Marathon Training: How long should a long run be?

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3 years ago 03/31/2022 10:48pm EDT

re: 220targert 4marathon

220targert 4marathon wrote:
I have read up marathon training and one area I am unsure about is how long a long run should be. The long run is often referred to as a "Time on Feet" session where it is recommended that you run 1 to 2 minutes per mile slower than target pace for the duration of your target time. In my case 2 hours 20. I would like to run for upto 3hrs at so that I run closer to race distance. I fear that I might over do it. My rational for running 3 hours is that slower runners do it in there "Time on Feet" session so why can't I? Also I feel that I find myself needing something in the last 4 miles or so because I would have ran only 22 miles at a pace slower that race pace and only 18 miles at Race Pace.
Any suggestions/experiences please welcome

I've read that if you want to run a 3 hour marathon your LR should go that TIME, and whatever distance it is, it is, but at easy pace. So for 3 hours, 9 min/miles, that's 20 miles.

Then maybe go for a given longer 22-mile DISTANCE, but aim to run the first 3/4 at EZ (9 min/mi) effort, like Pfitz said, and then the last quarter at MP (7:20 min/mi) to simulate fatigue. Alternate this run with the first EZ run mentioned above each week.

(Work up to 20/22, start at 14/16 and build up slowly).

Is that right?

3 years ago 03/31/2022 10:53pm EDT

re: loyalbuff

loyalbuff wrote:
patio:
Salazar's book would certainly agree with you. His program emphasizes a long slow run combined with tons of track work during the week. I know guys who follow this program and finish ahead of me. The reasoning makes sense. Keep your heart rate down during the long runs teaches your body to burn fat (instead of glycogen) and reduces recovery time for your during-the-week stuff.
Then there's the Pfitzinger approach which is based on tons of miles at or near race pace, runs from 12 to 20+. The idea is to get intimately familiar with the pace. Below is a page that explains it better than I can.
The Salazar approach makes more sense, but Pfitzinger has worked better for me.

I did one marathon the LSD way, and felt strong but slow, like I could have gone faster aerobically but I lacked leg speed and wasn't used to surging or making moves in the race. The other marathon I felt faster, with more MP-specific work, and was able to lock into pace better but slowed at the end because I didn't treat 20 as the halfway point.

3 years ago 03/31/2022 10:56pm EDT

re: Tinman

Tinman wrote:
These are my suggestions:
After a 5-10 minute jog warmup, do
2 hours at 30-45 seconds per mile over marathon race pace
2.5 hours at 60-75 seconds per mile over marathon race pace
3.0 hours at 90-105 seconds per mile over marathon race pace.
You can always do progressive runs that are around 2 hours or fartlek for many miles. Example: run 40 minutes Easy, 40 minutes Moderate, 40 minutes strong. Example, alternate one mile Easy, one mile at close to race pace for many miles, say 18-22 total.
Tinman

Interesting, so if your current MP (not goal MP you want) is around 7:30;

2 hours at 8-815 pace

2.5 hours at 830-845 pace

3 hours at 9-915 pace

Has anyone actually this? I may have been running my 20s too fast in training. I usually do the training runs between 2:35-2:43 for 20, no breaks/water stops.

3 years ago 04/01/2022 5:46am EDT

re: 220targert 4marathon

What type of long run you do should depend on your training schedule as a whole. Looking at the long run in isolation is pointless. How far and how fast you run will completely depend on how much fatigue you've built up through the week.

I don't do any marathon paced long runs, apart from maybe a couple of MP miles at the end of a progressive long run. When I'm training hard, my 6-7 mile tempos are at about MP, any faster is too hard for me.

I've also had success doing no long runs but lots of big double days e.g. 12 mile commute in morning and evening.

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