On The Long Run
We discuss the long run, its importance & its benefits. We also critique the Hanson's training model on the long run.
The Long Run
What Even Is a Long Run?
Why It Matters
- Most Important Run For All Distances
- Benefits for Aerobic Development (covered below)
- All Distances (800m to Marathoners/Ultramarathoners)
- Arthur Lydiard’s Legacy
- Peter Snell 20M Hilly runs as an 800/1500m runner)
- Special Concern for Marathoners
- Other races distances the LR is longer than the race. Not so for marathoners.
- Specificity
- Can there be too much cost for this specificity? (Hanson’s, covered below)
What Happens in the Long Run Physiologically
- Enhancing aerobic development at the cellular level
- Stroke Volume - Hearts ability to send blood to working muscles
- Greater capillary density
- Building mitochondria
- Race Specificity
- Fat adaptation after about an hour and a half of running- fuel switching
Long Run Adaptors vs Long Run Breakdown
- In my experience there are folks who, for whatever reason (genetics: slow twitch, fuel burning, personal preference) just respond much better to long runs.
- There are those who breakdown.
- Most fall in the adaptor/slight adaptor camp, in my experience.
Hanson’s 16M Long Run - Luke Humphrey’s
- Time Factor: Balancing the Benefits of Aerobic Development with the structural damage of long runs. The Hanson’s Method argues that over 3 hours is very costly. I agree. & if you are a 4 hour + marathoner, there are hard choices to make. Do you prepare for the distance of the race? Or do you follow a more conservative approach? To me it comes down to the likelihood of injury or burnout.
- Percentage Factor: Research has argued that keeping LR volume at 25-30% of total weekly volume max is recommended. Lots of marathon programs end up with LR being 50% of weekly volume for those who only run 3-4 times a week. I agree that this is a challenge but in my experience most people are already tapping out on what they can commit to in a training cycle. Sure, everyone would benefit from 50-70 mpw, but this is not doable for some. So do they keep their LR at 16M & get totally fucked?!? I really have never understood this argument.
- I agree for races up to 13.1M that running 16-18M is sufficient, in most cases.
- For marathoners, you have to think through the best option for yourself knowing your coach’s philosophy & what your risk factors are.
- But 26.2M is 26.2M. I think you need to be ready. I think you need 22-24M long runs at least 2 times in a cycle.
