Essential Efforts to Elevate Endurance, Part 2
Long runs: How many and how far
By Pete Pfitzinger, M.S.
As featured in the October 2003 issue of Running Times Magazine
For the majority of runners seeking a personal best, four to six long runs are sufficient. For those of you who are blessed with excellent biomechanics, a few more long runs over 20 miles will likely marginally improve your marathon performance. Seven to nine long runs in the 20 to 22 mile range will provide incremental physiological adaptations and provide even greater confidence for the last 6.2 miles. Finally, if you are an experienced marathoner who is intent on doing everything you can to ensure you achieve a personal best (and you are not injury-prone), then 10 to 12 long runs of at least 20 miles is the ultimate preparation. Of those, most should remain in the 20 to 22 mile range, with one or two runs of 24 miles. Doing more than this may look good in your training diary, but is likely to hinder, rather than improve, your marathon performance.
How quickly should you increase your long runs?
A method that works well for many runners is to increase your long run by one mile per week, skipping every third week. If your current long run is 14 miles, then you would build up to 20 miles over eight weeks. In this example, your long run schedule would be: week 1: 15 miles, week 2: 16 miles, week 3: shorter long run, week 4: 17 miles, week 5: 18 miles, week 6: shorter long run, week 7: 19 miles, week 8: 20 miles. This rate of increase creates an appropriate balance between lengthening of your long run fairly quickly while giving your body time to adapt positively to the increased training load.
When should marathoners get serious about long runs?
There is no reason to do very long runs year-round. The "long run prescription" table provides recommendations for when to schedule your first 20 miler, based on the number of 20+ mile runs you will do. For novice marathoners, the first should be done five weeks pre-marathon, and the second two weeks later. For many experienced marathoners, the most effective pattern is to do two consecutive weeks with a run of 20+ miles, with a shorter long run every third week. This pattern also works well for fitting in pre-marathon tune-up races. Avoid getting into a routine of doing a very long run week-after-week because you will become too tired to do your other important training sessions such as tempo runs.
Your last run of 20 miles should generally be three weeks before your marathon, followed by a well-earned taper.