Long Runs

A bit of an overview for planning your “long runs”. I’ve been meaning to put this together for a while & hope it helps 👍

The long run is one of the most valuable sessions in distance running – improving endurance, strengthening muscles and connective tissue, and boosts your mental resilience. Just as importantly, it helps your body become more efficient at using energy, so your regular runs start to feel easier. Long runs aren’t always about speed – they’re about time on your feet & going the distance.

For most people, weekends are the ideal time for long runs, as there’s usually more time available and more opportunity to recover afterward. That said, there’s no right or wrong time to schedule a long run—it’s about finding what works best for you and your routine.

How Far Should a Long Run Be?
Your long run should be based on your current fitness, not what others are doing. A good guide could be to run for 25–35% longer than your usual mid-week run, or you could aim for 60–90 minutes at an easy, conversational pace. More experienced runners may go longer, but it should still feel controlled and sustainable.

If you’re newer to running, 45–60 minutes & a combination of run-walk can be beneficial.

If you’re a new BEGINNER – You will naturally have a long run—this is the furthest distance you’ve ever run, or at least the longest you’ve run recently. As your fitness improves, this “long run” will gradually extend, marking steady progress in your running journey.

How to Progress
Progress gradually. Increase the distance or time by no more than 5–10% every couple of weeks, and don’t be afraid to hold the same distance for several weeks if life or fatigue gets in the way. Consistency matters far more than chasing mileage.

Adding Specificity to Match Your Goals
As your fitness builds, long runs can become more specific to your current goals. This might include adding elevation & multi terrain routes if you’re preparing for hilly or trail races, or incorporating race paces to practise effort, pacing, and fuelling. These efforts should still feel controlled. Because these types of long runs place more stress on the body, it can be best to include them every other week to allow adequate recovery.

How Often?
Aim for one long run each week if you feel it’s manageable. If not, every 10-14 days may be more preferable. The “best” long run is the one you can recover from and repeat regularly.

A Balanced Approach
Long runs are hugely beneficial, but they’re just one part of your training. They work best alongside speed sessions, hill training, and easy runs. Balance is key – combining different types of training helps reduce injury risk and ensures steady, long-term progress.

Planning Your Long Runs Around a Goal
A simple and effective way to structure long runs is to plan backwards from your goal event. For example, if you’re training for the Great North Run, you’d typically aim to complete your final long run 10–14 days before race day. Decide what distance you’d like that final long run to be (often close to race distance, but not necessarily the full distance), then work backwards week by week to where you are starting from. This helps ensure progression is gradual, realistic, and aligned with your target, rather than adding distance at random. It helps you to see the big picture too 🙌

A useful self-check during a long run is:

  • Relaxed breathing
  • Relaxed shoulders
  • Relaxed face (keep blinking!)
  • Relaxed legs
  • Try not to feel like you’re in a rush

If any of these start to change — breathing becomes forced, shoulders creep up, your face tightens, or the run starts to feel urgent — back off the pace. Slowing slightly ensures you get the benefit of the session without turning it into an unintended hard workout.

Fueling for Long Runs
For most runners, you should be able to complete a long run of up to around 90 minutes comfortably without taking on fuel, as long as you’re well hydrated and have eaten normally beforehand. Water is usually sufficient for these runs.
If you’re running beyond 90 minutes, it’s a good idea to start thinking about fueling. Adding electrolytes, gels, chews, or other easy-to-digest energy sources can help maintain energy levels, support recovery, and reduce the risk of late-run fatigue.

A simple guide is to take on fuel every 30–40 minutes if running beyond that 90-minute mark. This doesn’t need to be complicated — practise what works for you in training so there are no surprises on race day.

Try something, listen to your body, and adjust as needed.

Example: Fueling a 2-Hour Half Marathon Run
Before the run

  • Eat a normal meal that you’re comfortable with 2–3 hours beforehand (e.g. porridge, toast with honey, banana).
  • Sip water in the hour before starting.
    During the run (approx. 2 hours)
  • 1 gel at 30–40 minutes
  • 1 gel at 70–80 minutes
    Maybe have a few mouthfuls of water with each gel
  • If it’s warm or you’re a salty sweater, consider electrolytes in your bottle or at a water stop.

Hope this helps & feel free to save/screenshot it – I’ll try to add to it over time 🙌