If you started running and have already broken through the first two great psychological barriers – the 5km and the hour run – then you’ve probably also started to wondering how to run longer. And probably the desire to run further, or rather more km and for longer, will have come to you even before you wanted to run faster. And in fact there are two aspects of running that involve a bit of squinting: to run faster you need more physical than mental effort, to run longer you need more mental than physical effort.
To be clearer: once you run 10 km, running them faster is a matter of specific training that involves effort knowing that you can still run those 10 km; but once you’ve run the 10 km, it takes a long commitment and great fortitude to get to 20 km.
How to run longer? Tips to increase distance
But having made this psychological distinction, it is true that the vast majority of regular runners find themselves running a little more and more year after year, and therefore it is not impossible. In fact, finding ways to learn to run longer can be a useful skill in other areas of life as well.
Plan your running season
Yes, if you closed the previous one with a distance personal best of 15 km and you want to reach 25 km you need good planning. That is, you don’t get there by improvising, by training occasionally or without continuity, by running badly or at random. So if you have set yourself a goal, do as you would in life: visualize the path you have to take, mentally make it yours, accept that it will be a long journey, and take the first step.
Increase the distance gradually
The typical rookie mistake: wanting everything now. Sprinting from 10 to 15 km is the best way to get hurt quickly, with a nice muscle injury or some joint overload, interrupt your preparation, screw up the program and not reach the goal. A good rule of thumb is to increase the distance by about 10% each week. Do you run 10km? Well, next week you’ll stop at 11km, the next week at 12.1km and so on, until you reach your goal.
PS: the 10% rule doesn’t only apply to the longest distance run but also for the total weekly mileage. Take this into account when organizing your weekly outings and individual kilometres.
Run faster
But how? Didn’t you just say the opposite? No, we said you probably want to run longer first and then faster. But Running faster can be a good way to increase the distance of your runs. For example with interval training, or with repetitions. Which means taking a distance, dividing it into fractions, and then running each of them at a higher speed, including recovery periods between one “sprint” and the next. Really, it works.
Don’t worry about the speed
But then! Yes, we said try interval training or interval training, but when you start going beyond your usual established distance, don’t care about speed: you will probably go slower than usual for those extra milesbut that’s part of the process. First consolidate the new standard distance for yourself, and then you’ll see that your pace will improve as well.
Plan your rest
As long as it comes to running up to 5 km or even 10 km, the level of wasting of muscles, tendons and ligaments, as well as depletion of energy, is really within practically anyone’s reach. With a minimal effort, anyone can really run 5 km, and almost everyone even 10 km, unless particular situations prevent it. But after those distances the game starts to get tough, the greater physical effort, the depletion increases, the load on muscles and ligaments is increasingly important and yes, you have to start planning your rest.
That unloading day you spend on the couch as written on your training schedule shouldn’t be lived with a sense of guilt but as a step towards achieving your goal.
The shoes!!!
The same argument applies: up to 5 but also 10 km, shoes are important but not crucial. After 10km, shoes start to become crucial. Because in the end you run with your feet on the ground, and with a pair of unsuitable or wrong shoes for you, every step is a crack towards the collapse of your goal. If you want to run from 20 km onwards, go and get a good analysis of foot support and consequently get advice on a pair of shoes suitable for your way of running. It’s the best investment you can make.
Eat and drink
Ditto with potatoes: up to 5 but also 10 km, if you run more or less regularly, you can do it even if you’ve had a bad day, slept little, ate badly or in a hurry, didn’t have a snack and so on. But after 10 km eat and drink well and regularly during your days it is worth as much as the rest.
Do it in company
Well this is just common sense advice and not very technical. But if you can train and run longer with someone who has already established these distances, it will be easier for you. After all, marathon runners and middle-distance runners also have hares during their competitions, don’t they?
First and second
Yes, like the typical Italian meal you can split the long distance into 2, the first half and the second half. For example, if you have a 20km to do, you could do 10 in the morning and 10 in the evening. At least the first few times it will undoubtedly help you not to arrive exhausted at the last km and get used to it gradually.
Put ascents and descents in your usual distances
If your standard distance is 10km and you always do it flat, try doing it in some hilly areas, with ups and downs or where you need to vary your pace a bit. The different uphill and downhill running technique, the different muscular effort, and also the natural interval training that you will do between uphills and downhills will be useful then when you get back on the plane, where it will really seem like you are flying.
READ ALSO: 8 tips to be able to run faster
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