Winter Marathon Training: What Actually Changes and What You Need to Do About It

Winter marathon training exposes weak planning fast. Cold mornings, heavy legs, poor fuelling, and missed sessions are not motivation problems. They are execution problems.

If winter training feels harder than it should, that is expected. Cold weather changes how your body works. Ignore that and progress stalls.

Why Running Feels Harder in Winter

Cold conditions change how efficiently you move.

Your body prioritises keeping the core warm. Blood flow shifts away from the muscles early in a run. Muscles stay stiffer for longer. Stride length shortens. Effort rises before pace does.

This is why the first 10 to 20 minutes often feel awful, even at easy pace. It is not fitness loss. It is cold muscle and delayed activation.

The mistake most runners make is forcing pace too early. That costs energy and increases injury risk.

Warm-Up Matters More Than Ever

In winter, the warm-up is not optional.

Easy running at the start is not enough on its own. You need to raise muscle temperature before asking for quality.

Practical approach:

Start slower than you think you need to.

Run easy for at least 15 minutes.

Add simple drills or short strides once warm.

Only then move into marathon pace or faster work.

Hard sessions done cold are rarely productive. They just add fatigue.

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Fuel Needs Go Up, Not Down

Cold weather does not reduce energy needs. It increases them.

You burn more carbohydrate in the cold. Muscles rely more heavily on glycogen. Add in the cost of staying warm and winter long runs become expensive sessions.

Common winter mistake:

Waiting until hunger kicks in to fuel. By then, it is too late.

What works:

Fuel early.

Fuel regularly.

Use carbs even when appetite is low.

On long runs, start fuelling around 30 minutes in and continue every 30 to 40 minutes. Gels and carb drinks are often easier than solid food in cold conditions.

If you feel flat late in long runs, this is usually under-fuelling, not lack of fitness.

Hydration Still Counts

Cold weather hides dehydration.

You still lose fluid through sweat and breathing. Cold air dries you out faster than you realise.

If you only drink when thirsty in winter, you are already behind.

For runs over 75 minutes, take fluid with you. Small, regular sips are enough. Warm or room-temperature drinks are often easier to tolerate.

Training Consistency Beats Perfect Conditions

Winter is where marathon plans fall apart.

Dark evenings, poor weather, and cold starts reduce session quality if you rely on motivation alone.

Solutions that work:

Train with a group when possible.

Use well-lit, repeatable routes.

Accept slower paces on bad conditions days.

Focus on time and effort, not splits.

A steady winter block builds durability. Spring speed comes from winter consistency.

Strength and Conditioning Is Not Optional

Winter is the best time to earn strength you will rely on later.

Cold conditions expose poor mechanics fast. Weak hips, poor trunk control, and inefficient gait show up as fatigue rises.

Two short strength sessions per week go a long way.

Lower body strength.

Posterior chain work.

Simple core control.

This supports running economy and reduces injury risk when mileage climbs.

Why Winter Training Pays Off

Runners who train well through winter arrive at spring sharper, more durable, and better fuelled.

Those who survive winter tend to race better than those who coast.

If you respect the conditions, adjust execution, and fuel properly, winter becomes an advantage, not an obstacle.

That is the difference between surviving marathon prep and actually progressing through it.