About two miles out on my long run this past Saturday, this was what I saw when I turned east to leave Running Bear Park…(more below).
The Long Run. Yes, I capitalized it. It’s a proper noun to me now that I have finished my first marathon. When I heard runners talk about it before me, I heard them speaking in capital letters, “Had a great Long Run this morning.” The image I saw above when I ran one this week is just one of the many benefits of the Long Run.
First, I’ll tell you what the Long Run is not. It’s not necessarily long in miles. Runners at many different levels of experience and ability will run the long run and the length will vary greatly. A beginning runner might run a long run that is only 4 to 6 miles long. An intermediate runner might run long runs from 8 miles and up, while experienced marathoners will run 15-milers and up. Ultrarunners might not even start counting their long runs until they are over 20-miles. It’s not the length. It’s the time and the pace.
I’m no expert, but I would say that the Long Run should be over one hour in length. In my case, I would consider anything from 1.5 hours and up to be a long run. When I was preparing for some of my half-marathons a year ago, my long runs might be 8 or 9 miles in length, but they would take me near two hours to complete. This fall, my marathon training plan had me doing long runs from 12 to 20 miles in length. The shorter ones took over two and a half hours and the 20-milers would require five hours to finish. Yet, when I first began running, a 6-miler would take an hour and a half. So, it’s more about time than about length and the other criteria is pace.
There are easy runs and speedwork runs, taper runs, and tempo runs. Each of these has a pace specific for what you are trying to accomplish. The long run should not be too slow, like an easy run. It should not be too fast, like speedwork. It should be about thirty seconds behind what you would run in a long race. If you’ve not run a long race, such as a half marathon or even a 10K for some runners, it’s hard to tell. If you can normally hold an 11-minute pace during most runs, then try for about 10:30 on your long runs.
Now, if your not a clock watcher, or just don’t want to wear one, then don’t worry. Just as there are ways to tell what you are running for tempos or pickups without using a clock, the same can be said for pacing a long run. It’s called the ‘talk test’. If you can still talk or hold a conversation while running, you are at the right pace. If you are running out of breath and can’t talk, slow down. If you can sing a song while running, you are going too slow–pick up the pace. Admittedly, this takes practice, but hey, that’s why we train, right?
Long Runs give us real time to ‘test our metal’ so to speak. They keep us out running for a while and can really make a difference in our ability and our confidence. It can really feel great the first time you come home or back to your start point and realize you just ran X miles for the first time ever. Long Runs can be social or solitary. I prefer the solo long run. It’s up to you and your schedule. In addition, it’s a good idea to run one of these each week. Many runners like to use their Saturday or Sunday for long runs, but any day will do.
Running the Long Run gives you a new perspective about wherever you are. I like to be outdoors and the long run allows me to see the changes in my city, the weather, and the seasons. That’s where the picture above comes from. I’m an early morning runner by trade. I like to get up and run to race the sun. I generally lose the race, but that’s OK too. As my route usually takes me into the dark west first thing out the door, I had a pleasant surprise on this day as I turned back to the east to see this view of the moments just before sunrise.
Unless you’re on a strict schedule, it’s also good to be flexible on a long run. Very often, I am on a schedule, but since I had finished my marathon training, this run was at my own discretion. It was just a long run to get back into the pattern. I had planned to run 8 miles and was prepared for 9 if I felt good. When I started out, my pace was quicker than usual. But, I was still able to talk and felt like it was time to see where it went. I passed my turning point and decided to finish out the 9-miler. I was still holding the quicker pace and at the end point, my garmin read 9.78 miles. I like round numbers. I kept on for a little bit more to get an even 10–flexibility.
Long Runs aren’t about long miles. They are about long times (which often equates to long miles, relatively speaking). Long Runs are about a pace just under what you might run in a race of the same length. There are many benefits to the runner that keeps the long run in his or her armory of training. They build stamina and confidence for races and for gaining even more ground as you develop. Don’t forget to run the Long Run regularly. Happy Running!