When you engage in
long distance running, you will build more mitochondria in your working muscles. Mitochondria (plural form of mitochondrion) are very small structures in the muscle cells where energy is produced, and which increase one’s ability to extract oxygen and nutrients from the blood to produce energy and improve one’s endurance. Endurance and running performance are also improved in long runs when more red blood cells are built to pick up oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to the muscle cells. Aside from increased number of mitochondria, the other benefits of long run training include a stronger heart, stronger leg muscles for endurance, burning of fat into fuel, and increased overall speed.
But before you get into
long distance training, it is necessary to select the length of the long run and its frequency in a week or month, which needs to be tailored to your experience level and training goal. If you are a beginner, the ideal length is 3 to 4 miles, and 15 to 25 miles if you are an experienced runner. For advanced competitors in marathon racing, 21 to 30 miles will be an ideal distance, and 30 miles or over for athletes in ultra marathon racing.
When you start to run, you should always remember to do it with a group to make it more pleasurable and easier than doing it alone. Also assure yourself against turning the long run into a race, and that you can have a training partner who runs at your pace. Be sure also that you are in your proper training gear such as low-mileage shoes, synthetic bled socks, or short that can wick away resulting perspiration.
The long run will always be a component of marathon training because it enables one to be mentally and physically prepared for competition if he is preparing for this. This also prepares one to be able to maintain his pace during the marathon event by having more glycogen to prevent or delay the attack of fatigue. In addition, a runner will be able to run longer before getting fatigued if he has more carbohydrates stored by the muscles in his body.
It is important to know that a typical runner can take 42,000 steps during a full marathon and that in each step the body weight of the runner is placed 4 times on his leg muscles and joints, and it is the goal of long running to improve the ability of these muscles and joints to withstand the stress absorbed by them during the marathon.
Some runners also prefer the so-called long slow distance training. This develops
aerobic resistance which is equally important for one’s
ability to run a long distance at a sustained speed. In this training, the blood circulation system is also developed to increase the size of one’s cardiac cavities for increased movement of oxygen the lungs can hold to the muscles where the oxygen is needed. A marathon trains the muscles of the runner to efficiently burn the fats in his body into fuel.
Whether you are in a long run or long slow distance training, you should consider certain “must-do’s” after completing the run: (a) Eat and drink under certain nutrition guidelines; (b) Stretch thoroughly; (c) Do some walking to loosen up your legs; and (d) Use some therapeutic techniques or avail of a leg massage after two days when you feel muscle soreness and fatigue.
