Experts advise shifting key long runs and pace workouts to flat routes eight to 13 weeks before a flat marathon while retaining hills for strength.
On October 10, 2026, Runner’s World published practical training guidance for endurance athletes preparing for flat marathons. The publication drew on interviews with exercise physiologist and coach Janet Hamilton alongside coaches Jon Mott and Daren Lake. Their central recommendation clarifies a common misunderstanding about race profiles. Many runners assume that a lack of elevation automatically makes a race easier, but these experts emphasize that flat courses require highly specific pacing strategies.
A flat route demands a relentless physical rhythm that can quickly exhaust an unprepared athlete. When a course features rolling hills, your body naturally shifts its mechanical load. You recruit different muscle fibers as you transition from climbing to descending. A completely level course removes these natural breaks in rhythm.
Hamilton explicitly says flat courses are not inherently tougher than hilly courses. They simply demand a different kind of sustained rhythm. You have to prepare your body for that exact mechanical demand. Failing to respect this difference is a common error among ambitious marathoners.
The primary conclusion from these experts is highly specific regarding route selection. Runner’s World’s interviewed experts recommend prioritizing flatter routes for key marathon pace sessions and long runs while keeping some hill work in the plan. This priority ensures your legs adapt to the unbroken repetition of level ground. You want your body to memorize the exact feeling of your goal pace without elevation changes confusing your effort levels.
To build that specific endurance, you have to adjust your training timeline well in advance. Coach Daren Lake told Runner’s World that most runners can begin prioritizing flatter terrain at least eight weeks before race day. Those pursuing ambitious goals or major qualifying times may need even more preparation. Lake notes that these ambitious athletes could start prioritizing flat routes 12 to 13 weeks out.
This unyielding physical reality leads directly into a significant early pacing trap. Lake told Runner’s World that some runners start too fast because the effort feels comfortable early on. Without hills to force a natural reduction in speed, runners may push the pace too aggressively during the opening miles. Lake notes that they often only notice around miles 10 to 15 that they have spent too much energy.
By the time the fatigue truly registers, the damage to their race is often already done. For athletes dealing with slower recovery times due to aging, this early overexertion carries severe consequences. A poorly paced first half not only ruins the race result but can also extend post race soreness for weeks. Masters athletes often build impressive aerobic engines over years of consistent training.
However, pacing discipline becomes even more critical as we aim for ambitious finishes on aging legs. You cannot rely on the terrain to dictate your effort for you. You must learn to control your own rhythm through dedicated rehearsal. Proper preparation helps you maintain excellent form when muscular fatigue inevitably sets in.
Mott suggests scheduling one key session per week on flatter terrain. Many marathon training plans include both a specific pace workout and a long run in the same week. In this scenario, Mott offers a very practical solution for busy adult athletes. He suggests alternating which of those sessions uses a flatter route.
You can leave the other session on any available terrain that week. This approach provides the necessary race rehearsal without requiring a complete overhaul of your daily routines. Taking this structured approach helps you balance everyday training convenience with vital race specific preparation. Hamilton provides an excellent illustrative workout for practicing this sustained rhythm.
As one example, coach Janet Hamilton suggests a 16 mile run to build specific pacing discipline. The run begins with six easy miles to build initial fatigue in the legs. It then continues with six miles at goal marathon pace. During this specific block, you should aim to stay within five to seven seconds per mile of your target.
The workout then concludes with an easy finish to properly flush the legs. Practicing this kind of restraint early in a long run is a core part of tactical pacing for masters runners. It forces you to respect the distance and lock into a rhythm rather than surging. You learn exactly what your target effort feels like when you are already tired.
Finding adequately flat terrain can be a major logistical challenge in many regions. If you live in a hilly area, you have to get creative with your available routes. Lake suggests using a repeated short loop or a simple out and back route. This repetition can also offer a great chance to practice checking your pace and effort consistently.
Running a loop helps you internalize your goal pace without relying heavily on your watch. It builds the mental focus required to monitor your own effort during a long race. For runners managing chronic overuse injuries, a controlled loop also offers a safe environment. You are never far from your starting point if a familiar ache flares up during a long session.
Runners also have alternative surface options for these key workouts. A track can be used selectively for highly controlled marathon pace sessions. However, the Runner's World article notes that a track has a softer surface that does not fully mimic road conditions. Treadmills are presented as another viable option when winter weather or safe access becomes a problem.
You just should not rely on treadmills too heavily for all your key sessions. You still need the specific impact of asphalt to prepare your joints and connective tissues for race day. Crucially, training for a flat marathon does not mean eliminating hills entirely from your schedule. Runner’s World’s interviewed experts recommend keeping some hills in the program.
Hills build essential leg strength and provide valuable variations in muscular stress. They force your body to engage different muscle groups and stabilize your joints at varying angles. This variation is a critical defense against the overuse injuries that plague older runners on highly repetitive flat routes. Suggestions for keeping hills include maintaining inclines during your standard easy runs.
You can also use a rolling route once or twice a week to maintain your structural durability. Alternatively, you might add short hill repetitions after an easy session is complete. The ultimate goal is to keep the strength benefits of hills while reserving flat terrain for pacing rehearsals. This balanced approach protects an aging body while preparing it for the specific demands of race day.
Understanding how different profiles affect your body is critical for evaluating various racing strategies. You want to arrive at the start line with strong legs and a deeply rehearsed sense of pace. For masters athletes eyeing the first 10 kilometres of an endurance event, holding back on flat ground is the ultimate test of maturity. It requires setting your ego aside and trusting the plan.
By shifting your long runs and pace workouts to flat ground, you remove the guesswork from race day. You learn exactly how your body responds to unbroken, repetitive motion over long distances. This prevents the classic mistake of running too fast simply because the road is smooth. You build the specific muscular resilience required to maintain your form in the final hours of the race.
Ultimately, it allows you to cross the finish line feeling strong, controlled, and proud of your execution.
The veteran endurance athlete treats a flat marathon course with the respect it demands by rehearsing a disciplined pace on level ground while retaining the structural strength built through selective hill work.
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