In the build-up to race day, most long run can impede recovery and lead to burnout and injuries tempo run or a threshold workout here and there, but there’s something sacred and protected about the long run. Skip one, and you feel a little less prepared Should You Split Up Your Long Run run club These 5 Secrets to Speed Will Get You Faster.
But could we be overdoing it in the long run department? Sure, long runs elicit very specific training benefits, but maybe logging one every weekend isn’t necessary or even helpful. It’s possible the minimum number of long runs you need under your belt to be race-day ready is actually lower than what most runners (and some coaches) think.
As with everything training-related, the exact number of long runs that’s appropriate for you will depend on myriad factors, like your experience, level of fitness, lifestyle, and race calendar. In other words, there’s no universal standard for every athlete. But with the right information, you’ll be better equipped to decide when a long run will get you closer to your running goals and when you’re better off spending your Sunday morning doing something else.
What’s considered a long run?
First, it’s important to understand what qualifies as a long run, as distance is a relative concept. For example, five miles is a fairly short workout for an experienced marathoner, but it may be the longest distance a new runner has ever gone.
Will Baldwin, USATF and VDOT-certified run coach, thinks of the long run in terms of duration, not distance, and what that means for energy stores. “I quantify it as anything longer than 90 minutes,” he says. “That’s when we really should be fueling. [Ninety 90 minutes] is when it makes a big difference. We’re going to feel our glycogen [stored carbohydrates] running out, and it gets mentally harder,” he says. At the 90-minute mark, if you haven’t been ingesting food, gels, or other sports nutrition products, the body switches to burning fat for energy, which is a much less efficient process.
and physical capacity that long-distance running demands race-day fueling that works for you PTSportsPRO in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “The stomach is just like any other part of the training that you do in that it can adapt and change and learn how to better absorb fuel,” he says. Long runs also help develop cardiovascular fitness, strengthen the bones and connective tissues, and build muscular endurance. “I think that’s probably the most important thing that the long run does,” Buckingham says. “It gets your legs used to the pounding they’re going to take for the entire duration of the race.”
Why set a minimum number of long runs?
In the build-up to race day, most training plans prescribe one long run per week. So, if you’re following a 16-week plan, you may do anywhere from 10 to 16 long runs, depending on the length of your base and taper phases.
For a less experienced runner, this traditional approach to the long run can work, says Milica McDowell, D.P.T., physical therapist, exercise physiologist, and vice president of operations at Gait Happens. “If you are a beginner, I tend to feel like the sort of historical method is pretty appropriate,” she says, noting that new runners need more time on their feet to develop both the mental toughness mdash;or any run, for that matter—shouldn’t hurt. A little.
However, intermediate and advanced runners who enter a new training cycle with an already strong cardiorespiratory fitness base, musculoskeletal strength, and mental fortitude can probably get away with fewer long runs. In fact, they may benefit from more specific, pace-based workouts, strength training, and mobility work versus pure mileage. “You’re trying to sharpen the sword,” McDowell says. “You’re trying not to break them down from a physiology standpoint,” she adds, noting that too much volume can impede recovery and lead to burnout and injuries.
Plus, Baldwin points out, you can hit a point of diminishing returns with weekly long runs. “We’re spending this huge portion of time practicing a skill that isn’t very specific. There are a lot of general aerobic benefits, but once you’ve been running for a while, those just don’t move the needle that much anymore. You’re just getting really good at running 20 miles two minutes slower than what you’re hoping for,” he says.
A potentially better approach is to focus on quality versus quantity. Rather than eking out a standing weekly long run, you can try hitting a minimum number of high-quality runs on a more customized schedule that works for you.
What makes a quality long run?
DAA Industry Opt Out quality long run—or any run, for that matter—shouldn’t hurt. A little soreness, minor cramping, or stiffness is okay. But if a nagging injury resurfaces or an entirely new pain appears, that’s a sign to bail on your run, as the risk of injury outweighs any of the potential benefits.
Beyond the absence of pain, a “good” long run is one that finishes relatively strong, says Molly Huddle, a two-time Olympian who held the American record at 10,000 meters. “You’re able to cut down and put a little work into it,” she says. “It’s a run where you pick up the pace even though it is so long. You’re not fading. You’re able to do a prescribed pace,” she says.
That doesn’t mean a good run has to feel easy. “You might bonk. You’re working through fuel strategies,” Huddle says. “But, fitness-wise, your legs and lungs are getting better by the end.”
As for those junky, borderline miserable long runs that land squarely in the “quantity” category? There’s definitely some value in those, too, but mostly from a mental perspective. “Being able to get through on a bad day is such a skill. That’s a big part of fitness, too. Your basement kind of rises up a bit. Your bad days are just a little bit better,” Baldwin says.
What’s the minimum number of long runs you need?
Again, every runner is different; it’s impossible to come up with one number that will work for everyone. But, based on our conversations with experts, the minimum number of long runs an intermediate to advanced athlete needs over the course of a 12- to 16-week marathon or half-marathon Ways to Make Hard Workouts Feel Easier.
Huddle says that she’s seen runners aim for six long runs, miss one or two, and still go on to perform The Case Against Exclusive Long Runs seasoned runners who are competitors with a solid fitness base. “I think if you’re a novice, it would be a different situation,” she says.
starts to get concerned high mileage days and longer runs that aren’t the progressively long weekend slogs we know as long runs. For example, Huddle’s training has included longer threshold runs and a 10-mile tempo run with a warmup and cooldown, totaling around 18 miles.
Similarly, Baldwin notes that while he may only program between four and seven long runs for an intermediate-level runner, there will be other “long days” during which runners practice their fueling strategies. “We might do a workout that adds up to 14 miles but has a lot of threshold work in it,” he says.
The bottom line is there’s plenty of grey area and room for experimentation when it comes to using long runs. For many athletes, the weekend long run is a cornerstone for their training. For others, it's an opportunity to connect with other members of the running community. If more long runs work for you, there’s no need to go the minimum route. But if you’ve been feeling depleted or burnt out, Is It Okay to Take Breaks During a Long Run.
