Training for the upcoming Melbourne Marathon? Whether you’re tackling your first marathon or chasing a personal best, proper preparation is essential to staying injury-free and performing at your best on race day.
Here are some of the most common marathon training mistakes we see as physiotherapists — and how to avoid them.
1. Doing Too Much Too Soon
One of the biggest mistakes runners make is increasing their training load too quickly. While motivation is great, your body needs time to adapt to the demands of marathon training.
A good rule of thumb is to increase your training load gradually, aiming for no more than a 10% increase per week in either distance OR intensity
Avoid increasing both at the same time. For example, don’t significantly increase your weekly kilometres while also adding faster interval sessions. Sudden spikes in training load are one of the leading contributors to running-related injuries.
2. Skipping Strength Training
Many runners focus entirely on running volume and neglect strength training. However, strength work plays a huge role in improving running efficiency, performance, and injury prevention.
A well-designed strength program can help:
Improve running speed and efficiency
Build resilience in muscles and tendons
Reduce the risk of common injuries such as shin splints, runner’s knee, and Achilles tendinopathy
Improve power and endurance late in races
Key areas to target include:
Glutes
Calves
Hamstrings
Core
Single-leg stability
Even two short strength sessions per week can make a significant difference during marathon preparation.
3. Not Respecting Recovery
Many runners underestimate the importance of:
Adequate sleep
Nutrition
Hydration
Managing stress
Rest days
Easy recovery sessions
Without proper recovery, fatigue accumulates and the risk of injury and burnout increases. Prioritising recovery allows your body to repair, rebuild, and come back stronger for the next session.
One of the most common mistakes runners make is under-fuelling. If you’re not eating enough to support your training load, your body cannot recover efficiently. This can negatively impact performance, energy levels, and increase the risk of bone stress injuries and other overuse injuries.
4. Training Through Pain
It’s common for runners to ignore small aches and pains during marathon training. However, pushing through a “niggle” can quickly turn a manageable issue into a more serious injury.
Pain is your body’s way of signalling that something needs attention. Early assessment and treatment can help prevent injuries from worsening and reduce time spent away from training.
If something doesn’t feel right, it’s always better to address it early rather than wait until you’re forced to stop running completely.
5. Not Activating Before Running
A proper warm-up is often overlooked. However, activation exercises help improve muscle recruitment, enhance running mechanics and performance, and reduce injury risk.
Simple activation exercises before running may include:
Calf raises
Glute bridges
Banded crab walks
Final Thoughts
Marathon training is a long journey, and smart training is just as important as hard training. Avoiding these common mistakes can help you stay healthy, consistent, and ready to perform your best on race day.
If you’re dealing with pain, recovering from injury, or wanting guidance with your training, our physiotherapy and exercise physiology team can help keep you running strong throughout your marathon preparation.