The Long Run
By
Kevin Jermyn
of
Trackcoach.com
Virtually every middle distance and long distance runner
completes some type of a longer run in their weekly training
schedule. The long run is a necessity of runners of all types, ages,
and abilities as its benefits, physically and mentally, are numerous
and well documented.
On a physiological level, the long run improves our ability to
use fat as a fuel source, while simultaneously enhancing all of the
following physiological adaptations: capillarization of the muscle
fibers, the number of mitochondria in the cells; the enzyme activity
within the mitochondria; myoglobin in the muscle cell; and the
muscle’s ability to store glycogen. The overall effect of the long
run creates a body that has more available fuel and the ability to
convert this fuel to energy more effectively. Beyond the
physiological adaptations, the long run also serves to strengthen
all the ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones of the body. This will
help provide our body with the extra strength it will need during
intense periods of training to ward off the likelihood of muscular
and skeletal injuries. Thus, just as we need lactate threshold runs
to improve our lactate threshold, intervals to improve our Max VO2,
and repetitions to improve our speed and economy, we need long runs
to increase our available fuel source and our ability to use this
fuel more efficiently, while simultaneously strengthening our body’s
foundation to handle the stress of the other forms of workouts.
Besides the physical benefits, the long run also has numerous
benefits mentally. First, one of the major advantages of the long
run is to take the pressure off of achieving a weekly volume.
Running between 18 and 24 percent of your weekly volume for a long
run will greatly reduce the total volume remaining in your weekly
training. Without the long run, their will be greater stress on the
athlete to add volume to his or her recovery runs and/or warm-ups
and cool-downs. This will interrupt the delicate balance between
hard days and recovery days. Second, the long run provides the
athlete with added confidence in their strength and endurance, as it
becomes easier to run longer and faster each week.
