When you enter a marathon, you’re not simply signing up to run 42.2 kilometres.
You’re signing up to run a particular 42.2 kilometres.
It might be pancake flat.
It might climb relentlessly.
It might contain long descents that punish your quads.
Perhaps it’s exposed to the wind, run predominantly on roads, includes sections of gravel, or has a significant climb waiting for you late in the race.
Yet many runners train exactly the same way regardless of the marathon they’ve entered.
They prepare for the distance.
But they don’t necessarily prepare for the course.
That’s a missed opportunity.
Study Your Marathon Course
One of the first things I recommend doing once you’ve entered a marathon is looking at the course.
Don’t wait until race week.
Find the course map and elevation profile and start asking questions.
Where are the major climbs?
How long are they?
Are there lots of smaller rolling hills?
Where are the descents?
Is the first half harder than the second?
Is there a significant climb after 30 kilometres?
What surface will you be running on?
Are there exposed sections where wind could become a factor?
Where are the aid stations?
The more you understand about your race, the more specifically you can prepare for it.
If Your Marathon Is Hilly, Train on Hills
This sounds obvious.
But if you’re preparing for a hilly marathon and completing virtually all your training on flat roads, you’re asking your body to solve a new problem on race day.
Hills change the demands of running.
Your pace will slow on the climbs.
Your heart rate and breathing can increase.
Your calves, glutes and other muscles need to produce more force.
Your technique changes.
And importantly, you need to learn how to control your effort rather than becoming obsessed with maintaining the same pace.
You don’t necessarily need every training run to be hilly.
But hills should become a regular part of your preparation if they’re going to be a significant part of your marathon.
Don’t Forget the Downhills
Runners tend to look at an elevation profile and worry about the climbs.
Sometimes the descents are what really hurt.
Running downhill places substantial eccentric loading through your muscles, particularly your quadriceps.
Cardiovascularly, the descent may feel easy.
Muscularly, your legs are still working hard to control every landing.
If you haven’t prepared for that, repeated descending can leave your quads battered surprisingly early in the marathon.
This is especially important when your race contains long descents or significant downhill running early in the course.
Include sensible downhill running in your preparation and give your body time to adapt gradually.
Don’t suddenly introduce aggressive downhill sessions late in your marathon build.
Match the Terrain Where You Can
You don’t need an exact replica of your marathon course outside your front door.
Look for opportunities to replicate its characteristics.
If the race is rolling, use rolling routes.
If it has several long climbs, find sustained hills.
If it’s flat and fast, include some of your marathon-specific running on flatter terrain where you can establish a consistent rhythm.
If there is a major climb late in the marathon, consider occasionally including a climb later in a long run so you experience tackling it with tired legs.
The closer your training resembles the demands of your race, the fewer surprises you’ll encounter on race day.
Your Long Runs Are Perfect for Course Preparation
Your long runs provide an excellent opportunity to introduce course specificity.
You don’t need to recreate the entire marathon every weekend.
Instead, progressively introduce some of the features you’ll encounter.
If you’re racing a rolling marathon, choose a rolling long-run route.
If there are substantial descents, include controlled downhill sections.
If your marathon has a tough climb late in the race, occasionally plan a route where you’re climbing after you’ve already accumulated some fatigue.
You’re teaching your body—and your mind—what race day is going to ask of you.
Pace by Effort on Hills
One of the biggest mistakes runners make on a hilly marathon course is trying to maintain their flat-road marathon pace uphill.
Imagine your target marathon pace is 5:30 per kilometre.
You reach a significant climb and insist on continuing at 5:30/km.
Your pace might look fantastic on your watch.
But the physiological cost could be enormous.
Instead, maintain an appropriate marathon effort.
Let your pace slow on the climb.
Keep your breathing controlled.
Stay relaxed.
Shorten your stride if necessary.
Other runners might pass you.
Let them.
You’re not trying to win the hill.
You’re trying to run the entire marathon.
Don’t Attack Every Downhill
The opposite problem often happens when runners reach the top.
They see the downhill and think:
“Great. Time to make those seconds back.”
Then they charge downhill.
That can be another expensive mistake.
Use the descent intelligently.
Stay relaxed and allow gravity to help you, but don’t recklessly attack the downhill simply to recover time lost on the climb.
Your quadriceps still have a lot of work ahead of them.
Good marathon pacing is about managing energy and muscular fatigue across the whole course—not winning individual kilometres.
Think Beyond Elevation
Course-specific training isn’t only about hills.
Consider the other characteristics of your marathon.
Surface
If part of the race is on gravel, trail, cobbles or another unfamiliar surface, some exposure during training can help.
Corners
A course containing lots of turns can feel very different from a long, straight road.
Exposure
If your marathon runs along a coastline or through exposed countryside, wind may play a significant role.
Temperature
Consider the conditions you’re likely to encounter and prepare sensibly where possible.
Aid Stations
Know where they’re located and what they’ll provide so your hydration and fuelling strategy fits the actual race.
Every piece of information helps you remove another unknown from race day.
Train Your Race Strategy Too
Once you understand the course, you can start developing your pacing strategy around it.
Perhaps the opening kilometres are downhill.
That doesn’t mean you should charge through them.
Maybe the first half is flat before a series of hills begins.
Don’t use the flat section to “bank time.”
Perhaps there’s a significant climb at 32 kilometres.
You need to arrive there with enough energy to handle it.
A good marathon strategy isn’t simply:
Run 5:30/km for 42.2 kilometres.
It might look more like:
Maintain the appropriate marathon effort and allow the terrain to influence the pace.
That distinction can make an enormous difference on a challenging course.
Familiarity Builds Confidence
There’s a psychological advantage to course-specific preparation too.
Imagine reaching a substantial hill at 30 kilometres.
Runner A hasn’t done much hill running and is immediately thinking:
“This is going to destroy me.”
Runner B has deliberately practised running hills on tired legs.
Their response might be:
“I’ve trained for this.”
The hill hasn’t changed.
But the athlete’s relationship with it has.
That’s confidence built through preparation.
You Don’t Need Perfect Conditions
Of course, sometimes you simply can’t replicate your race.
You might live somewhere completely flat while preparing for a mountainous marathon.
You might be training through winter for a race expected to be significantly warmer.
Work with what you have.
A treadmill can provide uphill running.
Strength training can help prepare your legs for some of the muscular demands.
Occasional travel to hillier terrain might allow you to complete selected long runs or key sessions.
You don’t need perfection.
You simply want your preparation to move closer towards the demands you’ll encounter.
Final Thoughts
A marathon isn’t just 42.2 kilometres.
It’s your course, your terrain, your conditions and your challenges.
So once you’ve chosen your marathon, learn as much as you can about it.
Study the elevation profile.
Understand where the difficult sections occur.
Include similar terrain in your training where practical.
Practise controlling your effort uphill.
Prepare your legs for the descents.
And use your long runs to rehearse some of the demands you’ll face.
Don’t arrive on race morning hoping your generic marathon fitness will solve every problem the course throws at you.
Train for the course you’re racing—not just the distance you’re running.
Ready to Prepare for Your Marathon?
Every marathon presents different challenges, which is why your training should reflect you, your goals and the race you’re preparing for.
If you’d like help developing a marathon programme that considers your current fitness, available training terrain, target race, pacing, fuelling and race-day strategy, book a free, no-obligation coaching consultation.
We’ll discuss your upcoming marathon and how you can prepare specifically for the demands you’ll encounter over your 42.2 kilometres.
Book your free marathon coaching consultation: