The long run in marathon preparation.
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Running 42km fast. Almost a contradiction in terms, if you think about it. Isn't it?!
A marathon is an endurance race, but can we really confine it to an effort that is purely about "duration" and ignore speed? Not really: if we think about it, the aim of our effort is still to cover a distance in the shortest possible time, even a very long one like 42km.
Top runners teach us a great deal in this respect. If we consider the level that has been reached over time, we can see how the differences in times and performance across the various distances, from long middle-distance to long-distance running, have gradually narrowed. This happens precisely because elite athletes have, over time, improved muscular and metabolic qualities that are far more specific to speed and speed endurance, not just to endurance as such.
These considerations also matter for the amateur runner, whether experienced or a beginner, who is approaching the fateful distance of 42km and 195m. It is equally true that the bigger the gap with athletes optimised for the distance, the bigger the speed gap will be between a middle-distance race and the marathon. Having a clear idea of your own limit speed is, however, very important, for elite athletes and weekend joggersalike. At that speed you are not at risk of hitting any wall, and at the same time it will be challenging enough to bring personal satisfaction. This is the first fundamental step in building a strategy that is effective and, above all, suited to our real abilities.
The next step is to train productively for the goal you have set. Obvious? I wouldn't say so. Many people still think they can sort out their training by copying and pasting different strategies: long sessions at easy paces because "you just need to stay on your feet", or perhaps a few extra km run on the odd Sunday while carrying on with training for a 10 or 21km. But how can I expect to run 42km in 3h, for example, if in training I have barely managed to run 30-32 in 2h30 at most? I am simply not training for what I then expect to do in the race; Once we pin on our race number, we expect our body to make a far greater effort than the one we prepared it for. And that is where the wall comes, the block, the struggle that arrives when all our reserves are used up.
From a metabolic point of view, if we wanted to go into detail, the "body machine" has to get used to burning as much fat as possible at the same running speed. This will allow us to run for a long time without suffering energy dips. The secret is really an open secret, namely training for many km close to race pace. This is done above all in the long runs.
The long run, or very long run, is the essential marathon workout. The more an athlete is able to run many km close to race pace, the more physical and mental confidence that athlete will develop in the race. In practice, the benefit of runs longer than 30km, at least 3 of them during the preparation period, is now well established.
It would be wise to set up your programme starting from the dates of the long runs, working backwards from the date of your marathon and planning a progression in long-run distance that peaks 2 or 3 weeks before the 42km, with a gradual increase in effort and duration and a frequency of no less than 10 days and no more than 14. This approach will let you absorb all the adaptations productively without the risk of training too much or too little.
When planning a single "long run" session, there are many variables that can change the type of workout you do. The advice is to think about the training plan as objectively as possible, avoiding the risk of overdoing it and jeopardising the success of the whole programme; For this reason, setting yourself progressive goals may be the ideal strategy. The minimum goal will be to complete the planned km, regardless of the speed held, because without them I will never be able to gain adaptations and improve my fitness. The second goal, only slightly less important, will be to run at a final average speed around 10-15"/km slower than race speed.
Another variable to take into account could be the race course and the need to get used to specific weather conditions or surfaces. In that case, does it make sense to always train at altitude and on demanding climbs if my race will be completely flat and at temperatures far higher than those I am used to? Generally not, and even less so for long runs: the body is subjected to a medium-high level of activity for a prolonged period, and physiological systems regulating temperature, electrolytes or blood circulation can go haywire and cause imbalances, even serious ones. That is why we must leave nothing to chance, especially in terms of nutrition, hydration and supplementation.
Even in the very long runs you can get creative with the format, running at an even pace or adding variations, especially if you cannot do much other specific work in other training sessions.
What if I don't have enough time? Try splitting it. Do an easy run one afternoon, perhaps on a hilly route, and the following morning train again, perhaps adding a progression at the end. It won't be easy, and with experience you will get better and better at this type of workout, but if you manage to run twice within 12 hours, cover a total distance even greater than you would have done in a single very long run and, finally, eat between the two sessions while keeping your carbohydrate intake to a minimum, you will really benefit from it.
A marathon is an endurance race, but can we really confine it to an effort that is purely about "duration" and ignore speed? Not really: if we think about it, the aim of our effort is still to cover a distance in the shortest possible time, even a very long one like 42km.
Top runners teach us a great deal in this respect. If we consider the level that has been reached over time, we can see how the differences in times and performance across the various distances, from long middle-distance to long-distance running, have gradually narrowed. This happens precisely because elite athletes have, over time, improved muscular and metabolic qualities that are far more specific to speed and speed endurance, not just to endurance as such.
These considerations also matter for the amateur runner, whether experienced or a beginner, who is approaching the fateful distance of 42km and 195m. It is equally true that the bigger the gap with athletes optimised for the distance, the bigger the speed gap will be between a middle-distance race and the marathon. Having a clear idea of your own limit speed is, however, very important, for elite athletes and weekend joggersalike. At that speed you are not at risk of hitting any wall, and at the same time it will be challenging enough to bring personal satisfaction. This is the first fundamental step in building a strategy that is effective and, above all, suited to our real abilities.
The next step is to train productively for the goal you have set. Obvious? I wouldn't say so. Many people still think they can sort out their training by copying and pasting different strategies: long sessions at easy paces because "you just need to stay on your feet", or perhaps a few extra km run on the odd Sunday while carrying on with training for a 10 or 21km. But how can I expect to run 42km in 3h, for example, if in training I have barely managed to run 30-32 in 2h30 at most? I am simply not training for what I then expect to do in the race; Once we pin on our race number, we expect our body to make a far greater effort than the one we prepared it for. And that is where the wall comes, the block, the struggle that arrives when all our reserves are used up.
From a metabolic point of view, if we wanted to go into detail, the "body machine" has to get used to burning as much fat as possible at the same running speed. This will allow us to run for a long time without suffering energy dips. The secret is really an open secret, namely training for many km close to race pace. This is done above all in the long runs.
The long run, or very long run, is the essential marathon workout. The more an athlete is able to run many km close to race pace, the more physical and mental confidence that athlete will develop in the race. In practice, the benefit of runs longer than 30km, at least 3 of them during the preparation period, is now well established.
It would be wise to set up your programme starting from the dates of the long runs, working backwards from the date of your marathon and planning a progression in long-run distance that peaks 2 or 3 weeks before the 42km, with a gradual increase in effort and duration and a frequency of no less than 10 days and no more than 14. This approach will let you absorb all the adaptations productively without the risk of training too much or too little.
When planning a single "long run" session, there are many variables that can change the type of workout you do. The advice is to think about the training plan as objectively as possible, avoiding the risk of overdoing it and jeopardising the success of the whole programme; For this reason, setting yourself progressive goals may be the ideal strategy. The minimum goal will be to complete the planned km, regardless of the speed held, because without them I will never be able to gain adaptations and improve my fitness. The second goal, only slightly less important, will be to run at a final average speed around 10-15"/km slower than race speed.
Another variable to take into account could be the race course and the need to get used to specific weather conditions or surfaces. In that case, does it make sense to always train at altitude and on demanding climbs if my race will be completely flat and at temperatures far higher than those I am used to? Generally not, and even less so for long runs: the body is subjected to a medium-high level of activity for a prolonged period, and physiological systems regulating temperature, electrolytes or blood circulation can go haywire and cause imbalances, even serious ones. That is why we must leave nothing to chance, especially in terms of nutrition, hydration and supplementation.
Even in the very long runs you can get creative with the format, running at an even pace or adding variations, especially if you cannot do much other specific work in other training sessions.
What if I don't have enough time? Try splitting it. Do an easy run one afternoon, perhaps on a hilly route, and the following morning train again, perhaps adding a progression at the end. It won't be easy, and with experience you will get better and better at this type of workout, but if you manage to run twice within 12 hours, cover a total distance even greater than you would have done in a single very long run and, finally, eat between the two sessions while keeping your carbohydrate intake to a minimum, you will really benefit from it.
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