Designing Your Marathon and Ultra Season: A Big-Picture Blueprint

Designing Your Marathon and Ultra Season: A Big-Picture Blueprint

By Nick Hancock, Maximum Mileage Coaching

It’s that time of year again—runners everywhere are filling their calendars with fresh challenges and eyeing new personal records. But before you click “register” one very tempting event, it’s worth stepping back and creating a strategic, season-wide blueprint. This high-level approach helps you focus on what matters most, avoid overtraining, and reach peak performance when it really counts.

I’m Nick Hancock, a UESCA Certified Ultrarunning Coach, UK Athletics Licensed Running Coach, sub-3 marathoner, and competitive ultrarunner. I specialize in helping committed runners—parents and professionals alike—optimize their training for marathons and ultramarathons. Below is a step-by-step guide to planning your running season with a wide-angle lens.

1. Identify Your Cornerstone Events

The first step is to mark the key races on your calendar. These are your main goals—whether that’s nailing a spring marathon, conquering a summer 50K, or tackling a fall 100-miler. Everything else in your plan will revolve around these cornerstone events.

• Be Realistic: If you’re juggling family and work commitments, you’ll likely have time and energy for just one or two “A” races.
• Leave Buffer Time: Space out your major events to allow for proper recovery and a gradual training ramp-up.

2. Build from General to Specific

Once you’ve locked in your big races, consider how you’ll develop the specific fitness and skills required for each. Early in the year or months away from your target event, you can emphasize less race-specific training. As race day approaches, dial in the elements that matter most for your particular course and distance.

• Early Phases (General Work): High-intensity intervals, faster running, or even cross-training to build a strong cardiovascular base.
• Late Phases (Specific Work): Long endurance runs, elevation training, heat acclimation—whatever mirrors the exact demands of your race.

Example: If you’re prepping for a hilly ultramarathon, you might do flat speedwork in the early months to boost overall fitness. As race day nears, shift to extended climbs and descents to simulate the course.

3. Schedule Tune-Up Races and Training Blocks

Tune-up races serve as both training benchmarks and mental prep. They help you gauge your pacing, nutrition, and mindset in a real race setting—without the pressure of your “A” event.

• Pick a Few Key Checkpoints: Maybe a 10K or half marathon in the spring if you’re targeting a fall marathon.
• Allow Recovery: Plan at least a week of lighter training after each tune-up to recharge before the next block.

Alongside tune-up races, structure your training into cycles of building and recovering. Typically, 3–4 weeks of increasing intensity or mileage are followed by 1 week of reduced load.

4. Factor in Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Most runners know where they shine and where they struggle. If you excel on flat, fast courses but falter on technical trails, address that gap earlier in the season. Conversely, if a certain skill is already strong and highly relevant to your race, reinforce it closer to race day to keep it sharp.

• Early Season: Focus on your weaknesses when you have the time to make meaningful gains.
• Final Weeks: Polish your strengths so you arrive at the start line feeling confident in what you do best.

5. Adapt and Evolve as You Go

A season plan is a living document, not a rigid script. Injuries, life events, and shifts in motivation can all demand changes. The key is to stay flexible while keeping your primary goals in sight.

• Listen to Your Body: If fatigue or aches start to mount, dial back for a week.
• Adjust for Progress: If you’re improving faster than expected, you might extend a speed phase or add an extra tune-up race.
• Keep Communicating: If you’re working with a coach, regular check-ins ensure your plan stays on track.

Putting It All Together

When you zoom out and view your season as a whole, you’ll see how each phase builds on the last. By carefully spacing your cornerstone races, integrating tune-ups, and shifting from general to race-specific training, you set yourself up for a strong performance—and minimize the risk of burnout.

Final Thoughts

Crafting awell-rounded season plan is a powerful way to reach your racing goals withoutsacrificing the rest of your busy life. By being selective with your events,balancing intensity and volume, and staying responsive to your body’s signals,you’ll not only achieve new personal bests but also enjoy the journey along theway.

Nick Hancock
UESCA Certified Ultrarunning Coach, UK Athletics Licensed Running Coach,sub-3 marathoner, and competitive ultrarunner.
Helping busy runners achieve big goals without compromising their work orfamily life.