Over the years I’ve gone on plenty of long runs with NCAA champions, Olympic trial finalists in the 1500m, 5k, and 800m, and even a couple of Oly/WC medalists.
All of them would break up their long runs with a water break or two, so you can too. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Yep, and look what happens in international competition. These guys are ready for a walking break just as the bell lap begins.
Over the years I’ve gone on plenty of long runs with NCAA champions, Olympic trial finalists in the 1500m, 5k, and 800m, and even a couple of Oly/WC medalists.
All of them would break up their long runs with a water break or two, so you can too. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Yep, and look what happens in international competition. These guys are ready for a walking break just as the bell lap begins.
Sure it’s fine to stop. You’re still running for the distance you wanted to run.
It’s like interval training. Not everyone is training for the marathon, by the way.
It's like...But ITS NOT interval training. These are two completely different types of runs that focus on different aspects in your racing. 10 miles to someone walking intermittently vs. someone running the whole way is not the same of 'covering the distance'.
Don't make it a habit. Sometimes if they heat index is insane like a heat wave or traffic light, it's okay for a quick break (less than 2 min). But if you find yourself keep stopping, call it quits because you are no longer getting the benefits of a LR, besides positing it on Strava with a big gap in your Avg vs. elapsed pace
Over the years I’ve gone on plenty of long runs with NCAA champions, Olympic trial finalists in the 1500m, 5k, and 800m, and even a couple of Oly/WC medalists.
All of them would break up their long runs with a water break or two, so you can too. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Yep, and look what happens in international competition. These guys are ready for a walking break just as the bell lap begins.
Lol, I’ve run with athletes from all over the world, some of whom are national record holders in their home countries. Stopping for water during a normal long run is routine at the elite level.
Yep, and look what happens in international competition. These guys are ready for a walking break just as the bell lap begins.
Lol, I’ve run with athletes from all over the world, some of whom are national record holders in their home countries. Stopping for water during a normal long run is routine at the elite level.
You're all worthless and weak! Drop and give me 20.
I resist taking breaks on runs because one day back in the 1980's the one-and-only Arthur Lydiard came to talk at a local running store in Milwaukee and I can't remember if he said this during his talk or if it was in the little training pamphlet he passed out, but his rule was "Don't stop on long runs" (for more than 12 seconds is how I remember it) because if you do, you lose a lot of the benefit from the workout (I can't remember the scientific explanation but he had one). And this makes sense to me because it's usually so much easier to start running again (for a while at least) after even a short break for a drink of water. After a longer stop, like waiting for a light to change, I feel refreshed for even longer. I guess if you're not training to race, it probably doesn't matter, but if you want to race, not stopping is better.....
I’m 9th grade I ran 8 miles of a 10 miler with a shoe untied because I’d been that conditioned to not stop on long runs. Don’t be that OCD. Stop if it’s actually needed but try not to make a habit of it if it’s frivolous.
Stopping briefly for water, recovery, etc. can actually result in a faster overall time. Often these short breaks give you some time to recover and then push on stronger than if you had not stopped at all. Combining short walking periods with running, especially in a marathon, is a perfectly respectable strategy. Bill Rodgers actually did this en route to winning the 1975 Boston Marathon and set an American Record.
I resist taking breaks on runs because one day back in the 1980's the one-and-only Arthur Lydiard came to talk at a local running store in Milwaukee and I can't remember if he said this during his talk or if it was in the little training pamphlet he passed out, but his rule was "Don't stop on long runs" (for more than 12 seconds is how I remember it) because if you do, you lose a lot of the benefit from the workout (I can't remember the scientific explanation but he had one). And this makes sense to me because it's usually so much easier to start running again (for a while at least) after even a short break for a drink of water. After a longer stop, like waiting for a light to change, I feel refreshed for even longer. I guess if you're not training to race, it probably doesn't matter, but if you want to race, not stopping is better.....
Yes, he said that sort of thing yet evidently he did stop now and again.
Now, if you want to have a race specific workout for a marathon (e.g. 15 mile tempo) this isn't the best idea, but when doing a normal chill long run (e.g. a 2 hour LR after a workout) it isn't really a problem.
When u have a 5 minute rest in a 12 or 15 mile tempo it's easier than running without break. For a normal LR it basically isn't a problem at all.
That being said I never needed longer rests. Exemption would be when I jacked up my stomach, but was very rare.
It's ok if you feel you have to. Take care of your health and soon you will be able to run without taking a break. Sometimes the weather can be too hot or other factors play in but listen to your body. You can always try again tomorrow but stay healthy so you can have a tomorrow or avoid injury.
I often run a loop where one half is dissected by various roads. Many times I've run in front of traffic so I don't have to stop. If i go around 9:30am after the rush hour then it's do able.
Yes it's ok to take a couple minutes break. I haven't read the whole thread but assume you are a HS or college runner.
As a HS soph I was an above average xc runner, but not good enough to qualify for state individually (my HS was never going to qualify as a team). The summer before junior year I decided on a weekly long run of 13 miles (my 16-year-old self reasoned this is what the best HS runners in my state did so I should too). Up to this point my longest run ever was 6 miles.
The beginning of summer I couldn't run 13 miles continuously. There was a nice park with a lake 6.5 miles from my home. I would run there and hang out for 30 minutes, sometimes cooling off in the lake if it was hot. Over the summer my 30 minute rest decreased to just stopping for a drink at the park water fountain. I finished top-5 at state xc that fall.
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