How to Prepare for a Long Run

A long run is a distance of ten or more miles. Typically, long runs are done during training for a long distance event like a half or full marathon. These are some tips to help you prepare for your long runs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Make sure to eat a good meal the night before. Best recommendation is carbs, usually in the form of spaghetti. It’s best to eat enriched spaghetti the night before. Whole wheat spaghetti is better for you in many ways, but it’s high fiber content may leave you with troubles on a long run.

2. Get plenty of rest the night before a long distance run. It’s not necessary to become Rip Van Winkle, but a good, solid 8 hours of sleep will benefit you greatly as you churn out the miles in the morning hours.

3. Lay out your clothes the night before. Depending on the weather, you may want to get an early start to avoid the hot and humid weather of summer. Having your clothes, shoes, and proper socks laid out may speed up the morning process.

4. Try not to drink alcohol the night before a long distance run. Most people accomplish their long runs on either Saturday or Sunday, so the temptation to drink heavily the evening before is great. If you imbibe too much the night before, then you’re morning run will suffer.

5. Eat a light breakfast before your run. This may not be for everyone, so you’ll have to try it and see. Some people choose not to eat anything before running, but most people like to have some carbs and protein before they do a run of 10 miles or more. A great runner's breakfast is a toasted bagel and peanut butter. It provides plenty of carbs and plenty of calories.

6. Invest in a fuel belt. A fuel belt can be bought at any running store and most sports stores. It’s a belt with four loops that allows you to carry four small water bottles. I recommend filling two bottles with water, and two with sports drink so you can have calories and electrolytes on your run. Many belts also have a small pocket to carry gels, which can be very helpful on long runs.

7. Drink a glass of water and half a glass of sports drink before your long distance run. Again, this will vary from person to person but being well hydrated is a great way to start a run. Plus, with the sports drink, you get the benefit of extra calories.

8. Bring a tissue. Some runners don’t like to carry tissues but almost all of us get runny noses on long runs. If you don’t bring a tissue, at least be aware that you may run into this problem.