Subject: RE: Long run I come from a distance running background, so have never really stressed about what % of my weekly run my long run is. It would depend on the distance I'm training for and what stage I am at in training. Right now (close to peak HIM training ), it's nearly 2 hours, out of maybe 4 to 4 1/2 total hours of running and about 12 total hours of training. That's probably 40-45% of total run time, but it doesn't concern me. Might be different if I was (or was coaching ) someone with a limited run background, or prone to overuse injuries. I do long runs nearly every week, and have been doing them off and on for the past 30+ years, so I don't think my body sees it as some kind of unusual stress. More a matter of balancing running (including long runs ) with total training load, work, and other demands, and trying to stay adequately cooled and hydrated in tropical conditions.
I've never really done much walking on my runs. Would only do it if I felt I was becoming seriously overheated. I tend to cramp up and have a hard time getting started again if I walk during a long run. Might be different if I was training for full IM, though, especially in the heat here. I do do a lot of my long runs in a way similar to what Thomas describes, only I'm slowing to an easy jog between the HIM pace efforts, not actually walking. (Then again, when it's hot, my "easy jog" is probably slower than some people walk! ) |