Often asked for advice on “The Long Run” in a marathon training programme so here are my golden rules…..
1. Run long only 2 out of 3 weeks (rest and consolidation is very important)
2. Run longer than 2 hours and no longer than 2.5 hours. (More than this is too tiring and will stop you from training properly the following week.*)
3. Go as slow as you dare! Run very gently at a pace where “you can talk comfortably in full sentences”. At least 2 mins per mile slower than parkrun pace. (This is to get your body to learn to burn fat and not carbs/glycogen, run faster and you will only teach your body to be a glycogen burning machine and blow in the marathon at around 2 hours)
4. No eating on the long run, we are trying to learn to burn fat reserves so eating is counter productive.
1. Run long only 2 out of 3 weeks (rest and consolidation is very important)
2. Run longer than 2 hours and no longer than 2.5 hours. (More than this is too tiring and will stop you from training properly the following week.*)
3. Go as slow as you dare! Run very gently at a pace where “you can talk comfortably in full sentences”. At least 2 mins per mile slower than parkrun pace. (This is to get your body to learn to burn fat and not carbs/glycogen, run faster and you will only teach your body to be a glycogen burning machine and blow in the marathon at around 2 hours)
4. No eating on the long run, we are trying to learn to burn fat reserves so eating is counter productive.
* Runners World schedules are based on a watered down version of training schedules from the elite and a 22 mile run for them will take 2 hours 15 mins so they stick to rule 2 and so should you!