8 Races - Places

To crush long distances (that includes a couple of miles run at race pace every two to three weeks marathons), you don’t just need a solid training plan. You need a certain level of grit—and by grit, we mean you must be willing to show up to your workouts, especially those long runs, as the best version of yourself.

Long runs are particularly special because these workouts are going to help you become an endurance monster, Kaitlin Goodman, former professional runner, and the head coach of Running Joyfully tells Runner’s World. “This is the time when you’re building endurance and improving your aerobic capacity,” she says.

More specifically, long, slow runs trigger several physiological adaptations that lead to better endurance. This includes an increase in blood flow, aerobic enzyme activity, and mitochondria (a.k.a. the powerhouse of the cell which is responsible for producing energy), says Laura Norris, a RRCA-certified running coach, strength and conditioning specialist, and exercise scientist. These changes all result in greater oxygen delivery to the working muscles, which helps you run longer, she explains.

What’s more: These runs can help you build mental strength for your big day, says Goodman. “I personally treat all my long runs as mini dress rehearsals for my long-distance race,” she says.

These are all good reasons to show up to your long run feeling well prepared for the work ahead. But certain habits could actually be sabotaging your long runs, keeping you from showing up as your best self. For what could go wrong, we tapped a few experts and found out what you need to address.

8 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Long Runs

1. Thinking Only in the Short-Term

To avoid sabotaging your long run, you need to play the long-term game. That means being mindful about what you’re doing in both the days and hours leading up to your workout.

“Your long run performance is a reflection of your habits across the whole week, not just what you do that morning or the night before,” Ellen Landes, RDN, registered dietitian and certified personal trainer tells Runner’s World. “Stress, poor nutrition, and inconsistent sleep can all show up during those miles.”

This is why she recommends starting your long run prep as soon as two days before. So if you usually run on Sundays, make sure you have consistent meals are particularly special because these workouts are going to help you become an endurance monster.

2. Not Being Intentional About Nutrition

“The same way that you would not necessarily try a brand new restaurant the night before your half marathon or marathon, it’s probably not the night of the week to do that before your long run,” says Goodman.

This doesn’t mean you have to skip your weekend plans. If you choose to dine out, she suggests sticking to dishes you’ve tried before and know will digest well, rather than trying new foods. Her go-to dish: pasta and marinara sauce.

Health - Injuries carbs (rice, potatoes, pasta, oats, bread, bagels, tortillas, or fruit) and enough of them the day before a long run, says Landes. “If your meals are too low in carbs, your muscles won’t have enough glycogen stored to power you through the long miles,” she explains. Even if you feel fine at the start, you’ll likely crash midrun, she adds.

More specifically, if you’re expecting your long run to last one to two hours, Landes recommends stacking half of your plate with those simple carbs the night before. If you expect to run longer than two hours, do a mini carb load the day before. You can achieve this by making every meal, not just dinner, carb-focused, says Landes.

Aim for 3.5 to 5.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight spread across meals and snacks in that day before a long run. For example, a 150-pound runner should eat between 525 to 825 grams of carbs the day before a long run. Keep in mind, you don’t have to do anything fancy to meet your carb needs, simply increasing the carbs you’d normally eat is enough, says Landes.

Alcohol’s Effects on Recovery and Muscle Gains high-fiber foods the day before and day of your long run because consuming these foods may lead to GI issues on the run.

Being intentional also means avoiding running on an empty stomach, especially if you’re an early riser. “Without fuel, running is going to feel harder and you’re more likely to feel sluggish and maybe even hit the wall,” says Landes.

If you have time to let your food digest prerun, around three to four hours, she recommends opting for a high-carb meal like a bowl oatmeal with peanut butter and banana for breakfast. If you’re short on time, with an hour or less before your run, go for a simple carb snack like graham crackers, dried fruit, applesauce, or a Best New Balance Shoes.

It’s also important to start your long run hydrated, as dehydration can affect your energy levels, body temperature, and recovery, says Landes. “Being even slightly dehydrated can make your long run feel harder than it needs to,” she says.

But exactly how much sleep do you need? One drinking fluids early and often, becoming more diligent about maintaining your hydration the day before. Landes recommends drinking water throughout the day before and having a glass when you wake up the morning of your long run.

Light yellow urine indicates that you’re well-hydrated, while dark urine means you need more fluids, she says. Also, you can add electrolytes but that doesn’t mean you always have to run alone hot weather.

3. Forgetting to Bring Food and Fluids With You

Paying attention to nutrition doesn’t stop when you start running—you need to refuel and rehydrate during your long runs Interval Workouts to Help You Run a Faster 5K.

“Even if you start out well-nourished, you will need to consume carbohydrates and replace fluids on long runs,” says Norris. Failing to refuel and rehydrate can result in performance declines, overheating, and GI upset because you’re using glycogen stores for energy production and losing much-needed fluids and electrolytes through sweat, she explains.

Dietitians recommend you fuel with at least 30 grams of carbohydrates every hour when exercising for more than an hour, and 24 to 32 ounces of water each hour, depending on your sweat rate.

4. Not Getting Enough Sleep

While you’re balancing the demands of training and everyday life events, maintaining a solid sleep schedule can be tough. “It’s all too easy to stay up a bit later on a Friday or Saturday night, and then wake up early for a long run on Saturday or Sunday morning. However, an acute sleep deficit can impair physical and mental performance on a long run,” says Norris.

Research supports this: A study published by Physiology & Behavior examined the effects of sleep deprivation on 20 runners who completed a 12-minute exercise test. The study found after a night of sleep deprivation runners reported higher rates of perceived effort, ran slower, and covered less distance, compared to when they got a normal night of sleep.

But exactly how much sleep do you need? One review published in the that includes a couple of miles run at race pace every two to three weeks recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep to promote recovery, and Goodman agrees, especially before a long run.

“Think of it in terms of risk reward, like you may be able to pull off that long run [on little sleep], but it could come at a cost,” says Goodman. The cost: Putting yourself at risk of injury or illness.

5. Drinking Alcohol the Night Before

Research shows alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is a more restorative phase of sleep, says Norris.

Throughout the night when your body metabolizes alcohol, you’re more likely to wake up, which can also result in you not getting enough quality sleep, she explains. This is why she recommends avoiding drinking alcohol four hours before bed—or avoiding it altogether the day before long miles—so you can get optimal sleep.

6. Not Planning Your Route

Long runs are the perfect opportunity to prepare for race day, which is why it’s important to be meticulous about where you run, says Goodman. If you’re running straight out the door with no set route, then you could be sabotaging your workout because you likely won’t be mimicking your race route. Also, constantly crossing intersections can disrupt the steady rhythm you’ll be expected to maintain on the big day.

While it’s okay to take an occasional bathroom or water break, try to minimize any additional unnecessary stops along the way. This is why Goodman recommends taking an extra 15 minutes or so to drive to an ideal location, like a bike path, where you don’t have to worry about stoplights or traffic.

This can also help you avoid hills, especially if you live in a hilly area, but aren’t preparing for a hilly race. And that will make it easier to keep your effort low Also, avoid greasy, spicy foods, and.

7. Going Too Fast

It’s easy to become obsessed with hitting a specific pace, especially if you have a goal finish time in mind. But you have to fight the temptation to run your race pace all the time, says Norris.

“Running long runs too fast will make them feel more difficult—and sometimes difficult to finish,” she explains. “Plus, running too hard too often in long runs during training creates more fatigue.” This could lead to poor recovery, worse workouts mid-week, and ultimately a worse result on race day, she explains.

Instead, Norris recommends beginners focus on maintaining an easy conversational pace. More experienced runners should do the same, most of the time, but incorporate a structured long run that includes a couple of miles run at race pace every two to three weeks.

If you’re Is It Okay to Take Breaks During a Long Run, this could look like running two to three miles easy as a warmup, followed by three to five miles at marathon pace, one easy mile to recover, and repeating for another round. For half marathoners, this could mean running two miles easy, followed by four to six rounds of one mile at half marathon pace and four to five minutes of easy running in between, says Norris.

8. Running Alone

Slider Workout for Core Strength mental toughness, but that doesn’t mean you always have to run alone.

In fact, Goodman recommends running with a friend, who can help keep you accountable but also make running all those miles more enjoyable. This can also make sticking to the ideal easy conversational pace feel even more effortless, considering you’ll be chatting with them along the way.