The Long Run

The long run is your marathon training program!

What is a long run?
The long run starts with the longest distance you've covered within the last two weeks and increases by one mile on a weekly long one up to 10 miles. At that point, you'll shift to running long every other weekend, increasing by two miles each time. Once you reach 18 miles, increase by three miles every third week.

The mental benefits
While there are significant and continuing physical benefits from running long regularly, the mental ones are greater. Each week, I hear from beginning marathoners after they have just run the longest run of their lives. This produces mental momentum, self-confidence, and a positive attitude. By slowing the pace and talking walk breaks, you can also experience a series of victories over fatigue with almost no risk of injury.

The most direct way to prepare for the marathon
As you extend the long one to 26 miles, you build the exact endurance necessary to complete the marathon (14 to 15 for the half marathon, 8 to 10 for the 10K).

Pacing of long Runs
Run all of the long ones at least 2 minutes slower than you could run that distance that day. The walk breaks will help you to slow the pace, but you must run slower as well. You get the same endurance from the long one if you run slowly as you would if you run fast. However, you'll recover much faster from a slow long run.

Adjust for heat, humidity, hills, etc.
The warmer and more humid it is, the slower you must go (two and a half to three minutes/mile slower than you could run that distance that day). The slower you go, from the beginning of the run, the less damage you'll incur from the heat, humidity, and distance covered. More frequent (or longer) walk breaks will also lower the damage without detracting from the endurance of that long run.

Signs you went too fast on a long one:

• you must hit the couch or bed and rest for an hour or more
• muscle soreness or leg fatigue which lasts more than two days, making it uncomfortable to run
• aches and/or pains that last for more than four days after a long one
• huffing and puffing so much during the last two to three miles that you can't carry on a conversation
• struggling during the last two to three miles to maintain pace or slowing down
• an increase in nausea and irritation at the end of the run

Long run facts

• Twenty miles with walk breaks equals 20 miles run continuouslyŠat any speed (but you recover faster with walk breaks).
• Forget about speed on long runs. Focus only on the component of endurance.
• You can't run too slowly on the long runs. Run at least two minutes per mile slower than you could run that distance that day, accounting for heat, humidity, etc.
• You usually won't feel bad when you're running too fast at the beginning of the run; you must force yourself to slow down.
• The day before the long run should be a no-exercise day.