7 Tips To Make Your Long Runs More Fun
LONG RUNS ARE THE SCARIEST PART ABOUT TRAINING FOR ANY DISTANCE RUNNING RACE. THEY JUST ARE.
RUNNING ANYTHING FROM 60 MINUTES AND 3 HOURS IS INSANE. BANANAS CRAZY.
YET EVERY WEEK, MILLIONS OF US LACE UP OUR RUNNING SHOES AND TAKE OFF FOR THE PILLAR OF OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS: THE LONG RUN.
IF YOU’RE PANICKING ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING LONG RUNS OR FEELING UNSURE ABOUT HOW YOU’RE GOING TO SURVIVE RUNNING THAT LONG WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MARBLES, HERE ARE 7 TIPS TO HELP MAKE YOUR LONG RUNS LESS TERRIFYING AND A WHOLE LOT MORE FUN.
BREAK IT UP.
Don’t focus on how far you have to go. Break your run into smaller, bite-sized, manageable pieces. Let’s say your long run is 90 minutes, instead of focusing on 90 minutes, chunk your long run into smaller 10-30 minute chunks.
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that you’re going to experience some rough patches during your training cycle. By breaking your long runs up and chunking them, you can practice moving through those harder moments so that one rough patch doesn’t define your entire long run.
You are always in control. If you’re struggling, you are always able to adjust, flip the script, and move through it to happier miles.
Running is all about mindfulness and the more you practice staying in the moment, the easier it is to trust that a rough patch won’t turn into a bad run.
But mindfulness is a muscle that takes time to develop. Practice it during your long runs. So chunk those runs and bring your attention to the moment you’re in.
DON’T LOOK AHEAD.
Nothing can send you into a panic like looking ahead at your longest runs.
If right now, running 45 minutes feels impossible, looking ahead and seeing something like 2 hours or even 3 hours will leave you feeling dread, terror, panic and a tidal wave of doubt.
It’s ok to look ahead if you have to. (Runners often have to plan trips or vacations around their scheduled long-runs and if that’s the case, you can’t avoid looking ahead.)
Just remember to run the week you’re in. If you’re running a marathon and you’re only in week 3, your longest run will feel impossibly far. (And honestly, it’s going to always feel impossibly far. It’s an incredible feat of athleticism what you’re doing!)
But that’s why we train! You’re in the process of building both the physical and mental strength you need to run your long runs and ultimately, your race.
One day at a time. Focus on today and giving your personal best effort today.
PRACTICE YOUR HYDRATION AND FUELING STRATEGY.
Every long run is an opportunity to practice and tweak your hydration and fueling strategy.
Your hydration strategy is the sports drink and water you’ll drink during your race.
Your fueling strategy is the fuel (energy gels, carb sources, gummy bears, fig newtons, orange slices, etc.) you’ll take in during your race.
Everyone is different and your body will require a different hydration and fueling strategy for when it’s cold then it will when it’s hot. Take the extra 10 minutes a week to sit down and write a strategy every week. Not enough runners do it and dialing in your hydration and fueling strategy will make running easier.
DID YOU HEAR ME? YOU WILL FEEL BETTER AND STRUGGLE LESS. STOP LEAVING IT UP TO CHANCE AND TAKE THE TIME TO START TO FIND OUT WHAT WORKS. YOU’LL HAVE MORE FUN! YOU HEAR ME? YOU. WILL. HAVE. MORE. FUN.
I don’t care if you’re training to run your first 5K or if you’ve run 100 marathons. EVERYONE can benefit from a fueling and hydration strategy.
Not sure where to start?
SWEAT TRACKING:
I HIGHLY recommend sweat tracking. For 5-10 of your runs that are between 45 minutes and 90 minutes, weigh yourself completely naked right before you head out for your run. (If you need to go to the bathroom, do it before you weigh yourself.)
Write that number down.
Then, when you get back from your run, stip down again, towel off any sweat from your hair and body, and weigh yourself again. Subtract the two numbers and that is the amount of sweat you lost during your activity. (If you drank water/sports drink during your workout, make sure you include how much you drank in your calculation.)
I know it sounds complicated and superfluous.
It’s not.
And it makes a HUGE difference. Doing this LITERALLY makes running easier and more enjoyable. DO THIS. The more you do it, the more accurate you can get about how much fluid to take in on the run.
(A note on weighing yourself: I know for so many of you, you don’t want to weigh yourself. I felt the same way. Then, I realized that my weight often fluctuates 7-10 from one day to another. Seeing that and knowing I was weighing myself so that I could run stronger helped take the power away from the stupid number on the scale. Your worth is not attached to that number. This isn’t about weight loss. It’s about running as strong as possible. AND, I sometimes would lose 7 pounds of sweat during one run. Dialing in my hydration strategy changed how I feel when I run. I wish I would have done it sooner.)
Sports Drink:
Before you workout, drink 10-16oz 1-2 hours before and then 4-8oz of fluid or sports drink during your workout. Again, everyone’s sweat rate and the salinity of their sweat is different.
If your workout lasts longer than 45 minutes, include a sports drink. (Not a fan of sports drinks? Try 20 oz water with a dash of sea salt and 1 tsp. of maple syrup.)
Pre-Load:
I often can’t get to a sports drink during harder mid-week runs so I pre-load before the workout about an hour before.
Before my long runs, I’ll drink a sports drink with dinner and then again at breakfast. When you pre-load, you’re starting your run properly hydrated which means you not only fight of dehydration, but you feel better and perform better.
FUEL:
As the miles start to build, you’ll start incorporating energy gels/carb sources to make sure your body is getting the energy and glycogen it needs to perform. There are lots of different brands out there for you to choose from: GU, Clif, Maurten, Huma, Honey Stinger, Generation Ucan, etc.
(I use 1-3 servings of Generation Ucan before my longer long runs, more around the 90-minute mark, before switching to a faster-digesting carb source like Maurten and switch between a normal Maurten and a caffeine Maurten later in a marathon.)
But everyone is different.
I highly recommend using a carb source with caffeine later in the long run or race.
Practice with your fuel. Get specific about when you’re taking what.
I know it sounds complicated but you will only learn by doing.
Some people like chews while others like gels or drinks. Some people opt for gummy bears, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or fig newtons. The rule of thumb with energy gels is that you take them during efforts longer than 90 minutes every 30-45 minutes.
Try not to use fuel for activities under 90 minutes. You want to train your body to become as efficient as possible. For anything under 90 minutes: Sports drink, yes. Energy gels, no.
But write this all down. Write down what you eat the day before your long run and the morning of. Or how you fueled during your run. Keep track of what you drink the day before, the morning of, and during your run.
Then compare what felt good and tweak what didn’t work.
It’s important to practice your fueling strategy during your long runs to see how everything sits with your stomach. What works for some may not work for others. And there’s nothing worse than spending months working for a goal only to have your race day blow up because you didn’t realize that a gel would leave you running for the bathroom instead of the finish line.
RUN WITH YOUR BADASS LADY GANG.
Can you run alone? YES. Sometimes it’s really nice to have some alone time. But it can be a game-changer to run with your Badass Lady Gang. Not only will you have welcome distractions and a perfect chance to catch up with your friends, but you have a built-in support system.
For too long, I was terrified to run with people. I thought I’d slow them down or worried I’d have to stop to use the bathroom. When you run with friends, it’s a team effort. No one minds if they have to stop for a bathroom break or water break. Or if you need to walk. Everyone is just happy to not be suffering alone.
Find your BALG. Run with them.
BRING MUSIC.
If you’re someone who likes to run with music, BRING YOUR MUSIC. When you’re with your friends, bring a small speaker. If you’re on your own, bring your headphones or a small speaker. I HIGHLY recommend bringing a speaker.
ASK SOMEONE TO RIDE A BIKE BESIDE YOU.
I first had someone bike with me during a long run in Mexico. I was on vacation and didn’t really know the area so my Aunt grabbed a bike from the resort, held my water, a small speaker, and she kept me company. Ever since I’ve been recruiting friends and family members to join me by biking during my long runs. If I’m having a tougher run, it helps me to work through a rough patch because they’re normally encouraging me, distracting me, or making me laugh. If it’s a good day, it’s that much more fun.
You get to catch up with and spend time with people you care about and have a built-in support system. It’s a win-win.
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.
You do not have to run, you get to run.
The sooner you can make that mental shift, the easier your life will be.
I get the struggle that is dragging yourself around your house lamenting about how you would rather do anything but run. There have been so many Saturdays where I’d rather do my taxes or clean my bathroom instead of doing my long run.
Don’t drag your feet around or throw yourself a pity party. All you’re doing is shooting yourself in the foot.
If you don’t want to run, don’t run.
Seriously.
If you can, push it a day and plan to wake up ready to crush your long run.
It’s ok to feel intimidated or nervous about a long run. That’s accurate self-talk. But it’s not ok to convince yourself that you’re doomed to fail or that you’re going to have a terrible run. That’s predicting the future which is inaccurate self-talk. No one can predict the future.
It can be tough to get excited about a long run when you’re tired or if the weather isn’t great.
During those moments, focus on your why.
Define why you are training for your race. What it means to you. Get specific and let that fuel your training.
Because training for a half marathon, marathon, and any running race is the hardest part. And if you aren’t taking the time to really unpack why you’re doing it, you’re robbing yourself of the best part.
But focus on your attitude whenever you can. Keep your self talk accurate and remember, you don’t have to do something in order to believe in yourself. All that matters is that you give your personal best effort.
Do that every day and you’re in for a training journey that just might change your life.