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Can a long run REALLY never be too slow? (Read 514 times)

    According to the Running Wizard plan (and many others), the long run is all about time on feet; pace doesn't matter. I'm wondering if there's a "within reason" insinuated. Here's the scenario:

     

    We (wife and I) just moved to another part of the country and are of course wanting to meet new running friends. A guy from a local running group invited us to a thirteen mile run, saying we should be done in about three hours. Three hours to run thirteen miles is a VERY slow pace for me - I'm training to run a marathon in that timeframe.

     

    So should I be social and stick with the group, or should I run at my easy pace and add another six or seven miles?

     

    Thanks in advance for your input, peanut gallery.


    Why is it sideways?

      For training purposes, for sure a long run can be too slow. This is not an ideal training run for you. This, of course, does not mean that you should ditch the group -- the answer to that question depends on the relative value you place on getting your training right as opposed to hanging out with these good people.

        Well, I've never done training right before; why should I start now?


        Why is it sideways?

          Heh -- good answer. A wise man once told me that the bad training you do is way better than all the perfect training you never did.


          MoBramExam

            What you are really asking is: "Is there a difference between running and training?"  Yes.

             




            Resident Historian

              Neil

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              “Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I'm here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. - Hunter S. Thompson

                At 14:00 pace, you might find it difficult to run that slowly. But you'll definitely find it easy to chat.

                jackfrost9p


                  Is it a hilly, trail run by chance? If so it might be more understandable.

                   

                  Otherwise, I think that is too slow for you and will probably involve walking. However, I would run with them since you are new to the area. To me, it is always a bonus to meet like-minded people and socialize during a run. Personally, I run 99% of my miles alone and usually jump at any chance to run with a group. Sometimes, I try to get my non-runner friends to run and just let them set the pace.

                   

                  You can always tack on some faster miles before or after. 

                  Marathon: 2:48:49 (Boston 2014) - Half: 1:22:11 (Berkeley 2013)

                  2x sub-24 100 mile finisher

                  Next: Big Sur Marathon - Blog: http://jbfinn.blogspot.com/

                    Yeah, it's a non technical trail with some nice ups and downs; I'd enjoy a 9:15-9:45 on it for pleasant long run. It's just that the RW plan says "there's no such thing as too slow a pace for the long run," my thought after the invite was "are you sure?"

                     

                    There's another issue to consider as well that has nothing to do with me - I've run with slower runners before who later told me that they went too fast just because I was there, that they didn't want to be too slow for my sake. Which is too bad, because I sometimes just like having some company in the woods, especially if we run into a bear, since I'm faster. I kid!

                     

                    I'll probably hang with the group for a mile or two, then go off and do my own thing.

                     

                    Is it a hilly, trail run by chance? If so it might be more understandable.

                     

                    Otherwise, I think that is too slow for you and will probably involve walking. However, I would run with them since you are new to the area. To me, it is always a bonus to meet like-minded people and socialize during a run. Personally, I run 99% of my miles alone and usually jump at any chance to run with a group. Sometimes, I try to get my non-runner friends to run and just let them set the pace.

                     

                    You can always tack on some faster miles before or after. 

                    Hoban-Jay


                      If your plan is to run a marathon in 3 hours, and you're putting in the appropriate training, then I would definately agree that a long run of three hours to cover 13 miles is way, way, way too slow. 
                      Shooting for 2 hours...or as you said, running 6-7 more miles in that 3 hour time span would seem more appropriate to me.

                       

                      According to the Running Wizard plan (and many others), the long run is all about time on feet; pace doesn't matter. I'm wondering if there's a "within reason" insinuated. Here's the scenario:

                       

                      We (wife and I) just moved to another part of the country and are of course wanting to meet new running friends. A guy from a local running group invited us to a thirteen mile run, saying we should be done in about three hours. Three hours to run thirteen miles is a VERY slow pace for me - I'm training to run a marathon in that timeframe.

                       

                      So should I be social and stick with the group, or should I run at my easy pace and add another six or seven miles?

                       

                      Thanks in advance for your input, peanut gallery.


                      A Saucy Wench

                        Yeah, it's a non technical trail with some nice ups and downs; I'd enjoy a 9:15-9:45 on it for pleasant long run. It's just that the RW plan says "there's no such thing as too slow a pace for the long run," my thought after the invite was "are you sure?"

                         

                        There's another issue to consider as well that has nothing to do with me - I've run with slower runners before who later told me that they went too fast just because I was there, that they didn't want to be too slow for my sake. Which is too bad, because I sometimes just like having some company in the woods, especially if we run into a bear, since I'm faster. I kid!

                         

                        I'll probably hang with the group for a mile or two, then go off and do my own thing.

                         

                         

                        For that reason I agree with your plan.  I think doing EVERY long run this slow would be detrimental, but for the sake of being new, meeting people etc, I would have said just stick with them.  But having been both the faster and the slower runner, I would say for THEIR sake ditch them.  Because you cant help it.  You WILL go faster than they want to and you wont think you are pushing the pace and you are TOTALLY willing to slow down for them.  But you WILL push the pace and they wont say anything until it gets uncomfortable for them and then you will slow down and then in a mile or so you WILL drift up, just a little, like to 13mm and they wont say anything.  Repeat.  They end up doing intervals for their easy long run.

                         

                        If you WANT to run with some of the people who are much slower than you, try to find out what day they are doing tempo or speed work.  Then schedule a recovery run and MAKE yourself hold the specific pace they want.  That is often both fun and appreciated because the guy working hard can give up the pace control to a pacer.

                        I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                         

                        "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                        AmoresPerros


                        Options,Account, Forums

                          If I want to let other people set the pace, I try to stay out of the lead, and ensure I'm always behind someone. I think that helps me (avoid pushing the pace).

                          It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                            Running Wizard also caps the runs at 2.5 hrs (not that I listen to it that closely).

                             

                            Being on the slow end of things, I would do a tempo run to keep up with someone else on an easy run - and they had to run from their house to the trailhead to meet me. But we both enjoyed something a little different (new trail for me although she trained there sometimes).

                             

                            Another option if they're doing an out/back is for people to run at their own pace and everyone turn around at 1.5 hr (or whatever). I've used this to learn new trails. We have a little bit of a social time deciding where to go, then run. Some people run together, others are mostly alone but know there's others out there (sometimes mentally helpful for someone not used to running far from a trailhead in Alaskan winter). Sometimes that setup can also work for post-run social time - unless your leader happens to be on US 100k team and she's planning on a 5-hr run and your long run was about 2 hr at the time. But others might have to leave early for other reasons.

                             

                            When I was very new to running, I did a trial run with a local women's running group - supposedly easy run. About 3/4 of the way up the hill, I noticed a couple people at the side of the road puking. while everyone was free to keep their own pace and turn around at 30min (or whatever), some clearly couldn't let the faster runners get away.

                             

                            As a side note, my best race IMO was a HM in 3:4x (see avatar - 3000 ft up in first 4 mi). Hills can slow a person down.

                            "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog


                            A Saucy Wench

                              If I want to let other people set the pace, I try to stay out of the lead, and ensure I'm always behind someone. I think that helps me (avoid pushing the pace).

                               

                              You would think that would work, but it just doesnt seem to!

                              I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                               

                              "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                              Julia1971


                                If it were within a minute or so of your usually long run pace, I would say give it a go. But, if you're a 3 hour marathoner, that pace seems like it would be a walk for you. I have a similar dynamic in my club - there's a group that runs 8ish pace and a group that runs 9:30/10 pace but no one really in between - but not that large of a pace disparity. I stopped trying to do my long runs with them and now I just my recovery runs. I'm less anxious about hitting my paces that way and I still get to socialize a little.

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