Long Runs

As the weekend approaches, this is a good time to remind everyone that the focus of this segment of our training plan is to get out the door regularly and gradually increase the length of the long run. Here are some thoughts on the long runs.

Distance or Time? Well, in the end it doesn't really matter, but I'd like the varsity contenders to think about distance, and the rookies to think about time. Going by time allows you to worry less about pace, and just focus on increasing the duration of your runs. I think it is also less intimidating to say "I'll just run five minutes longer than last week", than to say "I'll run 10 miles". For the veterans, I think a good goal is to work up to 12-13 miles, however long that may take.

How far? A good rule of thumb is that your long run should be no more than 30% of your weekly mileage, so if you are running a 30 mile week, it is OK to include a 9-miler, max. I think high school runners should be slightly more conservative than that (perhaps 1 mile less than the rule would say). Another very important rule of thumb is to increase the length of the long run by no more than 1 mile per week (and let's make that 5 minutes for rookies).

How fast? SLOW! Your long runs should be done at a pace that is about 1:45 or even 2 minutes per mile slower than your current 5K race pace. This will feel quite slow, especially early in the run, but avoid the urge to run faster. This means that you should run with someone who is at your current 5K speed, not go with Nico and Kenny (et al) for as long as you can.

One last piece of advice: use the long runs to run somewhere you haven't. I like to be able to go even farther away by making it a one way run (e.g. I may run to Zach's soccer game, then catch a ride home). Or, if you're on vacation, a long run allows you to explore more of the vacation area than you would have by walking around, or doing the usual touristy stuff.

Enjoy those long runs!