How many weeks before your marathon should you do your last long run?

I just did my longest run this past Sunday, 24 miles five weeks out. I will do my final 20+ three weeks out, plan being 22 miles.

Im not that fast, but many plans I’ve seen have:

4-5 weeks out (usually 5): tune-up race or long run (depending on 4 vs. 5 longer without quality miles, or 15-18 with).

4: see 4-5 above. Quality miles in shorter long run if no tune-up or quality there. Otherwise, easy.

3: longest long run. usually 20-26 in plans I’ve seen, depending on runner’s pace & mileage. Easy or light progression (e.g.., from easy to “general aerobic,” or slower end of easy range to faster).

2. 75-80% of longest, with 35-50% mp at the end.

1. 55-60% of longest, with 35-50% mp at the end.

race day: open up an industrial-size can of whoop-tushie

I usually did mine the weekend before the race. Sometimes I'd follow up by not eating carbohydrates for the next three days then eating loads of them for the following three. that was the old Depletion Diet.

3-5 weeks out.

2 weeks out is maybe 16-18. 1 week out is maybe 12-14. Maybe 3 is 20-21 w./ some tempo @ MP, 4 or 5 is your longest, keeping it easy/steady.

20 miles 4 weeks out.

I'm not sure. You should ask the Edmonton 'Thon king about this.

If your race is on a Sunday, 20 miles on that Saturday, minimum

My fall '21 weekly long runs:

15

13

17

20

14

17

20

16

14

Marathon

2 hours (21 miles max), three weeks before and do it at marathon pace / effort.

Personally I kept running 100 miles a week through the marathon, with 10 miles at marathon pace 4 days before, then 11, 6, 2 the last three days.

A friend of mine had lower mileage, tapered more drastically over the last two weeks, fell back after the first 6 miles and finished about 5 minutes behind me.

P.S. The 10 miles was part of an 18 mile day.

This is ridiculous if you're going faster than a shuffle. 21 miles at MP? Might as well just do the full 26 at that point

day before

Thanks for those with a thoughtful response

Some of you aren’t helpful and your attempts at being funny are really weak

As always, different things work for different people, but I know a good many folks have their last long run three weeks before the race. They didn't necessarily back off their total mileage thereafter.

Longest run 4 weeks out, then final long run 2.5 weeks out is what I do.

I don't do weekly long runs, I do two of them every 3 weeks, so basically a long run every 1.5 weeks.

4 weeks before i target 20 steady (MP+20-35sec)

3 weeks before i target 12-15 @ MP. with warmup/cooldown it's close to 20

I always do a shakeout marathon the morning of my marathon. So wake up at like 1am. Do the shakeout. Strides. Then race. I try to fit in some Taco Bell before the race. At least 3 tacos. Need the carbs so you don’t bonk.

I started running 41 years ago and I am 57 years old. The rule of thumb I learned many years ago from marathon experts is about 2 weeks out

What is the saying? YMMV? Three weeks would out would be sufficient. I usually do the longest run of the block two weeks before race day. But find what works for you.