The Long Run: Why You Can’t Afford to Skip It

For most runners, they either look forward to their long run, or they dread it. Consequently, seems like there isn’t much of an in-between. It’s usually one extreme or the other.

No matter which camp you’re in, the long run is the cornerstone of every effective distance running plan. The incredible benefits of the long run give it a regular spot in every training plan.

It’s often said that if you have to miss any workouts in your training plan, DO NOT miss the long run because it is such a vital piece of your conditioning.

Before we get into all of the great reasons you need to incorporate long runs into your plan, let’s define what exactly a long run is.

What defines a “Long Run”?

First, we should probably establish what exactly constitutes a long run.

In the simplest terms, it’s the longest run of your week.

For some runners, it might be 6 miles. For others, it might be 22 miles or beyond. This all depends on your fitness level, training, goal race, ability, and willingness to surrender a huge chunk of time to running.

No matter which end of the spectrum you fall on, the long run truly is a staple workout. Therefore, it is a foundational and universal training tool to help you improve your running.

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Benefits of Including the Long Run in Your Training Plan

There are several benefits of including regular long runs in your training plan. Some are physiological, many are mental, and we often see them manifest in fitness improvement.

Many of these benefits manifest in physiological adaptations that occur when you increase your distance.

• Your body becomes more proficient at burning fat, which is it’s optimal fuel source
• You teach your body to more effectively utilize and replace its muscle and liver glycogen stores
• The size, number, and density of muscle capillaries and mitochondria (blood vessels and cellular factories that facilitate aerobic energy) increase. This means your body can deliver more oxygen and work harder.
• Your VO2 max increases (the maximum amount of oxygen you can use during intense exercise). The higher your VO2 max, the more oxygen you can utilize during a hard effort, and the more power you’ll produce during a workout.

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Additionally, there are a number of mental benefits that must not be overlooked when preparing for a distance race.

• The feeling of accomplishment when you push your body farther than it has ever gone before
• Learning to mentally tolerate running for longer periods of time. Build that mental toughness and resiliency!
• Use the long run as an opportunity to practice your fueling as you would on race day.
• Confidence that your body can go the distance on race day

Even more, you are likely to notice the benefits of regular long runs by several different fitness gains.

• Distances that used to be ‘long’ runs now feel shorter
• You’ll recover faster after running steep hills or after brief bursts of speed
• Personal records are often earned in longer distance races due to the volume increase
• Confidence grows as you learn to work through fatigue and discomfort
• You might even experience a desire to run longer events!

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Long Runs

Now that we’ve covered how important long runs are as part of your running routine, let’s talk about how to get the most out of your long runs to ensure maximum benefit and fitness gains.

Prioritize your long run

If you have to miss a workout during the week, DON’T miss this one.