You hear “long run” and you’re either excited, a little terrified, or somewhere in between. But what’s considered a long run? Two experienced running coaches tackle some myths and break down what you really need to know to progress in your goals. what is considered a long runThe long run is exactly what it sounds like, the longest effort of your training week. And if you’re working toward a half, full marathon, or ultra, it’s often the most important workout on the schedule.

But that leaves a lot of runners wondering, how far should you actually go? And what pace should you be running?

First things first, take a deep breath. If you’re new to long runs, don’t let those two words send you into a panic. And if you’ve been at this for a while, remember to meet yourself where you’re at in this training cycle.

And yes, those pre-long run jitters the night before? Totally normal. Consider it part of the process.

What is Considered a Long Run?

A lot of folks will pick an arbitrary number like 6 miles and say that’s long or 20 miles is long. Obviously, what’s considered a long run really depends on what you’re training for and the goals you’ve set.

It’s very important that your long run not be more than 20% (maybe 25%) of your total weekly volume. This has to do with injury prevention. So if you’re only running 10 miles total M-F and then 20 on Saturday you are mostly likely setting yourself up for disaster in this training cycle.

Let’s look at some examples based on experience and goals:

  • First 5k – long run might be 30 minutes on your fett
  • Experienced 5K attempting PR – 6 to 10 miles
  • First 10k – 50 to 60 minutes on feet
  • Experienced 10K attempting PR – 10 to 12 miles
  • First Half – 9 to 10 miles or potentially 2 hours on feet (depending on pace)
  • Intermediate Half – 10 miles with more goal pace work and/or 13-14 miles
  • Experienced Half – 15-16 miles and more goal pace work in the long run
  • First Marathon – 18 to 20 miles or up to 3:30 on feet
  • Intermediate Marathon – 20 miles, usually adding in some speed work
  • Experienced Marathon – 20 to 22 miles, multiple times in the training cycle

We break this down more below if you want additional ideas on how to determine what your long run distance should be.

One common myth is that you can’t go over 3 hours for a long run. This pertains to the front of the pack and isn’t as useful for runners who may be running a 5 hour marathon. We actually cover this in depth on the Tread Lightly podcast.

You need more time on feet.

types of long runs
photo from @therunnerbeans

Different Types of Long Runs

When it comes to long runs, there are really two main types: the classic easy long run and the long run workout.

While you’re going to spend more time focusing on the classic runs, it’s nice to be able to shake things up a little bit to keep training fun. (yes, we’re using the word fun for a workout!)

Classic Long Run

You’ll often hear runners call these a “LSD Run” or long slow distance run.

This is your bread and butter run. You head out the door with a set distance or time in mind and settle into an easy, steady effort. 

The goal here isn’t speed, it’s building aerobic fitness and mental toughness by spending more time on your feet. Just make sure you’re not going too easy here that it would be considered a recovery run. 

Find an effort level that you can maintain from start to finish, which is easy. Focus on a conversational pace and a strong, steady stride. Pick those feet up, stand tall, and practice swinging your arms front-to-back with each step.

How much these runs increase week to week depends on your goal and if there’s a specific race you’re preparing for.

Long Run Workouts

If the idea of another steady-paced long run makes you groan (trust me, I’ve been there!), long run workouts can be a game changer.

They break up the monotony and give your brain something to focus on besides counting down the miles or minutes. These runs often include goal pace practice, intervals, and can even mimic challenges that you may face on race day.

If you’re training for a specific distance, you’ll usually see these types of workouts pop up later in the cycle as race day gets closer.

Here’s a few examples of different types of long-run workouts:

👉Goal Race Pace 

As a more experienced runner, you may have a goal race pace for your next race that will guide you to a personal best or a Boston Qualifying time, for example.

In order to run that pace on race day, it helps to practice running at your goal pace in training occasionally. This lets your body and brain know how it should feel.

You can practice your goal pace during a long run or a moderate-length run during the week. However, it should not be your pace for the entirety of the long run, just certain miles.

You could incorporate this pace in the middle of your run or in a progression-style long run, you would aim to hit this pace toward the last few miles before a cool down.

👉Intervals 

Focusing on a 5k to 10K race? Add some intervals to your long run.

Interval training consists of brief bursts of fast running followed by periods of low-intensity recovery runs. It involves running or sprinting at the same speed for a set distance and for a set number of times.

It’s all about running high intensities in short bursts. In terms of distance, it can range from 100 meters to a mile, depending on the runner’s fitness level and training goals.

A recovery session should follow this all-out effort, which can be done by running or walking at a lower intensity.

Your aerobic capacity will increase as a result of interval training since it forces you to rapidly adjust to running at a variety of speeds which makes you a more efficient runner.

👉Progression Run

In a progression run, you start out easy and slowly increase your speed over the course of your run and then finish fast. When looking at your mile splits, they should get faster as you go. In this type of run, you don’t have to have set paces you hit each mile.

A progression run can be formatted in a number of different ways. You might simply get a little bit faster each mile from start to finish. Or you may do 10 miles easy and then pick up the pace for the final 3 miles.

👉Fast Finish 

Ever wonder how some runners manage to kick it up a notch at the end of a race? Fast finish long runs are one of the best ways to practice that final push on tired legs.

Run the majority of your long run at an easy, steady pace. Then, in the last mile or final 15-20 minutes, gradually increase your effort for a strong finish.  This could mean running at your goal race pace or even a few seconds faster.

You can also break it into smaller chunks, holding goal pace first, then mimicking that finishing stretch by picking it up just a little more to finish.

long run workouts

Not every long run should be a workout; in fact, it shouldn’t be. Pushing the pace or adding too much intensity every week can lead to overtraining.

With the athletes I coach, I like to schedule a long run workout the week before a planned down week. That way, they can go into more challenging workouts knowing recovery is right around the corner.

How Far Should You Run Before A Race?

To help you get a better idea of how far a long run is, let’s break it into different training goals. Keep in mind, though, that these aren’t one-size-fits-all.

Your experience is going to play a huge role here; new runners will naturally have shorter long runs, while more seasoned runners can safely handle more distance… sometimes even more than the goal they’re training for.

Mile/5k

For shorter distances, the focus shifts toward speed, lots of short, fast workouts that push your pace.

That means your long run doesn’t need to be anything super long. Depending on your experience, it might fall in the 4 to 8 mile range.

This weekly longer run is less about piling on mileage and more about balance. It gives you the chance to build a bit of endurance while also acting as a lower-intensity day to offset all those demanding speed sessions.

10k

This is personally my favorite type of long runs. It hits that sweet spot of not too short, but also not spending hours out there.

Most long runs here will build up to 6 to 10 miles, depending on your fitness level and experience.

The goal here is simple: build enough endurance so the 10k distance feels manageable and maybe even a little easier on race day.

If you’re a beginner, running long runs at a steady, easy effort is plenty. For more experienced runners, sprinkling in intervals or some goal pace can make the run more race-specific.

Speed workouts help you run faster, while the long runs are what help you to cover the distance on race day and cross the finish line.

Half Marathon

Now things shift a little, and the long run becomes a big focus of your training.

Long runs here will typically work up to 10 to 16 miles; it all depends on your experience, fitness level, and overall goals.

For newer runners, the focus is simply on building the endurance to cover the race distance comfortably. More experienced runners may have longer long runs, using them as a chance to practice running on tired legs after a busy training week.

If you’re able to push past 13.1 miles in training, it can give you a huge mental boost heading into race day. But that doesn’t mean you HAVE to run the full half-marathon distance or longer during training to have a strong race.

What matters most is consistency and gradually increasing your time on your feet.

Looking for some extra guidance in training for your half marathon? Check out our free 12-week half marathon training plans.

Marathon

Just like with the half, how long your long run gets here really depends on your goal finish time and how much training load your body can handle. Each week, the distance gradually increases so that by the time you hit peak training, you’re tackling some of your biggest efforts.

Faster runners will often work up to 20 to 22 miles, while middle to back-of-the-pack runners will max out closer to 14 to 18 miles.

Remember, the longer you’re out there, the more recovery your body is going to need afterward.

That’s why we never have our runners complete the full 26.2 miles in training. One run that leaves you exhausted and needs a week or more to recover isn’t going to set you up for success.

Instead, the marathon long run is all about smart preparation. It’s your chance to test shoes, figure out a solid nutrition and hydration strategy, and even practice your goal race pace.

Since these long runs build on one another, try not to skip them. They’re probably one of the more important parts of training.

Build/Maintain Fitness

When you’re not training for a specific race, the distance or time of your long run is totally up to you.

But… don’t go rogue and overdo it.

It’s easy to get carried away if you love the long run, especially when there’s not a specific goal you’re working towards.

If you’re not following a specific plan or working with a coach, remember that piling on too much mileage can lead to overtraining and even an injury.

A good rule of thumb here is to keep your long run no more than 20-30% of your total weekly volume.

That way, you still get the benefits of heading out for the long run without your body throwing up some red flags.

We totally get that long runs can feel intimidating, especially for newer runners.  We’ve actually already created an entire article with 10 long run tips to help you have a successful long run.

Now that we’ve broken it down, we hope you have a better understanding of what’s considered a long run.

Have other topics about training that you’d like us to cover? Let us know below.

What to read next?

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