On The Long Run

Running On Purpose

The Long Run

What Even Is a Long Run?

Why It Matters

• Most Important Run For All Distances
• Benefits for Aerobic Development (covered below)
• All Distances (800m to Marathoners/Ultramarathoners)
  • Arthur Lydiard’s Legacy
  • Peter Snell 20M Hilly runs as an 800/1500m runner)
• Special Concern for Marathoners
  • Other races distances the LR is longer than the race. Not so for marathoners.
  • Specificity
  • Can there be too much cost for this specificity? (Hanson’s, covered below)

What Happens in the Long Run Physiologically

• Enhancing aerobic development at the cellular level
  • Stroke Volume - Hearts ability to send blood to working muscles
  • Greater capillary density
  • Building mitochondria
  • Race Specificity
  • Fat adaptation after about an hour and a half of running- fuel switching

Long Run Adaptors vs Long Run Breakdown

• In my experience there are folks who, for whatever reason (genetics: slow twitch, fuel burning, personal preference) just respond much better to long runs.
• There are those who breakdown.
• Most fall in the adaptor/slight adaptor camp, in my experience.

Hanson’s 16M Long Run - Luke Humphrey’s

(https://lukehumphreyrunning.com/hansons-marathon-method-the-16-miler/)

• Time Factor: Balancing the Benefits of Aerobic Development with the structural damage of long runs. The Hanson’s Method argues that over 3 hours is very costly. I agree. & if you are a 4 hour + marathoner, there are hard choices to make. Do you prepare for the distance of the race? Or do you follow a more conservative approach? To me it comes down to the likelihood of injury or burnout.
  • 9/mile pace: 16M - 2:24; 20M - 3:00
  • 10/mile pace: 16M - 2:40; 20M - 3:20
  • 11/mile pace: 16M - 2:56; 20M - 3:40
  • 12/mile pace: 16M - 3:12; 20M - 4:00

• Percentage Factor: Research has argued that keeping LR volume at 25-30% of total weekly volume max is recommended. Lots of marathon programs end up with LR being 50% of weekly volume for those who only run 3-4 times a week. I agree that this is a challenge but in my experience most people are already tapping out on what they can commit to in a training cycle. Sure, everyone would benefit from 50-70 mpw, but this is not doable for some. So do they keep their LR at 16M & get totally fucked?!? I really have never understood this argument.
• I agree for races up to 13.1M that running 16-18M is sufficient, in most cases.
• For marathoners, you have to think through the best option for yourself knowing your coach’s philosophy & what your risk factors are.
• But 26.2M is 26.2M. I think you need to be ready. I think you need 22-24M long runs at least 2 times in a cycle.