Essential Efforts to Elevate Endurance, Part 1

Long Runs: Why and how to run them

2) Marathon Race Pace: The closest way to simulate running a marathon is to do a long run at MRP. Long runs at MRP, however, are also similar to a marathon in that it can take a long time to recover. If you try to do your weekly long run at MRP, then you will almost certainly be too tired for your other important training sessions, and will likely last about three weeks before wearing yourself out.

Although it has been reported that Khalid Khannouchi does his long runs at MRP (in his case under 4:50 per mile), even Khalid’s body cannot withstand this level of effort week after week. Long runs at MRP, therefore, should be strategically inserted into your training program. Make sure that you have had a couple of recovery days before a MRP long run (do not try to do one the day after a race), and schedule at least three recovery days afterwards as well.

3) Long Slow Distance: Long slow distance (LSD) has always been popular with runners whose goal is to finish the marathon, but has never been widely practiced by more competitive runners. For the reasons discussed above, running slow (i.e., 2 to 3 minutes per mile slower than MRP) does not provide as specific a stimulus for marathon preparation as do faster long runs. LSD runs, however, do have a place in your marathon preparation. It makes good sense to do your long run slowly if you have had a tough week and feel that doing a higher quality long run will wipe you out for the following week. A slow long run is also appropriate during a planned recovery week, or the day after a hard Saturday race.

4) Starting Slow and Increasing to Marathon Race Pace: This combines elements of the three types of long runs we have already discussed. Starting slow and gradually speeding up to MRP is an excellent way to simulate the last 10 miles of the marathon (i.e., running at marathon pace while fatigued), without requiring as much recovery time as would be necessary if the entire run was at MRP. You can either gradually increase your pace during the course of the run so you reach MRP for the last four to eight miles, or do the first three-quarters of the run slowly and then speed up more abruptly to MRP.

In Part 2 of this series, we look at how to develop the correct balance between the various types of long runs discussed above, as well as how long you should run and how many long runs to do in preparing for a marathon.