Planning a Multi-Marathon Season: Allocating A-Races, B-Races, and C-Races

Introduction

Taiwan’s marathon season runs from October each year through March of the following year, with races nearly every weekend during this period. For marathon enthusiasts, choosing among the wide array of races while maintaining training quality and avoiding over-fatigue requires a systematic “season plan.” The A/B/C race classification system is precisely the tool for this challenge. Originating from triathlon training theory, it applies equally well to multi-race marathon scheduling.

A/B/C Race Classification Definitions

Key Principle: Set only 1–2 A races per season; otherwise, you cannot fully prepare for any single race.

A/B/C Planning Example for Taiwan’s Marathon Season

Take a runner targeting a Sub-3:30 at the Wan Jin Shi Marathon (March) as an example:

A Race: March 2026 Wan Jin Shi Marathon (international course, comfortable climate) → Full 18-week preparation, complete 3-week taper

B Race Planning:

• January Tainan Ancient Capital Marathon (approximately 7 weeks before Wan Jin Shi) → Finish in 3:35 as a training checkpoint, not an all-out PR attempt
• November Taichung Marathon (18 weeks before the A race) → Run the first 21K at half-marathon race pace, then ease off; serves as a fitness baseline test

C Race Planning:

• Early December New Taipei Marathon (13 weeks before the A race) → No taper; run in 30K long-run mode with appropriate acceleration in the latter stages
• Occasional monthly races (10K or half marathon) → Treat as speed workouts; no special preparation needed

Annual Training Structure for a Multi-Season Year

The yearly training cycle is typically divided into:

1. Transition Phase: 2–4 weeks after the A race; low volume, no intensity, full physical reset
2. Base Phase: Rebuilding aerobic capacity; 12–16 weeks
3. Build Phase: Introducing intensity workouts and increasing mileage; 8–12 weeks
4. Race Phase: Final 4–6 weeks of A race preparation (including B race checkpoints + taper)
5. Race Season: Race execution + post-taper maintenance, depending on the number of A races

A typical annual structure for Taiwanese runners:

• April–August: Transition phase + base phase (low-intensity summer mileage accumulation)
• August–October: Build phase (ramping up mileage before autumn)
• October–December: Pre-race season (B/C races + intensification period)
• December–March: Main season (A race preparation + taper + racing)
• March–April: Transition recovery period

Health Risk Management for Multiple Marathons

Runners completing more than 2 full marathons in a single season should note:

1. Cumulative Bone Stress: Each full marathon delivers high-impact stress to the lower-limb bones. After multiple races, the risk of stress fractures increases significantly, requiring adequate recovery intervals (at least 6–8 weeks)
2. Immune Function Fluctuations: The immune suppression window after each full marathon is 1–3 weeks; multiple races may keep the immune system under prolonged stress
3. Mental Fatigue: The long-term pressure of race preparation and the emotional toll of race day are the roots of “marathon burnout.” Taking a complete “break” of 1–2 months each season is a necessary investment for sustaining long-term passion

Practical Advice

1. Decide on your A race at the start of the season: Confirm your A race in early October; all other registration decisions should be arranged around the A race date
2. Use B races to test strategies: The B race before your A race is the best opportunity to test nutrition strategies and starting pace perception—do not go “all out” in a B race
3. Reset your mindset for C races: The goal of a C race is “training stimulus,” not “results.” If weather is poor or your body feels off, it is perfectly fine to slow down or drop out mid-race—nothing to be ashamed of
4. Evaluate the gap before registering: If two adjacent full marathons are fewer than 6 weeks apart, one of them must be a C race, or it may even be harmful to your body. In Taiwan, some runners race the Kaohsiung Marathon and Wan Jin Shi Marathon back-to-back in spring (approximately 8–10 weeks apart), which is within an acceptable range, but preparing for both as A-level races is unrealistic

Conclusion

Season planning is a key step in a runner’s evolution into a “strategic athlete.” The A/B/C classification is not about limiting your passion—it is about channeling every bit of that passion where it matters most. Taiwan’s marathon scene is vast and diverse; use this system wisely so that every season has clear goals, adequate preparation, and abundant energy—this is the way to keep running marathons for 5, 10 years and beyond.

Related Reading

• Complete Season Planning Guide: Training Arrangements for A/B/C Target Races
• Triathlon Season Planning: How to Schedule A/B/C Races
• IRONMAN Annual Periodization (A/B/C races): Season Planning and Long-Term Progress
• Annual Race Planning: How to Choose A/B/C Races, Schedule Season Peaks, and Avoid the Fatigue Trap of Racing All Year