The best advice in this whole video is 'be patient with your body'. This is so hard when you have a race day looming and everyone else seems to be progressing and you cant see your own progress. The temptation is to push harder, go further etc but then the injuries creep in and you learn the true meaning of patience waiting for your body to heal 😢.
Don’t compete or compare with anyone else only compete and compare your stats to yourself you’ll perform much better. Enjoy running for the betterment of yourself rather than beating someone else. Look at the way many Africans run in large groups, it’s not about one outshining another it’s about doing it together embracing the suck and May the best conditioned person win.
@@omarinheiropopeye that’s only building anaerobic and more for sprinters. If you are trying to do any competition that is over 3.11 miles you need 80-90 percent of slow low hr running. Look at the Kenyans and Jakob Ingrebritsen workout model!
@@gzfashions yes but you forgot that you and me are not Kenyan or Jakob If you are a amateur and try to copy Kenyan training program you gonna get injured soon
3:40 this is a important tip A lot of beginners start the training with intensity and make the lactic acid jump higher and this destroys the rest of the training You should first warm up your body with a easy run before start the training with intensity
I am preparing a half marathon, My records in 4 half marathon I've done in the last 3 years would be 2h13 ( 26°C), 2h07 ( 18°C), 2h22 ( 30°C), 2h15 ( 23°C). My goal HM pace is 5:27/k meaning 1h55 in the next march. I'll be doing my long run ranging from 15k to 18k working on paces ranging from 6 /k to 5:20 /k.
Thank you! I hate the simple idea of “run slow to run fast”. Yes about ~80% of your runs should be at a comfortable pace, but that’s not 80% of your runs. It’s 80% of your total mileage including warm ups, recovery, etc. every run needs to have speed work that’s faster than your goal pace.
Another piece of the how to become faster puzzle, great! I was always wondering how the long run pace of an elite runner relates to the longrun paces. This explains it really well. 🙏🏻. You are great!
Runners who run so effortlessly are so blessed. I have come to know many runners in the last decade and what I've come to realize is that some people are just natural runners. Some of us will always huff and puff no matter how regularly we run.
I’ve been a 400/800/1500 guy for the last six years and am now challenging myself by moving all the way up to the marathon, and have been struggling to learn how to train for the distance in a way I can race well. I’ve been binging your content the last few days as it’s been so informative. Thanks for the content!
Key thing, track miles and have a solid 2-3 shoe rotation. Electrolytes are key! Keep it simple, run 10-15 miles a week take two rest days 6-8 miles do super slow 9 min pace or 2 3 min slower than your fastest pace then incorporate track workouts and also tempo runs 🙌🏽
@@gzfashions thank you! I’ve definitely been learning my lesson on slower easy miles haha, we’d usually run 6:30-7:30 pace on easy days on my college team but I just can’t manage that anymore now that I’m hitting 15+ mile long runs looking for 20+
For me it is important to get some milage done ob track days too. I commonly start with a about 6 km easy steady get warm on the road not on the track and then do a short warm up with strides and start then into the workout/ effort like kilometer repeats.
Thank you for sharing. This is the most comprehensive long run tutorial/explanation I have found. Very useful info regarding the scheduling of long runs and most importantly, the pace of a long run in the lead up to the marathon. Cheers!
My advice for noobs: leave that structured part a side and focus on comfortably running 20-25km with easy speed. Once you managed this, you can play with the speed.
@@_elifilen My first long runs had 7minutes/ km. Now im with 6. But the time is not important, easy easy pace for a very long time. In my mid 30s i was always focused in time and ran too fast. Now, almost 10 years later im fitter than ever. Partly due to these very easy long run.
Stephen, you can cover such long runs in around 1,5 hours. 90% of runners out there will need double of that. So question is does it make sense for a recreational runner to go out for 3-4 hours or is it a recipe for injury? This is one of the main arguments why Daniels' plans define long runs of max 2,5 hours instead of distance. I would appreciate your opinion on this.
It’s a very good question, when I was coaching an athlete to try and break 3.5 hours, I used to suggested walking for 30 mins either side of a 2 hour run. Which seem a bit ludicrous, but it was getting the body and brain ready for such a long old stint. You might find any progression of pace would only be worthwhile over 60-90 mins, but even if you’re aiming for 4 hours, or 5 hours. The one constant is the fact race day is 26.2 miles and so distance or time must be achieved to some extent in training. I think there’s value in the walking or even cycling either side.
I was talking to an ultra runner a while back and their top tip for anyone just starting was day hikes. 6+ hours of hard hiking every weekend. Not a leisurely pace through the woods but through steep hills, back pack on just to physically build your body strength.
@@TheRunningAlmondThis is risking chaos. Rather start with 2 hour hikes and them 3 hours hikes broken up with a coffee break if you want to go fast. A Beautiful sunday hike can be longer but should be more slow.
The first marathon I ever ran, the shamrock in Virginia Beach 2011, I did it with zero training other than what I was doing for PT in the navy. Finished in 4hrs 6 minutes. The farthest I had ever run before that was a 5k. It was a miserable first experience but it hooked me. Now I am doing iron man triathlons.
Plan your training wrt time and not distance. It's about the time you put your body under stress, your body doesn't know how long it runs in meters. Then, if you're very close to a certain goal event such as an half marathon, extend the distance (and duration). No reason to run for very long just to complete a measure of distance invented by us humans, and as a consequence increasing injury risk.
You can break it down to 10-15 min of on and off running. 10 minutes moderate pace followed by 10 minutes of easy running. 6 x 10 min. On and off. It will equal to 2 hrs.
Correct it is very hard to run for 2-3hrs. If it was easy everyone would do it. So either be the guy that does it. Or don’t. Either way that’s on you bud.
Being a long time running coach, I loved learning something today from this video. Thank you for explaining what is hard to wrap your head around, that your body doesn't know the difference between a 650/mile and a 7/mile for example. Also, on tired training legs, your better off on the slower side since your body will still see that slower effort as "marathon effort"
Also if your tracking heartrate & are non tapered in a heavy wk of big volume marathon effort might be 15sec/mile slower than race day. It ends up too close to half marathon effort otherwise and activates some mild anaerobic metabolism when training over 80% heartrate reserve karvonen. Cheers
@@zacsborntorunrunningadvent3441 I see that as an issue at times, especially at the end of a long hard training block, where you need to run longer MP miles, but your effort for those paces are not ideally the same. So you end up hitting the paces, running a harder effort, and pushing your time to recovery our further. Tough one to know as an athlete and coach how to manage those workout paces.
@@blakelandry I coach + run to heartrate myself :) , which then eliminates the pace guessing yes. Chest strap Heartrate shows/covers the intensity... & also highlights how healthy/unhealthy the athletes cardiac drift is. Cheers
@@zacsborntorunrunningadvent3441 Is that based on the goal race pace HR zone? Or just a % of max HR? Because if trying to run a specific time, HR is sort of the outcome not the goal usually.
@@blakelandry well trained runners will push around 95% of lt2 (av.hr for whole race that is) which will be about 86% of true max heartrate... or approx 83% heartrate reserve (Karvonen). If a runners heartrate can average about 27bpm below max by halfway through the race itll often be a very even progression/well paced. Cheers & Happy Running.
I'm a former obese person ( from 135kg to 95kg ) , now I can run 7km per 1 houre comfortably, I'm trying to get to 10 km per hour. I mainly do body building, but i start to enjoy running. I'm always exited for running day.
I have a marathon at the end of April and I just strained my hip. A bit nervous but I am going to take it slow and steady once I’m all healed up. I just want to finish. No PB for this race. Just finish
When I do long runs, I do them a little bit above goal pace about 5-10% higher or 13.1 effort, and in interval form. For a 13-15 miles long run, I would do 13 x .75 mi 10% above race pace or 13.1 effort with a .25 easy run recovery. It’s one continuous run but I sprinkle in some recovery to keep lactate levels down. I don’t do the traditional long slow run because it doesn’t really translate to race day performance. I’d rather do it faster than marathon race pace. It really teaches the body more strength-endurance to sustain the tremendous demands of a marathon.
Stephen, i'm totally with you. A harder long run is THE key workout for a marathoner (though of course threshold,tempo,intervals, and easy runs at the correct pace are also important in the weekly structure). If you are planning to run hard on race day (as a marathoner), then you need to train like it! There is a prominent TH-camr out there that recently claimed you do not need to even reach race pace during a marathon block. In my experience, running a long run slow trains you to do exactly that: run the LR slow, which translates to a slow race day. Thank you for being real with your audience. Marathon training is supposed to be tough!
I do Hanson method which doesn't take you over 16 miles - however I have done long runs in the past, always slow. Always good to learn, especially from the best in the business, and not against trying other plans in future! Doing Berlin too cant wait.
Wow, what a great video!! Is it ok to do a harder long run like every other week? Most training blocks I've used always say to do them all at an easy pace. Before my last 1/2 Marathon I started running the last 1/3 at a much tougher effort and I feel it helped a lot. (Ran a PR :). Your structure in this video is awesome and I can't wait to try it. The details you relayed made perfect sense. Well done!! My long runs are anywhere from 10-14 miles currently. Just don't want to over do it. Would this replace a weekly tempo/interval session? Thanks again for these videos.....they really help us average runners! I'm still getting faster at 44 that I never thought possible.
Long runs should be primarly easy steady pace and feel comfortable. He said in the video harder effort long runs shouldn't be done every week. For me this sounds like every 2 weeks at a maximum better only every 3 or 4 weeks. While you can still do a normal long run every other week. Having a focused uptempo long run approaching race pace is different then doing the last third of an longer run fast. While this helps a lot it is 5 miles of a 15 mile run fast instead of 12 miles of a 18 miler fast.
You’re good at this !!! Really enjoy your videos and always learning from your masterclass so motivating - and mentally gets me in a good head space - thank you 😊
what do you think about the importance of a long run for some training for the 800m. my quarter speed is already 48 seconds so I rly just need the aerobic fitness.
Hi Stephen, So it is sort of true that you run your long runs easier than you do on race day. in other words I wouldn't be running my 3 hr run at race pace but maybe later on in my prep I do have some race pace segments in there perhaps.
This video came in just at the right time for me. I've been doing some long-ish runs, building from 10k to 13k, and for the next one which I'm doing tomorrow I was thinking about going around 20k.
@@chrism589 Yep, I see the point in that. I did a 16km run the other day, although I was going for 20, but I guess I just picked the pace I could not sustain, and I'd fall apart if I decided to push.
Hi Stephen! I know you’ve done quite a few videos on threshold already, but could you possibly expand on where someone’s marathon pace would be in relation to LT1 (on a graph) and how things like nutrition, heat, fatigue, etc might affect that. Thanks!!
Far too many variables, and includes. Training, years of training, and a couple you mentioned. Well trained athletes, think best in the world run a marathon (I think) research suggested around 94-6% of LT2 and and so most sit somewhere in between LT1 and LT2, but again depends on training and athletes ceiling. An athlete with a poor LT2 might run much closer, If they haven’t done much to improve LT2. Heat, nutrition etc.. would only effect extraction on race day. Ie if optimal performance, under perfect conditions, based on the athletes training was 96% of LT2, then heat, nutrition, injury status, course, psychology, would then determine how close the athlete might get to actually running at that optimal line. How high an athlete can get there (% of LT2) depends heavily on how well trained that athlete is over time, running economy etc..
@@stephenscullion262 so is it fair to say somebody running 3+ hrs for the marathon is likely going to be below the first lactate inflection point to run an even split?
Depends on the athlete, and I know that sounds confusing but some people can run for longer periods of time at each threshold, which is called (Capacity) in the form of "willingness to push, and then also fuel economy" Two people can have the same threshold speeds, but if they went to a field and ran at the same threshold, one would keep going as the other slows. I think it's best to assume if you improve speed at both, then marathon result will likely improve, where your race day sits on the scale of LT1, LT2, or inbetween etc.. doesn't matter as much as improving both. @@michealGRuns
Hey guys I'm currently at 80kgs with a height of 5.6ft/168cm and 29% body fat. I aim to lose 20kgs in the next 3 months while focusing on muscle development and overall fitness. After that With 7-months of training plan under the guidance of a coach and training @high altitudes, my goal is to run a sub-3 hour marathon in 2024. Given your expertise, do you believe achieving this milestone is possible? I've had success with weight loss and running before but faced setbacks. Determined to make a lasting change this time. My prs 10k-1hr , 20k-2hr10min (I was in caloric deficit at that time)not participated in any races and didn't done any speed workouts
Damn I can barely keep a 11:50min/mile pace. I’m also 220 lbs and barely run. Kills my knees. Idk how to improve my program and diet must be not optimal. Anyone have advice?
Hi Stephen, first of all thank you for the content, I know it takes a lot of time and energy to make it, so I wanted you to know that's highly appreciated. There's a question that keeps bugging me for quite a while now seeing your videos. Why do you keep your chest strap so low? It seems to be quite lower than what I'm used to and what I see people recommending online!
Do you recommend running the actual marathon using a similar structured long run plan? Or just try to be consistent with your pace throughout the marathon? Thank you
Doing 18 this weekend for Berlin as well. I always get tired towards the end, how do I get to a place to increase my speed at the end. If I start slow I am slow for the most part of the run and still can’t improve. My hope is to finish it under 5 hours so not a fast runner like you.
When I did my first long runs, I already got tired (and hungry) at 12-13km (around an hour). I was unable to run more than an hour without taking a gel or the pace would drop to walking speed, my energy was gone. Now, after lots of long runs (more than 20) I can run a half marathon at a faster steady pace (marathon pace plus 20-25 seconds) and do no longer need a gel and can pick up the pace at the end. It is amazing how fast your body can adapt and improve your energy usage.
Thanks mate, just what I need! One question .. for somebody aiming for a 5:15 min per km marathon pace, how would you change the speed for the segments in the structured run? Stay with 5s to 10s, 10s to 15s slower than the target pace? I already managed to get a couple of long runs, at a slower pace (aerobic), in the 34km to 38km range and I'm looking to increase the long-run benefits.
Hey Stephen, I’m running my first marathon in September, and my goal is to finish and run the 26.2 miles without having to stop and walk at all. I’m running 60 miles a week every week with a 20 mile long run every Saturday but I’ve felt like garbage on my 20 mile long runs the last 2 weeks. Just 3 weeks ago I was running 20 miles for my long runs and felt great. I felt like I could’ve went another 6 miles if I had to. My goal now is to get under 4 hours for the race. I always run my long runs slow though. Do you think that I should run it fast at some point or do a negative split long run?
@@ryancorr1006 Yeah I should probably reduce it but if I eat enough calories the days before my long runs I’ve noticed I’ve had more energy the last couple of weeks
It’s so impressive how far you’ve come from #AskScullFriday and how much your presentation and delivery skill set has improved. Keep it up lionscull💪#foreverananimal
Great information! Thank you! I notice you wear a chest HR monitor. Do you find the chest straps to be significantly more accurate? Do wrist HR monitors typically overestimate or underestimate HR from your experience?
I'm a newbie runner, 4ish months in. Iv really been pushing hard. My longest run is 14miles at 10-11min mile. Heart rate stayed at 140. Me being able to compete that distance has motivated me to try a marathon within the year(🤞). I'm running 6-10 miles every other day. My coros is coaching me for the marathon. My watch has long runs in them but they aren't very long. Should I go by the training plan or should I increase the distance if able?
Hey for these long run training sessions , What type of hydration or fuel do you use ? You carry gels ? Electrolyte water ? A hydration pack ? Or do you go without nothing ? Thank you
I’m a new runner (just over a year of consistent training). Started out just running 3 days a week and I’ll admit I was going way too hard every time I did run. Had to take a couple weeks off from shin splints due to running in the wrong shoes. I’m now building my mileage up to 23 miles per week, 4 days a week. Adding 10% per week for 3 weeks and taking a deload week down to 60% of my 3rd week’s mileage. Hit 31 miles last week with a 10 mile long run. At what base mileage would you say is a safe bet to get to before starting a marathon prep? I listen to a couple run podcasts and hear that your long run shouldn’t exceed 30% of your weekly mileage, so to get to a 16-20 mile long run, I’d potentially need to build up to 60 miles per week?
Progressing the speed is often important it doesn't mater if the first kilometers are slow or in what pace they are as long as you feel good until you hit a bit of a faster pace. A run at 5:30 per km average should start at around 5:50 and close 5:20 or maybe 5:10 for the last third the last km even faster.
@@chrism589The long run should not make that much of your mileage. You have to be careful build easy miles on other days and rather cut a bit on the long run.
30% is good advice but strict if it is 35% it should be okay too. But if you are not used to running 40 miles a week over some month then your long run should stay below or at 15 miles.
If you can progress to 40 miles then increase your mileage slower! . Only build by 5% per week for 3 weeks then deload for a week. Over the following 8-12 weeks you will still progress to 50 miles. You can do long runs only watch that they don't exceed one third or 30% of your mileage. Be sure that you do enough strength workouts. 2 times a week 20 -30 minutes at least.
That's funny, because I do 8k for my normal pace runs and don't ever go past 32km, and then just do race day. Very close to yours! For half, 8k (as always), and don't go past 18k. No matter the final distance, i find 2km increase per 1-2 weeks (depending on recovery, diet, weather, etc) seems to be a decent pace.
I feel like I need to eat a decent amount of porridge on the morning of a long run. Is it right that I heard you say that you just have a cup of coffee and get out the door? Tried to find the info on joggingroom but couldn't see it anywhere. Thanks.
I absolutely love your videos Stephen.. could i make 1 very demanding suggestion, please mention pqcing in km's for us metric folk.. brings your vids from 2d to 3d instantly
He is an Olympian...mate...to put it in perspective...if you run a Sub 3hr marathon...you fall within the first 1% of all marathon runners in the world...now...try to figure out the category this guy fals in!
TLDW: Stephen is saying that you don't need to execute exact race pace during an entire long run in training to pull off race pace on race day. You only need execute race effort or faster during training to tell your body that it can pull off the same effort on race day. I think 😅
Warm ups are crucial when taking on a longer run, you'll only pay for further down the run and you won't make the distance. Plus stretch as you go long also helps, it'll pay dividends with your recovery.
No way someone who run their first marathon can "build up" their pace/long run distance like you in just 3 weeks, no matter how structured their trainings are.
ever tried long runs which are longer than 2 hours? eg 50 or 60k? There are benefits to be had from 3 hr+ sessions - which is why cyclists and swimmers do it - so long as you can handle the pounding
Cycling is totally different than running, since it's no impact. 4 hours on a bike is not a problem, but 4 hour run will wreck you if you are not used to it.
You can still do long bike rides and long swim they gone help too. Often more comfortable to ride 5 hours on a bike then to run for 3 hours or more. Most plans cut long runs at 3 /3 and half hours or even earlier because it would be to demanding.
bro what is this, I just have one sonorous slow pace and 99% of populace wont even have that all this tempo and interval horse shit doesnt work at all for me its just gonna create injury 😆
The best advice in this whole video is 'be patient with your body'. This is so hard when you have a race day looming and everyone else seems to be progressing and you cant see your own progress. The temptation is to push harder, go further etc but then the injuries creep in and you learn the true meaning of patience waiting for your body to heal 😢.
Good advice; thanks!
Don’t compete or compare with anyone else only compete and compare your stats to yourself you’ll perform much better. Enjoy running for the betterment of yourself rather than beating someone else. Look at the way many Africans run in large groups, it’s not about one outshining another it’s about doing it together embracing the suck and May the best conditioned person win.
Run intense 3 days a week and let your body recovery the 4 days left
@@omarinheiropopeye that’s only building anaerobic and more for sprinters. If you are trying to do any competition that is over 3.11 miles you need 80-90 percent of slow low hr running. Look at the Kenyans and Jakob Ingrebritsen workout model!
@@gzfashions yes but you forgot that you and me are not Kenyan or Jakob
If you are a amateur and try to copy Kenyan training program you gonna get injured soon
3:40 this is a important tip
A lot of beginners start the training with intensity and make the lactic acid jump higher and this destroys the rest of the training
You should first warm up your body with a easy run before start the training with intensity
With your speed it is amazing how short these long runs actually take.
I am preparing a half marathon, My records in 4 half marathon I've done in the last 3 years would be 2h13 ( 26°C), 2h07 ( 18°C), 2h22 ( 30°C), 2h15 ( 23°C). My goal HM pace is 5:27/k meaning 1h55 in the next march. I'll be doing my long run ranging from 15k to 18k working on paces ranging from 6 /k to 5:20 /k.
Thank you! I hate the simple idea of “run slow to run fast”. Yes about ~80% of your runs should be at a comfortable pace, but that’s not 80% of your runs. It’s 80% of your total mileage including warm ups, recovery, etc. every run needs to have speed work that’s faster than your goal pace.
Another piece of the how to become faster puzzle, great! I was always wondering how the long run pace of an elite runner relates to the longrun paces. This explains it really well. 🙏🏻. You are great!
Runners who run so effortlessly are so blessed. I have come to know many runners in the last decade and what I've come to realize is that some people are just natural runners. Some of us will always huff and puff no matter how regularly we run.
I’ve been a 400/800/1500 guy for the last six years and am now challenging myself by moving all the way up to the marathon, and have been struggling to learn how to train for the distance in a way I can race well. I’ve been binging your content the last few days as it’s been so informative. Thanks for the content!
Key thing, track miles and have a solid 2-3 shoe rotation. Electrolytes are key! Keep it simple, run 10-15 miles a week take two rest days 6-8 miles do super slow 9 min pace or 2 3 min slower than your fastest pace then incorporate track workouts and also tempo runs 🙌🏽
@@gzfashions thank you! I’ve definitely been learning my lesson on slower easy miles haha, we’d usually run 6:30-7:30 pace on easy days on my college team but I just can’t manage that anymore now that I’m hitting 15+ mile long runs looking for 20+
For me it is important to get some milage done ob track days too. I commonly start with a about 6 km easy steady get warm on the road not on the track and then do a short warm up with strides and start then into the workout/ effort like kilometer repeats.
Thank you for sharing. This is the most comprehensive long run tutorial/explanation I have found. Very useful info regarding the scheduling of long runs and most importantly, the pace of a long run in the lead up to the marathon. Cheers!
My advice for noobs: leave that structured part a side and focus on comfortably running 20-25km with easy speed. Once you managed this, you can play with the speed.
Thank you, for the advice. can you tell me how much time it should take me to run 20-25 km, just to set up an objective for my training.
@@_elifilen My first long runs had 7minutes/ km. Now im with 6. But the time is not important, easy easy pace for a very long time. In my mid 30s i was always focused in time and ran too fast. Now, almost 10 years later im fitter than ever. Partly due to these very easy long run.
Again, brilliant content and delivered really well. Thanks for sharing 👍🏻
Stephen, you can cover such long runs in around 1,5 hours. 90% of runners out there will need double of that.
So question is does it make sense for a recreational runner to go out for 3-4 hours or is it a recipe for injury?
This is one of the main arguments why Daniels' plans define long runs of max 2,5 hours instead of distance.
I would appreciate your opinion on this.
It’s a very good question, when I was coaching an athlete to try and break 3.5 hours, I used to suggested walking for 30 mins either side of a 2 hour run. Which seem a bit ludicrous, but it was getting the body and brain ready for such a long old stint. You might find any progression of pace would only be worthwhile over 60-90 mins, but even if you’re aiming for 4 hours, or 5 hours. The one constant is the fact race day is 26.2 miles and so distance or time must be achieved to some extent in training. I think there’s value in the walking or even cycling either side.
I was talking to an ultra runner a while back and their top tip for anyone just starting was day hikes. 6+ hours of hard hiking every weekend. Not a leisurely pace through the woods but through steep hills, back pack on just to physically build your body strength.
listen to your own body not some youtuber bro if u wanna walk, walk sports isnt supposed to be suffering 😆
@@TheRunningAlmondThis is risking chaos. Rather start with 2 hour hikes and them 3 hours hikes broken up with a coffee break if you want to go fast. A Beautiful sunday hike can be longer but should be more slow.
Staple run.
This is a weekly for me still most times not that long 80 to 85 min but im a not running for a marathon.
Another great video. Thank you Scully! I really notice the benefit of the long runs and love the idea of pace progression through it. Will try this.
Stephen, these videos are absolute bangers! Thanks for all the info
The first marathon I ever ran, the shamrock in Virginia Beach 2011, I did it with zero training other than what I was doing for PT in the navy. Finished in 4hrs 6 minutes. The farthest I had ever run before that was a 5k. It was a miserable first experience but it hooked me. Now I am doing iron man triathlons.
The navy pt was a joke
How was the Shamrock? I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews.
@@LaMonteStennisespecially in Virginia with all that brass
I feel a new PB coming on in Berlin. Good luck with it!
I would really like that
Omgg I should find this channel earlier, all pure gold content, Subscribed!
Running long as a slow runner is tough . Be out running for over 2 hours is hard mentally
I agree that must be very tough and brings about its own different challenges
Plan your training wrt time and not distance. It's about the time you put your body under stress, your body doesn't know how long it runs in meters. Then, if you're very close to a certain goal event such as an half marathon, extend the distance (and duration).
No reason to run for very long just to complete a measure of distance invented by us humans, and as a consequence increasing injury risk.
Audiobooks have done a ton to help me feel happy with 2-3 hour runs. Consider giving them a shot.
You can break it down to 10-15 min of on and off running. 10 minutes moderate pace followed by 10 minutes of easy running. 6 x 10 min. On
and off. It will equal to 2 hrs.
Correct it is very hard to run for 2-3hrs. If it was easy everyone would do it. So either be the guy that does it. Or don’t. Either way that’s on you bud.
Long runs are essential to any training program especially marathons
Being a long time running coach, I loved learning something today from this video. Thank you for explaining what is hard to wrap your head around, that your body doesn't know the difference between a 650/mile and a 7/mile for example. Also, on tired training legs, your better off on the slower side since your body will still see that slower effort as "marathon effort"
Also if your tracking heartrate & are non tapered in a heavy wk of big volume marathon effort might be 15sec/mile slower than race day. It ends up too close to half marathon effort otherwise and activates some mild anaerobic metabolism when training over 80% heartrate reserve karvonen. Cheers
@@zacsborntorunrunningadvent3441 I see that as an issue at times, especially at the end of a long hard training block, where you need to run longer MP miles, but your effort for those paces are not ideally the same. So you end up hitting the paces, running a harder effort, and pushing your time to recovery our further. Tough one to know as an athlete and coach how to manage those workout paces.
@@blakelandry I coach + run to heartrate myself :) , which then eliminates the pace guessing yes. Chest strap Heartrate shows/covers the intensity... & also highlights how healthy/unhealthy the athletes cardiac drift is. Cheers
@@zacsborntorunrunningadvent3441 Is that based on the goal race pace HR zone? Or just a % of max HR? Because if trying to run a specific time, HR is sort of the outcome not the goal usually.
@@blakelandry well trained runners will push around 95% of lt2 (av.hr for whole race that is) which will be about 86% of true max heartrate... or approx 83% heartrate reserve (Karvonen). If a runners heartrate can average about 27bpm below max by halfway through the race itll often be a very even progression/well paced. Cheers & Happy Running.
Exactly what I needed to hear as I start my build up to Chicago! Thanks for the great advice.
This is brilliant! Thanks for these examples of how to run a long run!!👌👌👌
By far the best running content out. Another great video🙌💪🏽
I'm a former obese person ( from 135kg to 95kg ) , now I can run 7km per 1 houre comfortably, I'm trying to get to 10 km per hour. I mainly do body building, but i start to enjoy running. I'm always exited for running day.
Thanks you sir and all'the best barlin merathon run
I have a marathon at the end of April and I just strained my hip. A bit nervous but I am going to take it slow and steady once I’m all healed up. I just want to finish. No PB for this race. Just finish
When I do long runs, I do them a little bit above goal pace about 5-10% higher or 13.1 effort, and in interval form. For a 13-15 miles long run, I would do 13 x .75 mi 10% above race pace or 13.1 effort with a .25 easy run recovery. It’s one continuous run but I sprinkle in some recovery to keep lactate levels down. I don’t do the traditional long slow run because it doesn’t really translate to race day performance. I’d rather do it faster than marathon race pace. It really teaches the body more strength-endurance to sustain the tremendous demands of a marathon.
Stephen, i'm totally with you. A harder long run is THE key workout for a marathoner (though of course threshold,tempo,intervals, and easy runs at the correct pace are also important in the weekly structure). If you are planning to run hard on race day (as a marathoner), then you need to train like it! There is a prominent TH-camr out there that recently claimed you do not need to even reach race pace during a marathon block. In my experience, running a long run slow trains you to do exactly that: run the LR slow, which translates to a slow race day. Thank you for being real with your audience. Marathon training is supposed to be tough!
Only 5 km at race pace! But runners are different it is his advice but not for everybody
Who is that "prominent" youtuber? Who said that?
I do Hanson method which doesn't take you over 16 miles - however I have done long runs in the past, always slow. Always good to learn, especially from the best in the business, and not against trying other plans in future! Doing Berlin too cant wait.
Wish you the best 🎉 thank you to share your knowledge
Wow, what a great video!! Is it ok to do a harder long run like every other week? Most training blocks I've used always say to do them all at an easy pace. Before my last 1/2 Marathon I started running the last 1/3 at a much tougher effort and I feel it helped a lot. (Ran a PR :). Your structure in this video is awesome and I can't wait to try it. The details you relayed made perfect sense. Well done!! My long runs are anywhere from 10-14 miles currently. Just don't want to over do it. Would this replace a weekly tempo/interval session? Thanks again for these videos.....they really help us average runners! I'm still getting faster at 44 that I never thought possible.
Long runs should be primarly easy steady pace and feel comfortable.
He said in the video harder effort long runs shouldn't be done every week. For me this sounds like every 2 weeks at a maximum better only every 3 or 4 weeks. While you can still do a normal long run every other week.
Having a focused uptempo long run approaching race pace is different then doing the last third of an longer run fast. While this helps a lot it is 5 miles of a 15 mile run fast instead of 12 miles of a 18 miler fast.
Really enjoyable video. I learnt a lot as a runner. Thank u
I love this video, helps me know how to prepare for NYC marathon in November! Would love to see a video about training vs racing shoes!
Munich marathon for me in October. Good luck.
You’re good at this !!! Really enjoy your videos and always learning from your masterclass so motivating - and mentally gets me in a good head space - thank you 😊
Thanks bud
what do you think about the importance of a long run for some training for the 800m. my quarter speed is already 48 seconds so I rly just need the aerobic fitness.
Very helpful, thank you!
Thank you, I needed this to demist all the confusion around LSD...
Hi Stephen, So it is sort of true that you run your long runs easier than you do on race day. in other words I wouldn't be running my 3 hr run at race pace but maybe later on in my prep I do have some race pace segments in there perhaps.
Started running April 2023 I’m at 10 min. A mile
This video came in just at the right time for me. I've been doing some long-ish runs, building from 10k to 13k, and for the next one which I'm doing tomorrow I was thinking about going around 20k.
For me marathon training. 17 miles tomorrow but this this video has reminded me not to try doing marathon pace in the same run as increase milage.
@@chrism589 Yep, I see the point in that. I did a 16km run the other day, although I was going for 20, but I guess I just picked the pace I could not sustain, and I'd fall apart if I decided to push.
Great blog man. Some very valuable information in it. Thank you 👍
Hi Stephen! I know you’ve done quite a few videos on threshold already, but could you possibly expand on where someone’s marathon pace would be in relation to LT1 (on a graph) and how things like nutrition, heat, fatigue, etc might affect that. Thanks!!
Far too many variables, and includes. Training, years of training, and a couple you mentioned. Well trained athletes, think best in the world run a marathon (I think) research suggested around 94-6% of LT2 and and so most sit somewhere in between LT1 and LT2, but again depends on training and athletes ceiling. An athlete with a poor LT2 might run much closer, If they haven’t done much to improve LT2. Heat, nutrition etc.. would only effect extraction on race day. Ie if optimal performance, under perfect conditions, based on the athletes training was 96% of LT2, then heat, nutrition, injury status, course, psychology, would then determine how close the athlete might get to actually running at that optimal line. How high an athlete can get there (% of LT2) depends heavily on how well trained that athlete is over time, running economy etc..
@@stephenscullion262 so is it fair to say somebody running 3+ hrs for the marathon is likely going to be below the first lactate inflection point to run an even split?
Depends on the athlete, and I know that sounds confusing but some people can run for longer periods of time at each threshold, which is called (Capacity) in the form of "willingness to push, and then also fuel economy" Two people can have the same threshold speeds, but if they went to a field and ran at the same threshold, one would keep going as the other slows. I think it's best to assume if you improve speed at both, then marathon result will likely improve, where your race day sits on the scale of LT1, LT2, or inbetween etc.. doesn't matter as much as improving both. @@michealGRuns
Hey guys I'm currently at 80kgs with a height of 5.6ft/168cm and 29% body fat. I aim to lose 20kgs in the next 3 months while focusing on muscle development and overall fitness. After that With 7-months of training plan under the guidance of a coach and training @high altitudes, my goal is to run a sub-3 hour marathon in 2024. Given your expertise, do you believe achieving this milestone is possible? I've had success with weight loss and running before but faced setbacks. Determined to make a lasting change this time. My prs 10k-1hr , 20k-2hr10min (I was in caloric deficit at that time)not participated in any races and didn't done any speed workouts
what's your favourite long run route in belfast / NI? loved seeing Vicky park
Where was this filmed ? Looks like London maybe upper Thames near Richmond ?
Victoria Park, Belfast
I've been finding a hard 15k the day before a long, slower 25-30k (maybe with a small amount of MP effort) to be very beneficial for me.
Always enjoy watching people blessed by God with natural ability. Keep up the good advice!
Damn I can barely keep a 11:50min/mile pace. I’m also 220 lbs and barely run. Kills my knees. Idk how to improve my program and diet must be not optimal. Anyone have advice?
Hi Stephen, first of all thank you for the content, I know it takes a lot of time and energy to make it, so I wanted you to know that's highly appreciated. There's a question that keeps bugging me for quite a while now seeing your videos. Why do you keep your chest strap so low? It seems to be quite lower than what I'm used to and what I see people recommending online!
Do you recommend running the actual marathon using a similar structured long run plan? Or just try to be consistent with your pace throughout the marathon? Thank you
Doing 18 this weekend for Berlin as well. I always get tired towards the end, how do I get to a place to increase my speed at the end. If I start slow I am slow for the most part of the run and still can’t improve. My hope is to finish it under 5 hours so not a fast runner like you.
When I did my first long runs, I already got tired (and hungry) at 12-13km (around an hour).
I was unable to run more than an hour without taking a gel or the pace would drop to walking speed, my energy was gone.
Now, after lots of long runs (more than 20) I can run a half marathon at a faster steady pace (marathon pace plus 20-25 seconds) and do no longer need a gel and can pick up the pace at the end.
It is amazing how fast your body can adapt and improve your energy usage.
Love your videos! Keep up the awesome work!
Thanks mate, just what I need! One question .. for somebody aiming for a 5:15 min per km marathon pace, how would you change the speed for the segments in the structured run? Stay with 5s to 10s, 10s to 15s slower than the target pace?
I already managed to get a couple of long runs, at a slower pace (aerobic), in the 34km to 38km range and I'm looking to increase the long-run benefits.
Subscribed for excellent content and for Ireland 🇮🇪 !
Hey Stephen, I’m running my first marathon in September, and my goal is to finish and run the 26.2 miles without having to stop and walk at all. I’m running 60 miles a week every week with a 20 mile long run every Saturday but I’ve felt like garbage on my 20 mile long runs the last 2 weeks. Just 3 weeks ago I was running 20 miles for my long runs and felt great. I felt like I could’ve went another 6 miles if I had to. My goal now is to get under 4 hours for the race. I always run my long runs slow though. Do you think that I should run it fast at some point or do a negative split long run?
I would keep your long runs slow. Sounds like you’re fatigued. Make sure you’re doing your interval sessions and your speed will be there.
That is a lot of miles per week for someone just wanting to finish. I think you could reduce that so you are not as fatigued.
@@ryancorr1006 Yeah I should probably reduce it but if I eat enough calories the days before my long runs I’ve noticed I’ve had more energy the last couple of weeks
@@codykapitzke4413 we are all different but I didn't go over 45 miles and ran a 3h29 first ever marathon. Don't kill yourself in training. Good luck
@@codykapitzke4413How did it go ? Has it worked out?
It’s so impressive how far you’ve come from #AskScullFriday and how much your presentation and delivery skill set has improved. Keep it up lionscull💪#foreverananimal
Ah thanks. I guess the passion to share always existed, but now just different method of delivery
Sculley rules!
Thanks for advice!
Great video!! Always educating, thank you!!
What should the heart beat be for long run? Zone 2 or Zone 3? Thank you!
What’s your recomendattion for hr zone in a long run ?
Great information! Thank you! I notice you wear a chest HR monitor. Do you find the chest straps to be significantly more accurate? Do wrist HR monitors typically overestimate or underestimate HR from your experience?
I definitely have the pre-run "coffee on the couch" part figured out.
With 2 hard sessions a week, where should I structure this hard long run session? Instead one of them? In addition?
Thanks 🙏🏼
very well explained
I'm a newbie runner, 4ish months in.
Iv really been pushing hard. My longest run is 14miles at 10-11min mile. Heart rate stayed at 140.
Me being able to compete that distance has motivated me to try a marathon within the year(🤞). I'm running 6-10 miles every other day.
My coros is coaching me for the marathon.
My watch has long runs in them but they aren't very long. Should I go by the training plan or should I increase the distance if able?
Training plan. You're in it for the long run so don't risk injury.
@@61js by Christmas. Ya, the strength training and runs mixed into the week is hard on the legs. But I'm handling it decent.
Look into Jack Daniel’s book. Really helpful! Takes a lot of the guesswork out of pacing etc. God bless you.
Hey for these long run training sessions ,
What type of hydration or fuel do you use ?
You carry gels ? Electrolyte water ?
A hydration pack ?
Or do you go without nothing ?
Thank you
He explains this if you actually watch the video.
At what point in this video does he mention how he fuels and what tactics he uses during his training session ?
Common rules is nothing for most session under one a half hours.
Gels every 40 to 60 minutes for marathons or long runs leading up to a marathon.
How many days a week did you do these long 90 minute runs ? Can I do three 90 minute long runs a week in zone 2 ?
This is a great video thank you 🙏
Hi Stephen, what is your easy pace in these runs in comparison to say your 3.30/k reps?
I’m a new runner (just over a year of consistent training). Started out just running 3 days a week and I’ll admit I was going way too hard every time I did run. Had to take a couple weeks off from shin splints due to running in the wrong shoes. I’m now building my mileage up to 23 miles per week, 4 days a week. Adding 10% per week for 3 weeks and taking a deload week down to 60% of my 3rd week’s mileage. Hit 31 miles last week with a 10 mile long run. At what base mileage would you say is a safe bet to get to before starting a marathon prep? I listen to a couple run podcasts and hear that your long run shouldn’t exceed 30% of your weekly mileage, so to get to a 16-20 mile long run, I’d potentially need to build up to 60 miles per week?
Exactly the same for me. My long run is 50% of weekly milage. Trying to build weekly up a bit but marathon means I need some 20milers.
Progressing the speed is often important it doesn't mater if the first kilometers are slow or in what pace they are as long as you feel good until you hit a bit of a faster pace.
A run at 5:30 per km average should start at around 5:50 and close 5:20 or maybe 5:10 for the last third the last km even faster.
@@chrism589The long run should not make that much of your mileage. You have to be careful build easy miles on other days and rather cut a bit on the long run.
30% is good advice but strict if it is 35% it should be okay too. But if you are not used to running 40 miles a week over some month then your long run should stay below or at 15 miles.
If you can progress to 40 miles then increase your mileage slower!
. Only build by 5% per week for 3 weeks then deload for a week.
Over the following 8-12 weeks you will still progress to 50 miles.
You can do long runs only watch that they don't exceed one third or 30% of your mileage.
Be sure that you do enough strength workouts. 2 times a week 20 -30 minutes at least.
That's funny, because I do 8k for my normal pace runs and don't ever go past 32km, and then just do race day. Very close to yours!
For half, 8k (as always), and don't go past 18k.
No matter the final distance, i find 2km increase per 1-2 weeks (depending on recovery, diet, weather, etc) seems to be a decent pace.
For someone trying to break 12 mins for 2 miles, what distance ""long run"" should i do?? To gain max endurance.
12 miles?? A good resource is Jack Daniel’s book. Get the latest edition. Really helpful!
I feel like I need to eat a decent amount of porridge on the morning of a long run. Is it right that I heard you say that you just have a cup of coffee and get out the door? Tried to find the info on joggingroom but couldn't see it anywhere. Thanks.
There’s a lecture on jogging room, Supersapiens about when / what to eat and the role it has on blood glucose / performance that day
Thanks a lot mate appreciate the response I will go check it out.
How hard it is to plan and achive a marathon from 3:05 min/km to 2:55 min/km?
3.05 is often national /olympic level for men.
2.55 is world record level
Thank you
I absolutely love your videos Stephen.. could i make 1 very demanding suggestion, please mention pqcing in km's for us metric folk.. brings your vids from 2d to 3d instantly
I think he WAS using min/Km for pacing. If he is running a marathon at 3:05 min/mi he would be running a 1 hour 20 minutes Marathon.
As a metric folk I have kept my garmin at mile beeps because people look at me and then wonder why their watch didn't beep at the same time.
Your pace is unreal
He is an Olympian...mate...to put it in perspective...if you run a Sub 3hr marathon...you fall within the first 1% of all marathon runners in the world...now...try to figure out the category this guy fals in!
Aren't 4-5 long runs as marathon preparation too few for most recreational runners?
Where is this place located ?
can you add mile conversions in future videos?
It would be a lot easier / faster for you to Google a conversion table lol
TLDW: Stephen is saying that you don't need to execute exact race pace during an entire long run in training to pull off race pace on race day. You only need execute race effort or faster during training to tell your body that it can pull off the same effort on race day.
I think 😅
First one coming up. Six weeks out 😅
Good luck! 💪
Thank you.
Still takes me 2 1/2 hrs to just do a half and keep HR
My advice after several yaer of running: Long runs at low pace! about 50sec./Kilometer lower than Marathon-racing-pace.
I really need a video of Stephen saying "Do" and "Pace" over and over again for 60 mins. It would make me complete. lol
If you haven’t done it in training … great advice alone
The man is running 4.00/km at 137HR 😮
Warm ups are crucial when taking on a longer run, you'll only pay for further down the run and you won't make the distance. Plus stretch as you go long also helps, it'll pay dividends with your recovery.
Anything past 90 minutes ans I start to struggle
Yahoooooo!!!!!
you have really beautiful parks there. very good to put in quality miles
Can you say beginner training for cross country runners?❤
Why wont u run further than 35 km and also wont cross 8km at race pace .. although you training to run like that for 42 km ?
If you would run that long you would get tired. It takes 3 to 4 week to rest and recover from an marathon in race pace.
No way someone who run their first marathon can "build up" their pace/long run distance like you in just 3 weeks, no matter how structured their trainings are.
ever tried long runs which are longer than 2 hours? eg 50 or 60k? There are benefits to be had from 3 hr+ sessions - which is why cyclists and swimmers do it - so long as you can handle the pounding
Cycling is totally different than running, since it's no impact. 4 hours on a bike is not a problem, but 4 hour run will wreck you if you are not used to it.
Stefano Baldini “Olympic marathon champ” used to do this, but I haven’t tried
You can still do long bike rides and long swim they gone help too. Often more comfortable to ride 5 hours on a bike then to run for 3 hours or more.
Most plans cut long runs at 3 /3 and half hours or even earlier because it would be to demanding.
How is possible such a low HR rate ?? xD
everyone using Maurten must be the nike of gels 😂
bro what is this, I just have one sonorous slow pace and 99% of populace wont even have that all this tempo and interval horse shit doesnt work at all for me its just gonna create injury 😆
I’ve the same issues especially as I approach 60. Try some build up wind sprints. 4x100. Might help with leg speed and pacing. God bless you!