Definition
Long run
The long run is your weekly durability builder — a session designed to increase time on feet and resilience, not to prove speed.
Why it matters
What it changes in training
- • It builds endurance-specific durability and confidence.
- • It’s where you practice pacing discipline and fueling.
- • It reveals recovery needs: sleep, nutrition, and strength habits.
Common mistakes
How people mess it up
- • Running long runs too fast and needing days to recover.
- • Skipping fueling practice until race day.
- • Doing long runs without cutback weeks.
Example
A simple way to think about it
A good long run ends with ‘I could do more’. A bad long run ends with you limping home and missing the next week of training.
How to train it
Practical workouts
- • Keep most long runs easy; add structure only when recovered.
- • Use cutback weeks every 3–4 weeks.
- • Practice fueling early so it’s automatic on race day.
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FAQs
How long should my long run be?
It depends on your race and base. Increase gradually, and avoid long runs that destroy the next week.
Should I run long runs at race pace?
Rarely. Most long runs should be easy; race-pace segments are a tool, not a weekly requirement.
When should I start fueling on long runs?
Early. Practice the timing and products during the build, not just at the end.
Keep going
Marathon Fueling Planner (Carbs Schedule)
Turn a carbs-per-hour target into a simple fueling schedule you can practice in training and execute on race day.
20-Week Marathon Training Plan
A 20-week marathon training plan with week-by-week structure, workouts, adaptation rules, and built-in pace + fueling tools. Variations are included on one page.