Long Run in Marathon Training

Long run is one of the important components in marathon training. In general, long run deliver numerous benefits for runners such as:

• Increasing endurance.
• Increasing the storage of glycogen in the body.
• Increasing the body’s ability to converting fat to energy.
• Increasing the VO2max.
• Increasing the self-confidence.
• Mental toughness training.

However, there are several things we need to pay attentioncan do when doing the long run. To begin with, make sure not to run on empty stomache. We suggest to prepare a heartful breakfast for your sacred long runs! Secondly, make sure to run in conversational pace unless there are certain targets. If you do a long run that are way too fast, it will produce excessive fatigue and increase the risk of injury.

The common question is, how far do we have to run? The experts and trainers agree that long run distances should be in the range of 35%-50% of the total weekly kilometers. If our weekly kilometers are 40 kilometers, the recommended long run distance is 14 kilometers-20 kilometers. This guide aims to keep the long run from backfiring the runners, because brutal long runs are also often the culprit of fatigue and injury.

When doing the long run, please use comfortable clothes or the designated apparels you will wear on the race day. As for the shoes, choose the high-cushioned one or have a high level of comfort. The goal is to reduce the effects of repeated collisions for a long time between the body and running surface. Comfortable cushioned shoes can also reduce the fatigue effects compared to wearing just ordinary shoes.

Remember, as I mentioned above, this long run is only one component of marathon training. There are still many other exercises in the following weeks. Therefore, don’t let the energy spent out in just a long run. Be wise while doing it so that we can be comfortable and safe in practicing the marathon until the upcoming race. -@andriyanto.run