Hi Reader,

At a high level, we classify our runs into three buckets: easy runs, hard interval/threshold runs, and the long run. We might mix these up sometimes, for example, including faster threshold running or race-pace efforts in your long run. Today, though, we are going to focus on the long run, probably the most important session for you as a runner.

Whether you’re preparing for a marathon, ultramarathon or simply aiming to improve your endurance, understanding the reasons behind the long run can make a significant difference. Let's dig deeper to understand a bit more about why the long run, the specificity of the long run, how far your long run should be and how fast.

Why the long run

The long run is a key session of your running training plan. Even the shorter distance events have long runs, why? A 5k race (think parkrun) is between 88-93% aerobic, and that percentage increases as the event's distance increases, with marathons being >97% aerobic. Our aerobic base is a physical aspect, and we also need to develop our mental aspects to be more all-around and improved runner. Throw in the multifaceted nature of ultras and it adds even more layers to the long run.

Physical

The most obvious reason for the long run is to drive the physical adaptations. These allow you to go further, faster, and more efficiently. These adaptions are primarily mitochondria biogenesis (more of them), increased capillary density, and increased blood plasma volume. All add up to make you physically better at running. Additionally, we also improve our ability to use fat as a fuel source. The good thing is these all get used when we want to run at a faster pace, double bonus!

You can go further, faster, and more efficiently. A key point is we also get these adaptations from our easy shorter runs, which is one of the reasons they make up a large part of your running program.

Mental

The long run also allows us to work on our mental aspect of racing and training. Ever started a race, like a marathon at your race pace and wondered how the hell you were going to hold that pace for the next 42km?? Yep practising that in your long run gives us confidence before we hit the start line, that pace is a known factor. Whilst we rarely run our full race distances for longer events (marathon and ultramarathon) our long runs also provide us with the confidence that come race day, you will be able to handle the demands of the event, you've been there before. Remember nothing new on race day.

Specificity and the event you're training for

A key part of your plan is individualising training, both for you as a unique person and specific to the event you are training for. Marathons and ultramarathons have different specific needs and the long run is no exception.

Road Racing Marathon and Half Marathons

The long run for marathon training is a great opportunity to test your race pace. As your training progresses, we can gradually increase the amount of time at your race pace, as the aim is to be as comfortable as possible at this. As with ultras, this is the best opportunity we also get to test out our nutrition and hydration for race day. Can we experiment with what nutrition will be on the course during the race? See how your gut handles the nutrition at your race pace.

Ultramarathons and Backyard Ultras (BYU)

If you are running an ultramarathon, the list increases a fair bit, for the reasons you use the long run for:

• Nutrition and gut training for race day. As with marathons, the long run is the opportunity you get to test out race day nutrition and gradually increase the amount of carbs your body can absorb. What works in the first hour, might be no good come hour four
• Mandatory kit. Testing how to pack, how it feels and does it potentially chafe, after a few hours. How often have you stood on the start line and heard people commenting they didn't realise how heavy their mandatory kit is
• Changing weather. The long run is an opportunity to see how we go in the varying weather and temperatures encountered during an ultra and the changes from early morning to mid-afternoon to evening and night
• Vert and terrain. Ideally, we are getting in similar climbing and terrain as we are going to experience on race day
• Hiking. Ignore your strava! You're going to hike sections of your ultra, practice this and if you are going to use poles, a great opportunity to practice
• If doing a BYU, it's a great opportunity to simulate the demands of the event. Think running, then pausing for 15-20minutes. This is a very different style of running to get used to

How Long is long enough?

A hotly debated topic and in reality, there are no hard or fast rules regarding the time on feet or distance your long run should be. For marathons, there is a common thought that if you run over 30km in training then you can complete the marathon on race day, so for the roadies, a little simpler.

If we applied the same percentages to ultras, it doesn't work. For example, a 100k race would have you smashing out 70k long runs on the weekend, no sensible coach is ever going to put that on your program. There are some guidelines we can use though in training for an ultra and your long run.

Recovery, if you are not back into your normal training routine a day or 2 after your long run, it's too far. Even at that right easy pace, if you have gone too far, it's going to take longer to recover and impact the remainder of your training.

Physiological adaptions come from the initial 2-3 hours of easy running. Potentially correct from a purely physiological perspective. As we have seen though, the long run when training for an ultra is much more multifaceted (nutrition, technical skills, poles practice, kit etc.). You could cap your long run at that time, and would that give you confidence heading into a 100k ultra that your longest run was only 2 hours?

Consistency - ties in with recovery to a degree and you need to be running your long runs consistently, as we know it's the key workout of the week. If you are going too long and it impacts your consistency both during the week and subsequent longer runs, it's too long. It also depends on other factors and can be as much an art as science:

• What is the distance of the event you are racing
• How many years have you been training
• What access do you have to hills
• How hilly is your event
• Where you are training-wise (fitness)
• What other sessions do you run during the week

How fast is fast enough?

For most people your long runs should be done, whilst being able to easily hold a conversation, the talk test. If you are more data-driven, this will be about 75-80% of your threshold pace or power. Another reason why we test and don't guess!

For marathon runners, as you progress and build to your race, this will include longer times during the long run at the race pace, which allows you to feel the pace and practice running at that even pace. Come race day we know how this feels from the start, and we have already spent plenty of time at this pace.

For ultra distances, we may look to increase the pace during and towards the end of the long run from 20-30 minutes. To do this you have to have your easy pace dialled in, nutrition on point to give you the energy at the back of the run, and the mental strength developed to push harder, when you may be looking forward to finishing your run.

Wherever your long run takes you this weekend, the key thing is to enjoy it!

Cheers,

Ash