MARATHON SHAPE
Runome Marathon Shape: an eight-week volume example
Marathon preparation has a history. Read sustained weekly distance and the longest outing together before focusing on a target pace.
Use completed calendar weeks
This worked example uses eight completed calendar weeks, including weeks without a run. Using complete weeks makes their totals easier to compare and keeps a partial current week from distorting the review.
The example is a volume review, not Runome’s scoring method. It shows how to summarize a running log without turning an average or a longest run into a universal training target.
Include the zero week in the denominator
Use this illustrative eight-week sequence in kilometers: 30, 34, 38, 0, 40, 36, 42 and 44. Its total is 264 km, so the weekly average is 264 ÷ 8 = 33 km. Assume the longest recorded run in those weeks is 27 km.
| Component | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Total distance | 30 + 34 + 38 + 0 + 40 + 36 + 42 + 44 = 264 km |
| Weekly average | 264 ÷ 8 = 33 km |
| Longest run | 27 km |
Removing the zero week and dividing by seven gives about 37.71 km, which answers a different question. Keeping the fixed eight-week window prevents a gap from disappearing merely because no run was recorded.
Read the average and the longest run together
The 33 km weekly average describes the whole period. The 27 km longest run describes one outing. They answer different questions, so keep them side by side with the dates and distribution of the other runs.
A higher average can come from more consistent running or from a few unusually large weeks. Inspect the sequence before deciding what changed. A longer outing also deserves a closer look at its duration, terrain and recovery afterward.
Review your history in Runome
Use Runome to review recent volume, long runs and race readiness together. Check that the activity history is complete and keep your preparation separate from a predicted finish time.
The two-input comparison shows why different histories can have different limiting factors. The race-prediction guide explains why extrapolated speed and recorded volume should not be collapsed into one readiness claim.