Is High Mileage Right for You? Experts Break Down How to Find Your Volume Sweet Spot
Lately, it’s impossible to scroll through social media without finding running influencers logging run after run. Maybe you’ve heard one of Sabastian Sawe’s secrets to breaking two hours in the marathon was reportedly logging an astounding 150 miles at his peak, or about how high mileage and durability training helps ultrarunners like Jenn Lichter and Rachel Entrekin unlock record-breaking performances.
It makes it easy to wonder if you should hop on the high-mileage train too.
However, many marathoners find that lowering their volume after years of maximizing miles, even dropping to the minimum weekly mileage for marathon training, actually helps unlock their fastest times yet.
So what’s right for you? And what does low versus high mileage really look like?
If you want to get the most out of your marathon training cycle, whether that means running as much as you can handle or scrapping junk miles from your schedule, experts say it starts with examining your current weekly averages and then finding your sweet spot. This can help you not only PR, but also maintain longevity in the sport. Here’s how to do that.
High vs. Low Mileage: What Does That Look Like?
Generally speaking, low-mileage marathoners typically stick to about 30 to 35 miles per week, says Danielle Hirt, RRCA-certified run coach and founder of Run With Coach D. This often looks like averaging three to six days a week of running.
High-mileage marathoners may clock around eight to 10 hours of running across five to seven days a week, and average at least about 60 miles per week.
Signs You Should Run Low Mileage
1. You’re Super Busy
Every runner juggles miles with other activities on the schedule, like family, work, social life, horse chores, and other hobbies. You can’t expect to take on more miles when your schedule doesn’t allow for it, at least without hindering your recovery.
“High mileage can feel overwhelming to fit into the day if you’re busy with an eight-hour workday, a commute, and kids,” says Laura Norris, a Seattle-based certified personal trainer and run coach with an MS in applied exercise science. “Low volume lets you fit it in and recover well from it.”
Norris explains that recovery is an important piece of how you absorb and adapt to training. If you’re juggling stress from work, school, or your social life, you’re spending energy on recovering from those parts of your life on top of recovering from running, so you’re likely better off lowering your mileage.
Low mileage also works well for runners who spend a lot of time exercising outside of running, like weightlifting, swimming, cycling, or participating in other sports. High mileage might be too much for these runners to take on with the load of their other activities, Norris says.
The good news: A three-day marathon training plan can help you fit in the miles you need to tackle 26.2 effectively without blocking off too much time on your calendar.
2. You’re Injury-Prone or Feeling Tired All the Time
If you typically find that you run into knee pain, tight calves, or other common running injuries, you’re more likely to thrive on low mileage to keep you from experiencing constant setbacks.
Norris explains that low mileage can give injury-prone runners the time and flexibility to figure out the underlying cause of their injuries, have enough time to rest and recover, and consult physical therapists and coaches to address the issues.
Even if you’re not exactly injured, but you’re really fatigued and unmotivated coming off short midweek runs, then a high-mileage schedule is probably not for you, says Jon Green, founder and head coach of Verde Track Club. If you’re already dealing with unmanageable levels of fatigue like constantly feeling tired or needing more rest time than usual, then increasing your training volume would only add to that. This could also show up in your hard workouts, like consistently missing paces or cutting them short because of fatigue.
3. You’re a Newbie
Simply put, the newer you are to running (for example, you have less than a year of consistent running under your belt), the lower your weekly mileage. If your body isn’t used to running, you want to gradually introduce the stimulus and give yourself time to fully adapt, Norris explains. That’s why beginner marathoners looking to complete 26.2 often lean toward lower mileage, especially if they’re not focused on an ambitious time goal.
Logging lower weekly mileage totals as you get into running regularly or returning to running doesn’t mean you can’t build up to higher mileages, though. Mileage is a changeable variable as you grow in your running journey, says Hirt. “You may find that you begin as a lower-mileage runner, but then through proper recovery, proper progression, and strength training, you can develop into a higher-mileage runner,” she says.
Benefits of Low Mileage
+Makes scheduling easier
+Generally lower risk of injury and burnout
+Easier to balance with other types of training
+Helps newer runners build and maintain consistency
Signs You Should Run High Mileage
1. You’re Ready to Progress and Run Farther
If you’ve recovered well from gradual weekly mileage increases—like building up from 20 miles at the start of a plan to 40 miles a couple of months later—and you feel like you can handle more, you might thrive at higher volumes. Signs you recovered well include running longer without feeling fatigued, avoiding stomach issues, and sidestepping frequent soreness.
Runners who have a high “training age” typically find it easy to run at higher mileage, says Hirt; training age refers to the amount of time you’ve spent consistently building endurance and fitness. The more time you’ve spent running consistently, the better your body can adapt to a gradual increase in mileage, she adds.
2. You Want to Stop Fading Late in Races
Every runner struggles with holding on to pace in the final miles of a marathon. But fading late in races and even long runs can be a telltale sign that you could use more mileage in your training, as long as you’re able to handle it.
Norris explains that if you struggle to maintain late-race performance, you probably need to work on your durability or physiological resilience. “No matter how great they feel early in the race, or how well they feel, they just begin to fall apart,” Norris says of those lacking this fitness trait. “There is a correlation between higher mileage and better durability, especially late in a marathon.”
3. Your Runs Bring You Energy
Norris explains that you might up your mileage if you feel mentally and physically fresh throughout training and you genuinely want to do more. This is especially true for runners who gravitate toward or find success in longer distances like marathons, Norris says.
Hirt suggests that you might also enjoy how more easy miles make you feel in between hard days, aiding recovery. This can keep you motivated throughout your build.
If you’re having fun and want to push volume, add about 10 percent to your weekly mileage to see how you respond. This might look like adding a few miles across easy runs or building your weekly long run, while dialing back intensity. You might also eventually add a doubles day to your schedule each week.
4. You Really Want to Break a Fast Time Barrier
Mileage is the foundation for distance running, so the more you can log, the more you can build off of that in your marathon training (as long as you still stick to your own personal boundaries).
Research shows more mileage leads to faster times. In a study published in Sports Medicine in September 2025, a team of Boston Marathon sports medicine experts analyzed the training logs and finish times of 917 runners who completed the 2022 race. They found that 10 or more hours of running per week correlated to the most improvement in marathon finish times, compared to training less per week.
Similarly, a study from 2024 in Sports Medicine of more than 119,000 runners found that the fastest marathoners clocked more than 60-mile weeks. But an important note: They increased their mileage via mostly easy efforts (moderate and hard training remained the same across groups).
Green explains that you’ll see successful runners at every level running all different types of mileages. Every runner is unique, so keep in mind that it’s important to avoid comparing yourself to others or correlating a specific number of miles to a successful performance. “It’s really up to the individual athlete to figure out what’s best for them,” he says.
Benefits of High Mileage
+Ability to run farther and get faster
+Better chance of snagging a PR and raising fitness level
+You get to spend more time doing what you love
Kristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.