Top Tips For Endurance Racing Beginners – Starting to delve into the world of higher mileage running? Way to go! These 25 tips for long distance running should help you with all the main aspects of training and racing. From nutrition to gear to running tips, you’ll find a ton of useful information to help you prepare for anything from a half marathon to an ultra.
Sometimes when people start long distance training they worry because they may only be able to do 3 miles now, so training for a marathon which is 26.2 miles seems so far out of reach. The thing is, it’s not out of reach at all. All you need is consistency and a good chunk of time, and you’ll find that your body can do amazing things!
Top Tips For Endurance Racing Beginners
There is a small exception for the first start of lower mileage training plans. For example, let’s say you’re training for a half marathon, and you just started with three runs of 3 miles / 3 miles / 5 miles. That’s 11 miles for the week. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to go to 3.5 miles / 3.5 miles / 6 miles the following week. That’s 13 miles – an increase of 2 miles – which is technically more than 10%.
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The key is to make any progress very manageable and avoid increasing too quickly, which puts you at risk of injury (source).
You will notice that almost all of the free running training plans we have on the website (except very short plans, such as 4 week plans) include fall weeks. These are built in every 2-4 weeks (depending on the type of plan) and have less mileage or less intensity to allow your body to recover better. Using these recovery weeks helps create a more productive overall training cycle.
More advanced athletes, those with a high fitness level, and younger athletes can use longer blocks between recovery weeks (3-4 weeks) while older athletes, those with a lower fitness level, and those prone to injuries can benefit from shorter blocks. between recovery weeks (2-3 weeks).
I like to think of the 80/20 rule when it comes to distance running. 80% of your runs should be easy, comfortable runs. The other 20% can include speed work or hills to challenge yourself. But too many of the later ones increase the risk of injury (source) and make training less effective. There is a careful balance here.
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Sometimes runners make the mistake of starting long distance training runs too fast, and then struggle on the second half of the run. Instead, train yourself on your long runs. Go out slower than you think you need to, so that you conserve some energy to maintain that pace (or dare I say even speed up a bit!) on the second half of the run.
If you struggle to maintain a steady run throughout your long walks, you may prefer to use run/walk training. You can decide on a break that works for you. Some people like an interval of 3-5 minutes of running followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. Others prefer a shorter interval such as 60 seconds running / 20-30 seconds walking. Test a few options to see what works best for you.
Some research has even suggested that run/walk intervals may lead to similar finish times and less muscle soreness completing a marathon compared to running alone (source). This doesn’t apply to elite runners, but for those who just want to finish a long race, it’s definitely something to consider.
Good form can reduce the risk of injury and potentially increase performance (source). Think about every aspect of your body, from your head to your toes:
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Start each workout with about 5 to 10 minutes of easy walking or jogging (depending on your current fitness level). It helps get blood flowing and muscles moving. Similarly, take 5 minutes to cool down after exercise to allow the body to gradually return to its resting state, rather than a sudden stop.
Although the research on stretching is quite overwhelming, anecdotally it feels great and can help with tight muscles after a long period. Foam rolling has some evidence to support the benefits of post-workout muscle stiffness and soreness, so it’s worth investing in this inexpensive tool.
If you’re a fan of strength training at the gym, you can totally stick with that – but if you’re not, it’s wise to try incorporating some bodyweight training at home. This will help strengthen the core, which is involved in maintaining running form, and also the legs, which will power your stride.
If you run in hot weather, give yourself time to cool off. It takes about 2-4 weeks of running in hot weather to get used to it, so take it slower and less intense while you get used to it.
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However, if you’re dealing with a heat warning, don’t run outside during the peak hours of the day. Instead, you’ll want to try running early in the morning or later in the evening, when it’s the coolest part of the day. Or, if you have a treadmill, bring things in! And of course, stay hydrated on your runs.
Nutrition tips for long distance running are often overlooked, but they are so important to your overall performance and health! Consider these tips:
If you’re going to be out there for more than an hour, make sure you have a meal or snack about 1 to 4 hours beforehand (source). Focus on easily digestible carbohydrates with a little protein, and avoid too much fat and fiber (especially if you’re eating close to your term or prone to indigestion).
A few ideas: a bagel with some cream cheese or peanut butter, rice with poached eggs, or a peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich.
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For runs longer than 75-90 minutes, you’ll also want to fuel up during your run. The general rule is to take in about 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour (source), starting about 30 to 45 minutes after you run.
You can do this with gels, sports drinks, “real food” (like raisins or bananas), or any combination of products or foods you enjoy.
For runs under an hour, ‘plain’ water is fine. For runs over an hour, use a drink that also contains electrolytes (in particular, sodium).
There is no hard and fast rule for how much to drink during a long distance run. The best advice is to drink to thirst. The key is to pay attention to your body’s signals and honor those cues! (source)
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If you don’t often feel thirsty during a run or you don’t often drink at all, it might be worth doing a sweat test. Some people (especially older athletes) may have a blunted thirst cue and could be at risk of dehydration if they don’t focus on drinking during a run.
The way to do a sweat test? Weigh yourself before and after running, sans clothes. Then compare with this:
If you’re doing two-a-day workouts – you want a strategic recovery meal after the first workout (source). There is also some benefit to having a recovery meal after a long run (>1.5-2 hours) and after very intense medium duration exercise (>1 hour).
In these cases, eating a meal with carbohydrates and protein can then help to replenish energy stores and start the muscle repair process. That might look like a bowl of chicken, vegetables, and rice; a post-workout smoothie made with fruit and Greek yogurt; or a sweet potato loaded with beans and topped with salsa.
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However, for shorter runs, and for most non-elite athletes training for distance races, your daily diet helps support recovery. Don’t feel like you need any special meals or products after every workout. Of course, if you won’t be eating for a few hours after a short break, it’s definitely okay (and a good idea) to add a snack like some yogurt and fruit or a glass of chocolate milk.
If you’re a competitive endurance athlete, you’ll want to make sure you’re fueling properly every day to support your training. This includes getting enough carbohydrates every day (source). Carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles, and this is broken down to support energy needs during a run.
Note: There are different ways of thinking about low-carb, fat-modified training. Most of the research currently shows that it does not improve performance, and may lead to some performance detriments in some cases (source).
Where this gets tricky is that some people lose weight while on such a diet, increasing their speed due to weight loss – not necessarily the diet itself. As a Registered Dietitian, I still recommend an overall balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, but I think it’s helpful to know that there are other methods.
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Have you ever started rumbling on your stomach during a run? Uh oh! Here are some common causes of gastrointestinal upset during a run:
If you’ve had GI upset during a run, try small light meals before running, and try strategies to calm your nerves about it (deep breaths, repeating a mantra, etc.).
This long distance