Ever pondered across the question of what is the point of your long run? Below we have shared 5 benefits of a long run so when you next head out on your long run, you know it is getting you closer to your running goals.

What is a long run?

A long run is the longest run of the week done with the goal of improving endurance and aerobic capabilities. Within long runs there are a few common types of longs runs, for example the steady long run and the progressive long run. During the steady long run you will maintain a steady, conversational pace throughout the whole of your long run. This pace should be between 60-70% of your max heart rate. You should feel like you could run for longer by the end of it.

A progressive long run is where you maintain a steady pace for the first half of your run and as your get half or past halfway you start gradually increasing the pace until you are around your target race pace.

Sometimes you can do a tempo session/ interval session within your long run. This breaks up the long run and gets you used to running on tired legs. These are known as workout long runs.

And some do back to back long runs or medium runs, which is where you run long runs on consecutive days and even do a workout long run as one of these runs.

How Long is a Long Run?

Depends on you as the runner, where you are in your training plan and your running goals.

Your long run should be no more than 30% of your weekly running mileage. You will gradually increase the distance of your long runs throughout your training programme. Otherwise you are more likely to get injured if you increased your mileage too much, too soon.

Joining Coopah, means you can leave the calculating to Coopah. Coopah will provide you with a personalised training plan with your long runs already set out at the correct distance and pace so you don’t have to worry.

5 Benefits Of A Long Run

1. Better Running Efficiency

As you are running for a longer period of time, you are becoming more efficient in running. You will learn how to save energy and enable your body to discover a way to run as easily as possible at a certain pace.

2. Boost your confidence

Who here comes back after their longest run in their half marathon training plan yet and feels brilliant? Me! And as your continue to get those long runs ticked off each week, they will feel better and you will feel more confident about race day.

3. Make your muscles, bones, and tendons stronger.

Running for prolonged periods increases the strength of the leg muscles, bones and connective tissues. This will allow your body to endure more overall.

4. Make you faster!

By improving your endurance, you’ll be able to hold a certain pace for a longer period of time. And, then as your slow-twitch muscles get tired, your fast-twitch muscle fibers pitch in.

5. Feeling of Accomplishment

It is a fantastic feeling once you have done your long. As well as having some time to yourself or chatting to your running buddy and maybe even exploring a new route or city, you feel like you have achieved something that day for you and your health.

Comment below what are the benefits you find most important in a long run.