Is it important to do a long run every week or like 3x a month is good

Different things work for different people, but I know of no physiological reason why there *has* to be a long run every week. Or even every other week, for that matter.

For *most* people, I have for years agreed with malmo's assessment that the long run is the least important--NOT unimportant--training element.

What are you training for?? What’s your background?

in the long run is it ok wrote:

Does a long run need to be in every program every week or like 2 to 3x a month, with the odd weeks doing an extra session or race?

As an educational exercise, fine to ponder and ask the question. As a matter of reality, why are you asking? If it's to justify doing less, then you will do less in other areas also...if 2-3 times a month, why not just once a month or once every two months? How far does the long run have to be? Do I even need to run every day?

The best answer is run every day unless you are injured or sick. Have a weekly plan that you stick to religiously.

Kenaneeser Beckelay wrote:

What are you training for?? What’s your background?

5k and 10k.

For a half marathon or full marathon runner, the long run IS the training. All the rest is complimentary or remedial. We only do it once a week (or 10 days for older runners) because it takes that long to adapt to the stress - otherwise, we would do it more often.

Besides, it just feels great to cruise long distances - that "healthy animal" feeling.

in the long run is it ok wrote:

Does a long run need to be in every program every week or like 2 to 3x a month, with the odd weeks doing an extra session or race?

From what I have seen in the last 20 years is, that the long run is totally overrated for a lot of not so quick runners. 3:30 and slower at Marathon

I have seen so many hobby joggers doing their excessive long slogs every weekend.

And I have seen people getting injured because of that as well.

I have a lady in my running group who gets injured every year on her build up to Marathon.

It's quite fascinating to watch.

Need more info. Times? Training history? Avg weekly mileage? What have you been doing for ‘long runs’ ?

I think you're splitting hair with debating rather or not you should be doing a long run every week or every other week. Also depends on the kind of long run you are doing. Are you doing a good portion at a good tempo or just a easy pace?

IMO, every other will work fine for 5K-10K. But I don't think you need 2hrs except for 1/2-M. 1:20-1:30, is enough that it won't make you feel beat up like 2 hrs. You can also throw in some fast finish miles to help your strength. Intervals are more important for the 5&10, and racing a 5K is good training every other week in my experience. You got to run a lot of hem to get your best times usually.

RyecorDone wrote:

For a half marathon or full marathon runner, the long run IS the training. All the rest is complimentary or remedial. We only do it once a week (or 10 days for older runners) because it takes that long to adapt to the stress - otherwise, we would do it more often.

Besides, it just feels great to cruise long distances - that "healthy animal" feeling.

Disagree( for me at least). Clearly LR’s are important but so are overall volume, tempo runs and turnover work. The other parts of training are equally important(for me). Personally, I’ve seen better results when OVERALL VOLUME was high along with a healthy mix of long and short tempos While only doing long runs 2x per month. The volume lead to strength which allowed for quality LR’s though. When I took your approach of over emphasizing the LR I ran slower on race day.

Nobody is going to be able to tell you the precisely optimal frequency of a long run, but I think we can say for almost certain that it’s not precisely every 7 days. People structure their training in weeks because it’s convenient, not because our calendar magically aligns perfectly with their body’s recovery patterns.

Here, just do this every week:

M - easy run

T - workout

W - moderate long run

T - easy run

F - workout

S - easy run

S - long run

Add in couple easy doubles if you feel like it.

Dr Yuengling wrote:

Nobody is going to be able to tell you the precisely optimal frequency of a long run, but I think we can say for almost certain that it’s not precisely every 7 days. People structure their training in weeks because it’s convenient, not because our calendar magically aligns perfectly with their body’s recovery patterns.

This. Plus - don’t know about you, but my quality days with warmup/cool down are solid mileage days approaching long run distance.

I don't like going 4 weeks straight super long even in peak marathon build-up. IE 4 weeks in a row with runs over 20 miles. I throw in a medium long run instead one week of 13-18 miles. Seems to work best for me to not beat my legs up too much.

Side note: Alternating intensity of long runs is good too in my opinion. Some super easy, some half easy then a progression or something. Pros seem to do this too from what I've seen.

That's a great setup.

For milers and below throw out the medium long run once you start the specific buildup and decrease long run.

Also add in strides + strength somewhere.

A Nexpert wrote:

Here, just do this every week:

M - easy run

T - workout

W - moderate long run

T - easy run

F - workout

S - easy run

S - long run

Add in couple easy doubles if you feel like it.

This is pretty much how most distance runners for the track set up their training. 800/1500 can also follow the same type of plan if they come at it from a distance background. Personally I think that road racers focusing on half/full marathon can cut it down to one workout per week and increase the emphasis on the long run and overall volume.

Bill Squires who coached all the great Greater Boston Track Club runners (see the book Speed with Endurance) basically had his runner do 2 workouts a week- Wed workout and a weekend Long Run with various length minutes. You could replace the weekend long run with a race. The other 5 days are easy runs. I tried his approach about 10 yrs ago, and it worked great in terms of recovering and feeling fresh. With age I’ve found his approach has been useful. 2 workouts PLUS a long run every week can be overkill.

I think you’re splitting hairs here. Not a big deal one way or the other

the idea to endurance training is to do the least amount possible while still doing enough to improve.

if you do more you are looking at injury and burnout. if you do to less, you wont improve. think of a new runner. lets say they have been running for 2 months and are now doing a consistent 20 miles per week. jumping up to 60 miles per week would run a good chance of overworking them mentally and/or physically. but if they did 25 miles or 30 miles they will likely see improvements and it be "just enough" to improve.

the long run is no different. So if you never have done long runs before then doing them 2-3x a month will fall into the category of being "enough" but it is only enough for now. In the future after doing this you will need to do something else different to continue to improve whether that be doing more frequent long runs, adding in some higher intensity miles on the long run or doing something else different in your training