Do long runs at an easy pace help endurance much?

UnknownGhost wrote:

Most Africans and the best Europeans at 5000m and longer distances run relatively fast on easy runs, rarely over 4min per kilometer.

4:00/k is relatively slow for a 13:00 5K runner. Tinman would have them go 3:45-3:55 on easy ribs; Jack Daniels 3:25-3:45.

4:00/k is relatively slow for a 13:00 5K runner. Tinman would have them go 3:45-3:55 on easy runs; Jack Daniels 3:25-3:45.

Here we go with zone 2.

It's only good for athletes with a sky high vo2max.

Otherwise, might as well be a hiker. Might as well push the goal out two to three years with zone 2.

yes. I think long runs shouldn't be near sluggish, slow, or easy, but should be at a moderate pace. There arent big physiological changes from 7:30 pace to 6:45, its basically the same biological system, just a lot harder on the legs. Sometime I like to have an easier week with a hard long run, just to grind it but otherwise they are moderate.

yes the long run, a primary tool of lydiard works very well.

i've done many, however the 18 to 22 milers new Zealanders did back in the day were more of a casual race rather than long slow distance.

the adaptation is to gather a gas tank for running and to obviously get your system to absorb oxygen and develop the miles of blood vessels in your system.

the absolute flaw, is that LSD or long slow distance, over time adapts you more to running slow to running fast. so you do after several seasons adapt to marathon more than middle distance.

you can do long slow runs or fast.

but at the end of the day, your quality work needs revolve around your distance (race).

its all about adaptation and recovery.

so, ya, if you run 20 milers and recover, you will improve drastically.

however, once you develop your aerobic engine, you dont' have to do tons of LSD.

in fact, you can do much lower mileage in between seasons, and up the quality as you move to the competition stage.

you see today, that the coaching and training is improving dramatically.

with covid, the result is astronomical focus/

crazy.

who predicted that?

last comment.

fun aspect.

if you ever saw or ran with world class runners in their element, it is an awesome thing to behold. animal power energy.

seeing guys run 334 at a young age or 141 at any age.

i just see crazy fun with that.

having done a bit, i project.

running is awesome.

longjack wrote:

however, once you develop your aerobic engine, you dont' have to do tons of LSD.

in fact, you can do much lower mileage in between seasons, and up the quality as you move to the competition stage.

Are you sure? 😄 but why elites are continue to run tons of miles, even more and more? If you reduce volume thinking like that, your body will dump immediately what not in use due to economic purpose, simple and brutal, even stroke volume reduces, capillarisation goes, blood volume reduces, etc...

horgee wrote:

Let’s say I can run a 5k at 5:25 mile pace. If I’m doing a 13 mile long run at 7:30-8:00 mile pace does that help me at all with endurance during a 5k or should I be pushing the pace a bit more? I don’t want to go too fast during long runs generally so I can be more fresh for harder workouts.

How about ignoring what the watch is showing you? Look at it when you get home.

Long run idea for you: Leave the house, jog easy for a mile or 2, take in the local sights and sounds. Mile 3 go a bit faster. Mile 4 maybe a bit faster still, etc etc. Finish back at your house at a nice hard effort feeling great. Job done. No need for HR zone nonsense, Power readings, or watch staring obsession. Run with kung fu power.

Fcuk you.