Marathon training long runs and hills!

[Amethyst9]

Looking for some ideas and input from others who are or have been marathon training. I’m doing Loch Ness in September. It will be my fourth marathon. I live in a hilly part of Yorkshire (Holme Valley) and am really struggling with long runs as I find it so hard to settle into a pace or rhythm. Some of the hills are too steep to run up (or I’m not fit enough!) and the stop start run/walk is difficult. I’m not particularly unfit to be honest, on flat I average around 8 minute miles but I don’t have a route from my house that’s even remotely flat.

I used to live close to a canal so could at least do my long runs here. Since my last training cycle we have moved and it’s more difficult for me to find somewhere flat to run. I’m curious to know how others navigate this? Is it worth trying to find somewhere flat or will the hills make me stronger?

The hills will make you stronger and faster, for sure. But when you get into the really long weeks and are going up to 20 or 22 miles you'll want something flatter, just to grind out the miles.

On those days, could you not pick up the TPT at Dunford Bridge, or the canal at Linthwaite or Slaithwaite?

What's the elevation profile of that marathon? Are you going to need to be good at undulating (or more?)

@Amethyst9 I'm also training for the loch ness marathon(we have a small thread going for it if you fancy joining us and sharing the highs and lows of training - https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/scotsnet/4777615-anyone-doing-the-loch-ness-marathon-in-october?reply=125676477&utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share )

Re the long runs, could you drive a reasonable distance to somewhere with a flattish profile? Or, although this is probably too soul-destroying, use a treadmill for some runs?

@fellrunner85 thanks for those suggestions, I didn’t know about the trail from Dunford Bridge. I had thought about picking up the canal from slaithewaite, sometimes find towpaths a bit isolated/scary!

@AuntieStella its undulating but largely downhill actually, the elevation across the distance is sometimes not much more than I run in an 8 miler which is why I’m struggling!

@Zerotorunninghero thanks for linking the thread I will join!

I live in a hilly corner of Yorkshire too, marathon effort not marathon pace ends up being the mantra! Paid off yesterday anyway!