I am so loving putting together these posts! If you need to get caught up here is part 1, and part 2. Today, we’re going to talk about that beautiful thing called The Long Run! Hurray!

 

I want to start with an amazing quote from John Bingham, AKA The Penguin, and a great author and running coach. I definitely recommend you pick up one or two of his books.

“Your progress as a runner is a frustratingly slow process of small gains. It’s a matter of inching up your mileage and your pace. It’s a matter of learning to celebrate the small gains as if they were Olympic victories. It means paying your dues on the road or the treadmill. It means searching for the limits of your body and demanding that your spirit not give up. It means making the most of what you have. It means making yourself an athlete one workout at a time.”
― John Bingham, No Need for Speed: A Beginner’s Guide to the Joy of Running

I decided to do a FAQ about long runs. I am going to ask the questions. And then also, too, answer them myself.  Come on, it’ll be fun! Here we go:

What is a long run?

A long run is your longest run of the week, typically done on Saturday or Sunday. You increase the length of your long run as your training progresses, depending on the race distance you’re working toward. For example, I’m training for a half marathon and this week’s long run is 10 miles.

Why is it important?

If I miss a run or two during the week, it’s not that big of a deal and I can always get back on track. But the long run is really where I build that endurance and the confidence to know I can cover the distance!

When do you start worrying about the long run for that week?

As soon as I’m done with the long run from the previous week. I am, as I believe we have established in this blog, neurotic. I finished my 8 miles, celebrated mentally for about 45 seconds, and the very next thought was “crap. Next week I have to do 10.” It helps that my running coach won’t send me my training stuff until Sunday so I don’t actually know how long I’m going to have to go until then, but I always know it will be  . . . . longer.

What’s your goal for your long run?

To cover the mileage. Period. If I’m having a hard day or am not feeling well, I will walk as much as necessary. By design, this run should be at a comfortable, conversational pace (ESPECIALLY if your’e training for your first 10K or half marathon). When I’m going for a time goal for a race (which I’m not for Savannah) I will throw in a  few miles at race pace just to build my confidence. But typically I try to run my long runs at about a minute to a minute and a half slower than my goal race time. For this half, I’d love to be anywhere under 11:30 for my pace, so my long runs have been between 11:45 and 12:00 minutes per mile.

What do you take with you?

Depends on the mileage.

5 miles or less: nothing except maybe water if it’s really hot

5 – 8 miles: Water for sure.

10 miles or more: water and some fuel. Haven’t done that yet this cycle but I got pretty addicted to Skittles last time. Not the Syrian Refugee kind (sorry too soon to be funny). Also, if it’s over 10 miles, I’ll always try to run a route with water on the course. I truly despise having a big old fuel belt so my little Nathan Quick Draw will definitely need to be topped off. My current route has a lovely city operated bathroom and water stop at the 2.5 mile mark of my out and back so that’s just about perfect! And if it’s warm, I’ll pack a Nuun tablet to go in it.

Any helpful tips?

Yes. Don’t think of it as X amount of miles. Break it up. For whatever reason, my brain likes the sound of 5, 2 mile runs MUCH BETTER than the sound of a 10 mile run. Yes, I know, it’s exactly the same, but my brain doesn’t think it is. Shhh. Don’t tell it.

Final thoughts:

The long run is the true test of where you are in your training. It’s the best time to try fuel options and see what your body likes. It’s also the perfect opportunity to try out what you’re planning on wearing for your race. Wait, you knew you had to do that before the race, right? OK, no worries. Next week for Part 4 we’re going to talk all about wardrobe! See you then!

Happy Running.