 time 5.55. so I am also at this time a plodder but saying that I plan to do a better time in London. I have been thinking of doing the Edinburgh marathon 31 May but not sure if I am able to take part in that. I thought it would be good to do Ireland England and Scotland marathons. I will not see 56 again. I am training now and have just bought a heart rate monitor, hope to able to understand how to use it soon as I have heard it could improve my training times. Mature mum Sheila
Posted: 21/11/2008 at 20:52
Hi Sheila! London and Edinburgh are a nice combination and should be well within your capabilities!! However, if you feel the time in between is too short and are looking at Scotland could I suggest another one for you to look at.. The Loch Ness one which is held in September.. they encourage all standards which means us plodders are welcome, and even though I've yet to do it.. I haven't heard a bad word said about Ness, equally I haven't heard anything bad about the new Edinburgh route which is apparently a much faster route than London... my only advice is to "pretend" that London is a pracrise for Edinbugh.. a long slow run.. it may happen to be a marathon, but don't go out pushing yourself to the limit.. enjoy the day and experience!! I use the same training as what I used ofr my horse when we competed in the endurance discipline, I mainly competed over the 25 - 40 mile distance.. there are very strict vetinary controls before, during and after the race.. and if the horse crossed the line and "wasn't able to go on" they failed and you were eliminated.. that's the same way as I work!! It may seem funny that I should swap over ideas from horses to people but it really has worked for me... Good luck and contact me if you need further advice.. however Plodding Hippo, Shades, and others on here are incredibly helpful too, and they have far more marathon experience than I have.. don't be afraid to contact them as they are incredibly encouraging to EVERYBODY!!! Best wishes Evelyn
Posted: 24/11/2008 at 09:12
Cheers Evelyn I'm doing the Loch ness marthon 4th October, decided against the Edinburgh marathon after the FLM. I'm going the FLM in Fancy a Honey Bee, I watch to dress different than out on the roads as I train. I'm not looking forward to mile 19 onwards. Did some cross training today Cardio. Treadmill 21 mins which included some fast work. Four minutes running stead and three lots of 2 minutes fast at speed 9. I want to do more work in the gym as my right knee is slightly tender. I always train on the country roads where I live in Suffolk. I do hope to get a better time than 5.55 in London. Ideally I'd really like to do a sub 5!!! Looking forward to 26 April thirteen days after my 58th birthday. Kind Regards Sheila
Posted: 24/02/2009 at 20:11
Wonderful news Sheila!! You will really enjoy Ness! After London and the city streets the rural route that Ness takes you on will give you a different experience and I hope one that you will enjoy!!!! Taking my home one out (Dublin) my 2 favourite marathons are as diverse as NYC amongst skyscrapers and a major city with 42,000 others plodding away the other? Newry last May which spent 2 miles along streets and 24.2 miles along country roads and laneways with skylarks and farm animals the only sign of life as there were 350 competitors!! Hope all goes well for you!! Hey... why not Wales too? There are a number of really nice marathons in Wales.. a tough one is the Snowdonia marathon which does have a bit off road at the end of October!!!! best wishes Evelyn
Posted: 25/02/2009 at 09:48
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