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Long run: finish strong or finish when exhausted? (Read 154 times)

sukesh


    I have been frequently posting questions in this community and I have been receiving encouraging responses. I have improved a lot since my early days, thanks to the great advice the runners here provide.

    I just came back after my long run. I had a set distance in mind (a distance I had never attempted before), and was surprised to find that my legs were  fresh and I was not out of breath towards the end (really felt like a strong finish). I was tempted to run a little longer but decided not to.

    Do you think it's a good idea to push ahead, if really can? Or should I limit my runs distances, adding short increments?

    I am 21 year old who runs 3 times a week(which I alternate with gyms sessions). I am relatively new to running, my long run today was 7.55km(4.7 miles) which I completed in 58min.

     

    Thanks in advance!

    - Sukesh

    dhuffman63


    Trails

      Personally I'd keep the strong finish going.  As you get closer to the "exhausted" line you get closer to getting injured.  At 21 you have a long time as a runner and there is no rush.

      stadjak


      Interval Junkie --Nobby

        I find the best way is to follow a plan made by a professional coach (found free on the internet).  Take something like "first half-marathon" and adjust to your particular goals.  It's the best way to improve.  If you're already doing that, then I'd say "stick to the prescribed workout", because over-doing it because you feel great one day, usually ends up ruining another workout in the week as you "pay for" your exuberance.

         

        However, if you're not on any plan, with no particular objectives: then I'd say "go for it" when you feel good.  Just realize your next couple runs might be affected.  Rest a bit.  And you'll be fine.

        2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

        wcrunner2


        Are we there, yet?

          Save the pushing to exhaustion for goal races.  In training you want to be sure you can recover well for your next run.  Increases in mileage and/or intensity in training should be in small increments.  Although trite, it is still true that many injuries are rooted in trying to do too much too soon.

           2024 Races:

                03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                05/11 - D3 50K
                05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

           

           

               

          Christirei


            i think its safe to say, everyone that has responded to you so far is older than you and all of us have had our fair share of injuries, so don't overdo it, don't try to push past your training, and take it easy right now. if you over do it you might feel it for the next couple of days, if you don't back off and try to "top" your previous long run every week, without the weekly miles to support it...you will get injured. i think there is some general rule out there....your long run shouldn't be more than 30% of your weekly mileage. if you are running 12 miles during the week, your long run should be around 4 miles, if you are running 21 miles during the week...7 mile long run.... i think its something like that anyway

              If you are only running 3 days a week then your long run mathematically has to be above 33 percent.  My long has many times been half my weekly miles with no ill effect

              Mikkey


              Mmmm Bop

                It depends on what your goals are.

                 

                If you want to increase your long run distance then keep the pace fairly easy which will mean less chance of injury.

                 

                If you don’t plan on increasing distance then up the speed each week.

                5k - 17:53 (4/19)   10k - 37:53 (11/18)   Half - 1:23:18 (4/19)   Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)

                CalBears


                   

                  If you don’t plan on increasing distance then up the speed each week.

                   

                  Wait... You are saying that if I run my long runs (let's say, 18 miles)  at 8 mpm, then when after your advice I decide to run the same distance every Sunday but 1.016 seconds faster each week than the week before, then I could expect to run 18 miles at 7 mpm in a year? What about the second year, can I count on 6 mpm average for my 18 miles LR? Sounds like a great goal and easy training program - just 1.016 second faster each week. Smile

                  paces PRs - 5K - 5:48  /  10K - 6:05  /  HM - 6:14  /  FM - 6:26 per mile


                  Feeling the growl again

                    If you feel good after 4.7 miles at that pace, keep going.  The best way to get your pace down is to be able to run more than 4.7 miles at that pace.  When you can run 8-10 miles at that pace it will help your fitness and you'll be able to do 5 mile runs faster than that.  Once you can do longer runs at that pace you can do do actual workouts at a faster pace in the 4-5 mile range.

                    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                     

                    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                     

                    BoutWorkout


                      I agree with Spaniel. That is the best way to increase your workouts and progress into better results.

                      littleGizmo


                        I usually finish to exhaustion on my long run, but I am a new runner, running past 6 months, run/walk progressed to a steady run, so maybe I take wrong approach.

                         

                        First long run to exhaustion was like 1/4 mile, then a half mile, then  2/3 mile, then 1 mile, then 2 miles, then 3 miles.

                         

                        Then I barely was able to do 4 miles to exhaustion, then 5 miles to exhaustion.

                         

                        When I completed my first 10k, 6.3 miles on the treadmill I felt like a train just hit me and my muscles were screaming in pain and this was at only 4mph pace. Then I repeated a 10k on treadmill at a 5mph  to exhaustion , 12 min mile pace weeks later and it felt way easier the 2nd time I tried it. Then I repeated the 10k again a 3rd time at a 5.5mph pace weeks later at 11 min mile pace to complete exhaustion.

                         

                        Today I set a goal of running 15k,  9.3 miles on the treadmill and I was able to get to 10.5 miles before complete exhaustion was reached and my "hamstrings, feet, shoulders, knees, and back were all screaming "STOP YOU IDIOT!" So I stopped at 10.5 miles completely exhausted. I was hoping to push to half marathon, 13 miles but fell a little short at 10.5 miles due to exhaustion. I will save it for another day.


                        SMART Approach

                          No training run should take you to complete exhaustion. You are no longer "training" when you do this and are "racing". Racing in training leads to aches, injuries and halted progress.

                          Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                          Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                          Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                          www.smartapproachtraining.com

                          CanadianMeg


                          #RunEveryDay

                            No training run should take you to complete exhaustion. You are no longer "training" when you do this and are "racing". Racing in training leads to aches, injuries and halted progress.

                             

                            I don't know. Sometimes when running in 65kph winds or fresh snow, legs are pretty tired by the end of a run. But I get your point.

                            Half Fanatic #9292. 

                            Game Admin for RA Running Game 2023.

                            wcrunner2


                            Are we there, yet?

                              No training run should take you to complete exhaustion. You are no longer "training" when you do this and are "racing". Racing in training leads to aches, injuries and halted progress.

                               

                              There are exceptions where a time trial may be suitable to reassess fitness to adjust training paces if you haven't raced in a long time.

                               2024 Races:

                                    03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                    05/11 - D3 50K
                                    05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                    06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                               

                               

                                   

                              littleGizmo


                                 

                                There are exceptions where a time trial may be suitable to reassess fitness to adjust training paces if you haven't raced in a long time.

                                 

                                Thats very true since I don't really run actual races. I just do time trials on a treadmill every few weeks to see how my progress is and run to complete exhaustion during those trials/ goals.

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