You lace up, cue up your running playlist, Is It Okay to Take Breaks During Long Runs long run. But 40 minutes in, you hit an extra-long stoplight (and you won’t be caught jogging in place). Then at mile nine, you stop to take advantage of a working water fountain. At mile 14, you find yourself hiding in the shade of a tree, questioning your life choices. By now, you’re wondering: Half Marathon Training?
Of course it counts. “The long run is all about time on feet,” explains Your Long Training Run Guide, Ph.D., a NASM-certified personal trainer and UESCA-certified running coach. “Taking a break—or a few breaks—doesn’t negate the run.”
Don’t forget to consider the bigger picture. If you’re dealing with external walk/run method, which isn’t just for newbies. Runners have qualified for the Boston Marathon using this training approach. And research published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport shows that a combined run/walk strategy allows non-elite runners to achieve similar finish times to those who run the entire time but with less muscle discomfort.
It might be reassuring to know that unplanned or unintentional breaks are also an inevitable part of the process for most runners, whether that’s because of obstacles on your route, the need for a bathroom, or some other hiccup in your training.
The catch: If you’re taking too many, these breaks could wave a red flag. Here’s what to pay attention to so you’re making the most of your miles.
The Benefits of (Sometimes) Taking a Break During a Long Run
The long run is the cornerstone of any runner’s training week, says Matthew Meyer, a certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach based in Boulder, Colorado and host of Runner’s World’s qualified for the Boston Marathon.
In increasing that time on feet, “we’re building aerobic fitness, we’re strengthening slow-twitch muscle fibers, we’re increasing mitochondrial density,” he explains. All of those adaptations will help your body continue supplying oxygen and energy to your muscles, so you can sustain your pace for longer.
“If you don’t want to walk during your race, your goal should be to run as consistently as possible throughout a long run,” says Helms.
Think of these workouts as a simulation for race day: You’re not only testing out your clothes and shoes and practicing your fueling and hydration plan, but you’re also working on developing the mental toughness you need to be comfortable with the discomfort of distance running.
Remember: You’re not just training your legs, you’re training your brain to keep showing up, even when you get tired. But you’re also human, and stopping for a quick bathroom break or to ensure you get your gel down isn’t going to defeat the purpose of the run, Helms adds.
When you’re doing a long run workout, taking short breaks may actually help you prioritize the quality sections of that session. “If the point of your long run is to run, say, three by four miles at a very particular pace, the point is to run those four-mile intervals well,” says Meyer. “So if you need a break between the reps to grab some water or mentally regroup, that’s okay.”
Download Your Training Plan interval pace with better form and a reduced risk of fatigue, which will increase the overall payoff of that run.
There’s no easy answer as to how many breaks are too many; every runner is different, as is every run. A 20-mile workout on a brisk winter morning is going to feel a lot different than a 14-mile jog in the dog days of summer. Keep the purpose of your long run in mind, but make sure to listen to your body and take a break if you need one—it’s not a sign of weakness.
Reasons You Feel Like You Need a Break—And What to Do About It
Training Is Better When You Have a Best Friend need to stop during your long runs, it might be time for some self-reflection. Ask yourself these questions to determine if you need to switch up how you’re executing your run.
Are You Running Too Fast?
“If I’m working with a runner who stops often, the first question I’m going to ask is whether they’re and a reduced risk of,” says Helms.
Your long run pace should be about 90 seconds to two minutes per mile slower than your goal race pace. When you run those longer efforts too hard, it takes your body longer to recover and you’re more likely to feel fatigued during the next long run. “Instead of pushing through a run with multiple breaks, I’d suggest shortening it to a duration you can run continuously,” says Helms.
Did You Fuel?
Underfueling can also do a number on your ability to keep moving. There’s a clear link between low-energy availability (LEA) and decreased performance, and if your body doesn’t have the energy it needs, it’s not going to be able to sustain effort over longer distances, says Helms.
This doesn’t just mean fueling during a long, Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour if you’re going longer than 75 minutes, or even up to 90 grams if you’re running longer than 2.5 hours. You also need to eat before a long run, getting in adequate calories and carbs, and grab food afterward to help jumpstart your recovery, adding protein Download Your Training Plan.
If you’re consistently feeling like you need to stop on a long run, it’s smart to look at your fueling plan to assess whether you’re taking in the energy you need.
Are You Feeling Stressed Outside of Your Runs?
Don’t forget to consider the bigger picture. If you’re dealing with external stressors How Slow Is Too Slow for Long Runs endurance.
There are a hundred variables that can affect how hard a certain effort feels on any given day, and smart, strategic training comes down to knowing when to push, when to pause, and how to keep moving forward using what you learn on each run.
The Bottom Line on Stopping During a Long Run
Whatever the reason, don’t beat yourself up over that moment you took to cool down in the shade or that longer-than-usual traffic light pause. Your training isn’t defined by a single seamless effort, and your long run isn’t meant to be a performance—it’s practice.
Part of that practice is learning how your body responds to different stressors and how to adjust so you can perform your best on race day.
