Month: December 2020

Over the hump of beginning running? Congratulations. Time for long runs to become your favorite weekend past-time. You, a trail, and time to clear your head.

Long runs help to increase endurance by pushing your body at a lower intensity for a longer time period. They are also great opportunities to practice for race day.

In this post, we’ll explain what constitutes a long run and cover some of the many benefits of this signature running staple.

What is a long run?

The key to a long run is extended low- to moderate-intensity effort. You want to maintain a consistent speed for an extended length of time.

This is in good contrast with interval training, hills or speed work, which all vary the speed or intensity during your run.

The exact mileage will depend on the runner, but generally a long run will be 5-25 miles.

If you’re still pretty new and shooting for a 10k, start with five miles for your first long run. As that gets easier, increase your mileage.

Benefits of Long Runs

Increasing base mileage and endurance

Increasing base mileage means you are progressively adding to the number of miles you average in a week. For this to happen safely and efficiently, it needs to be done gradually.

When adding to your base, it’s best to stay in heart rate zone 2 for the bulk of your miles. It’s less taxing on the body and is where you will reap the most benefits to build endurance.

That’s why long runs are a perfect option for building mileage, because the goal is low intensity over extended time.

Getting closer to race day mileage

The best way to be physically (and mentally) ready for a race is by simulating what your body will go through on race day.

It’s a game-changer if you know ahead of time what your body will feel like in those last two miles of your 10k. You can put your mind at ease knowing you’ve been through it already and know what to expect.

Testing race day gear and nutrition

Test. Your. Gear. This can not be understated. Nothing ruins a race like untested products. There should be no surprises from your gear or nutrition outside of a catastrophic failure.

That’s where long runs shine. You’re on the trail for an hour or more and at a consistent pace. Take your gear and nutrition with you for multiple trial runs. That granola bar might be more difficult to open while running than you think.

Train your body for different conditions

Try to schedule your long runs for different times of the day, or tailored to the start time of an upcoming race. If you only run mid-day when the sun is shining, you’ll be in for an unpleasant surprise when race day starts at 7 a.m. in the spring.

The beauty of a long run is the experience it will give you before a race. See how you like running before the sun rises. Or mid-day with the sun beating down on you. Test out a flash light and reflective gear. Go into your race fully prepared.

Beat the bad weather.

Race days won’t always be in perfect conditions. Even training runs can be soiled by an unexpected rain shower. Prepare for this on your own terms.

See how it feels to run in the pouring rain, or the snow. Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet. Splash around in some puddles. It’s good to know how your shoes and feet handle being wet.

Safety warning: We do not recommend this on your first try, or early into a long run (unless you’re a glutton for blisters). Also be careful of slippery surfaces – especially ice.

How to fit long runs into your training plan

If you’ve been following the last few posts of this series, you’ve seen several different options to try adding into your training plan. But don’t be overwhelmed.

It’s extremely rare for a single runner to utilize every style of training in every week of their training plan. The key is to choose your tailored runs based on your goals, and then experiment to find what you enjoy and what gives you results.

If long distances and building endurance are your primary goals, then pencil in one long run per week. Maybe you’re a junkie for the extended alone time and physical exertion, so you add a second. Maybe the long run isn’t your style, so you drop it to bi-weekly.

Your plan needs to be tailored to your goals and your enjoyment.

A few things to keep in mind before starting your long run

Make sure you have solid base mileage first. These workouts are more taxing on your body than a regular run, so be sure you’ve build a solid foundation.

Fuel your body properly. Because these runs can last an hour or more, be sure to fuel your body with plenty of water as well as nutrition before and after. There’s a link below to our free hydration and nutrition guides.

Listen to your body. Don’t push through a cramp or sprain. These runs are lengthy, so if you acquire a moderate injury early into your run, it’s best to turn around and care for it properly rather than fight through the pain to finish.

Promote recovery. Long runs put your body to work, so make sure you’re stretching, foam rolling, icing, and adding rest days when needed.

Additional Resources

For more information on nutrition and hydration, visit these two posts for everything you need to know: proper nutrition, and hydration and electrolytes.

For information on other training styles, check out our previous posts on heart rate training, speed work, and hills.

Up for a challenge? One of the easiest ways to develop power and strength in your running is by simply adding elevation. That’s why we created this short and simple guide to hill work.

Those new heights you’ll be reaching won’t just be literal heights. If you make hill work a regular part of your routine, your running game (and overall health) will see major improvements – specifically in terms of power and endurance.

We’ll teach you why hills work so well to condition runners; the two main types of hill work; and how to find hills in your area.

The benefits of hill work

Here are a few of the major benefits of training with hill work.

A power snowball

When going uphill, your body must move both forward and upward. To overcome the added strain of gravity, your body must work harder (by increasing its power output).

By regularly putting your body through this, your body will adapt by becoming more powerful. Becoming a more powerful runner will translate to a snowball of good things – longer running strides, faster paces, improved running economy, etc.

Improve strength, reduce injuries

Hills are hard. They put everything to work – your leg muscles, hips, ankles, feet, tendons, ligaments.

So by strengthening these areas safely during hill work, you’ll be better conditioned to avoid injuries during your regular runs.

Strengthens your cardiovascular system

Because your body is under added strain, your heart must beat harder. This will push you into a higher heart rate zone and begin conditioning your cardiovascular system.

For a refresher on heart rate zones and cardiovascular conditioning, check out these previous posts on heart rate zone training and the specifics on each zone.

Rolling hills versus sprinting hills

The two most common hill types are rolling hills and sprinting hills. Each style has specific benefits, and may be better suited to your training goals.

Rolling hills

These are excellent for extended hill work training. It works much the same way as interval training – stretches of flat land running broken up by the challenges of incline.

Look for a stretch of trail or road with multiple rolling hills, where you can run a sustained half mile to a mile.

You shouldn’t be maxing out on every hill, but the workload should feel more intense than running a flat course.

Sprinting hills

Hill sprints are made to work your body hard and fast. You’ll be pushing into your highest heart rate zones.

For hill sprints, try to find a hill with a more aggressive incline. This allows for short duration sprints up the hill, followed by a walk or jog back down. Proper recovery time should be taken between sets.

How to find hills

If you live in a location that has naturally curvy topography, count yourself lucky. However, it can still be a challenge to find that perfect sloping back road or a peaceful wooded trail. Here are a couple great resources:

• Start with your local state parks. Most feature miles and miles of running trails. Check out America’s Parks and chose your state to find parks near you.

• Search sites like AllTrails and TrailLink, which feature details, reviews and photos on thousands of trails around the country.
• Hack Google Maps to find hilly roads. Most map applications have a terrain feature that allows you to see topography as well as roadways. OmenLongBoards gives a quick how-to on the process.

If you’re a flatlander like us, you may have to get more creative.

• A good set of stairs can replicate a sprinting hill. The key here is to find deep stairs with a slow incline that allow you to run smoothly in an uphill movement, versus a high-knee stair-stepping run. Also avoid narrow steps that pose tripping hazard.

• Infrastructure can mimic rolling or sprinting hills. (Think parking garages, bridges, etc.) However, these pose possible safety and legal issues, so always take caution.
• When all else fails, up the incline on your treadmill. Most treadmills also offer a rolling hill option in their pre-set programs.

Safety reminders for hill work

This wouldn’t be a proper guide to hill work without a few quick safety tips:

• You need to have a base mileage before upping intensity. Don’t jump into steep hills when you’re a beginning runner. And let your body adjust to hill work with one or two sessions a week before moving all of your runs to higher elevations.
• Running downhill can cause serious stress on joints and poses a tripping hazard. We recommend you run uphill and walk down to recover. (One exception here is for experienced trail runners who might utilize downhill running as a specific part of their plan.)
• Like always, listen to your body. Sharp pain or discomfort that lasts more than a couple days are signs that you need to back off the hill work until you’re better conditioned.
• This is new strain on the body, so make sure you take extra care of yourself. Roll and stretch before your run, ice after, and allow proper rest time.

When should you start hill work?

It’s important for beginning runners to establish a strong base before trying out advanced running techniques like hill work.

However, if your base is solid and you’re ready to challenge yourself further, then hill work is an excellent addition to your training plan.

Additional resources:

To see other training methods, check out our guide to training with heart rate zones.

If you’re looking to increase speed before overall power, look back at our last post where we cover all the basics of speed work training.