“August already? Jaysus. Thought we had loads of time…”
Welcome to August. The final bank holiday’s fading in the rear-view mirror, your WhatsApp group is full of smug 14-milers, and your marathon plan looks more like a game of darts than a schedule. If you're a first-timer gearing up for the Dublin Marathon and you're starting to wonder if you're a bit behind, you're not alone.
The good news? You’ve still got time. The bad news? It’s time to stop pretending your Sunday jog to the shop counts as “base building.”
Let’s break down where you should be right now and how to steady the ship if things have been a bit… relaxed.
What a Solid Week Looks Like in Early August
At this stage (12-ish weeks out), your body should be getting used to running four times a week or at least three consistently, if you're juggling work, kids, or a general disdain for physical effort.
Here’s a sample beginner-friendly week:
- 1 long run (10–13 miles if you’re on track, 7–9 if you’re building up slowly)
- 1 short recovery run (3–5 miles)
- 1 mid-length steady run (5–7 miles)
- Optional: a fourth session, hills, treadmill intervals, or a second short run
Still think you're behind? You’re not. Not unless you plan to show up in Merrion Square dressed as a baguette with no training and a dream. In which case… fair play, actually.
Getting Your Long Runs in Line (Without Panicking)
Your long runs don’t need to be heroic epics yet. You’ve still got time to build up to the 18-20 mile biggies in September.
This week’s aim? Get a long run over 90 minutes. Distance is great, but time on feet matters more right now. Stick to an easy pace, if you can’t chat comfortably, you’re going too fast. This is not the time to race your own shadow.
Oh, and remember: no one cares how fast you run it. Nobody’s winning the training.
Cross-Training? Still a Thing.
Not everything has to be running. If your knees are whispering threats and your calves feel like pulled pork, it’s a great time to sub in a swim, bike, or gym session.
A few rules:
- No HIIT classes where someone named Declan shouts at you to “push through the burn”
- No random YouTube workouts labelled “insane”
- Yes to yoga, yes to elliptical, yes to long walks with podcasts about serial killers
Cross-training isn’t slacking, it’s just giving your legs a chance to calm the hell down.
Red Flags You’re Actually Behind
Right, so here’s when you should be worried:
- You haven’t run over 5 miles yet, ever
- Your weekly mileage is still under double digits
- You think “fuelling” just means eating a bar of chocolate before a jog
If that’s you, don’t give up. But do adjust your expectations. Dublin Marathon can absolutely still be finished, even if you’re starting behind schedule. You’ll just need to:
- Prioritise long runs above all else
- Forget about pace and time goals
- Accept that walking sections are grand (and probably inevitable)
The August Mantra: Build, Don’t Burn
This month is your foundation. No one wins marathon training in August, but plenty of people lose it by doing too much, too soon.
Instead of panicking, focus on this:
- Be consistent (3 runs per week > 1 heroic run followed by 6 days of hobbling)
- Increase gradually (long run: no more than +1–2 miles per week)
- Stay humble (you are not Eliud Kipchoge, you are a regular Irish legend in training)
Conclusion
You’re not behind. Not really. Unless you stay where you are.
August is when things start to click, if you let them. It’s when your long runs get longer, your training becomes a habit, and your mates finally stop asking, “Wait, you’re doing the marathon?”
So lace up, get a decent plan in place (or dust off the one you printed in April), and start stringing together some honest miles.
You’ve got 12 weeks. Time to start acting like it.
And remember, even if you are behind, you’ll still pass ten people on race day who forgot to train and showed up powered by Lucozade and hope. Just don’t be one of them.