The hardest miles are the ones that count the most

Hi Reader,

Let’s be honest - when the days get shorter, the weather turns cold, and it feels like the sun is on holiday, getting out the door for a run becomes one of the hardest parts of marathon training.

This time of year, it’s not just about clocking up the miles; it’s also about battling your own motivation. Setting off into the rain, facing gusts of wind, and running in what feels like perpetual gloom can make even the most dedicated runners question their sanity.

Just last week at the AFD Club track session, the torrents of rain finally paused a few minutes before we warmed up. Sure, there was still a biting wind, but the track was suddenly perfect. Leaving home, though - stepping into that rain and dark - wasn’t easy. And I know for many of you aiming at a spring marathon, January also marks the heaviest training block of your plan. Some of my athletes are facing double days: lacing up before work in the dark, and again after the sun’s gone down. For many, day jobs interrupt the rhythm - making those precious daylight miles a rarity.

In this season, I often get emails from new runners on my programmes, saying: “I feel like I’m getting slower.” It can feel deeply demotivating. There’s something doubly hard about it happening just when the world around you feels its most grey and lifeless.

But let me reassure you - this is not only normal, but it’s also expected. In fact, it’s proof that you are doing the work that counts.

Why January feels tough - physically and mentally

Here’s the science: January is when you are building your aerobic base, focusing on increasing your overall weekly volume and making those long runs even longer. Physiologically, these steady miles are crucial.

Endurance is like a bank account - you need to keep making consistent deposits, week in, week out. It’s the foundation on which all future speedwork and race-readiness are built, because adaptations to endurance training take time. Leave the big runs until the end of your plan, and you’ll miss out on the compounding benefits that come with patiently laying the groundwork.

That said, endurance work is rarely glamorous. You may feel like your legs are heavy, and your pace has deserted you. In fact, much of the fatigue you’re experiencing is simply the body adapting, which shows up as that sluggishness, especially at this stage when intensity is low and volume is up. The pay-off comes later.

From plodding along to flying: My winter of 1982/83

I’ve been right where you are. In January 1983, my own training was all about repeating steady miles in the darkness. For some context: I’d just finished 3rd in the Commonwealth Games Marathon the previous October, rounding out the year 3rd in the GB marathon rankings. Yet, in the Kent Cross Country Championships that January - a race I’d always wanted to win - I could only manage 5th place. I was disappointed, but I knew the reason: the fatigue from a winter full of high-volume aerobic work. I was deep in my build-up for the London Marathon, and my legs constantly felt like I was just “plodding along.”

But here’s the lesson - rather than despair, I trusted the process.

Through January, I started layering in hill sessions to build leg strength. The work slowly began to pay off: by mid-February, I won a 10-mile race in 48:30. March saw further progress - another 10-mile race, this time clocking 47:11, and a blazing 5K relay split of 13:35 on the road. To top it off, in early April, I raced from Rome to Ostia (28km), finishing a close second after being outsprinted at the end - but I passed through the half-marathon mark in a PB of 63 minutes.

The real reward? By April, I felt absolutely “flying” and won the London Marathon with a new PB of 2:09, topping the year’s UK marathon rankings. All because I stuck with the process, accepting that the toughest miles in January were quietly transforming me for the months ahead.

What this means for you

So if you’re heading out for your run this week, wondering why everything feels flat, or frustrated that your paces aren’t matching last summer’s, remember: you are exactly where you need to be. The drudgery of winter training is the secret sauce that fuels your breakthroughs later in the year.

Here’s what you can do right now:

• Embrace the aerobic base phase - run easy and run long.
• Don’t panic about slower paces - trust that speed and sharpness will return as you layer in hills, threshold, and intervals when the time is right.
• Know that even the elites (and coaches like me!) face the same winter doubts.
• Reflect on your “why” and celebrate your discipline; you’re investing in your spring performance now.

So, keep getting out the door - whether it’s before dawn, after work, or under January’s grey skies. You’re not just surviving the winter; you’re building the strongest version of yourself for the spring.

Read on for a great hill workout this week...

Hill workout: Build lasting strength this winter

Adding hill sessions to your base phase is one of the smartest ways to develop leg strength, running economy, and mental grit—essential building blocks for those spring races on the horizon.

Here’s a session to try this week:

Warm-up (10-15 minutes):

• Begin with an easy jog.
• Add in dynamic stretches: high knees, butt kicks, leg swings.
• Finish with a few quick strides to get the legs ready.

Main set:

• Find a moderate hill (4-6% gradient), about 60–90 seconds to run up.
• Run uphill at a strong but controlled effort - focus on form: drive the knees, keep your posture tall, and use your arms.
• Walk or jog slowly back down to recover.
• Repeat: 6 to 10 times, adjusting the number to your current fitness.

Cool-down (10 minutes):

• Jog easily back home.
• Take time for static stretches, targeting your calves, hamstrings, and quads.

Making hill workouts a part of your routine now means you’ll emerge into spring training strong, resilient, and ready to tackle those sharper, faster sessions ahead.

Dig deep and trust the journey - you’ll thank yourself in April.

Keep at it,

Mike Gratton (Head Coach, Coach the Run) & the team.

p.s. Read my latest Ask the Coach blog:

​How to go from a 3:30 to a Sub-3-Hour Marathon in one year​