5 Tips to Make Your Long Run Not Feel So Looooooong.

We, as distance runners, have all been there.  You can have three weeks worth of solid, enjoyable runs in a row. The weather is your friend, all the walk lights are in your favor, your legs have bounce, your favorite running clothes always seem to be clean, and even dogs smile at you as you effortlessly glide by.  And then it happens.  You hit a point in your long run where you think the miles on your gps are going backwards, you can barely lift your knees up, and you want to be anywhere other than where you are.  Those are the most difficult runs for me.  Now, 'long' is a subjective term, depending on what kind of running you're into.  For some people a long run is three miles, for others, it's 50.  At any rate, that weighed down feeling happens to all of us.  So here are a few things that I do to make the best of those long miles.

This was from one of my worst long runs on record.  Yes, it was so bad I had to take a picture.  It was THAT bad.

1 - Change up the route.  I am shocked by the amount of people I speak to that run the same routes, in the same places, year in and year out.  Anyone would get bored with that!  If you do the same urban route to fit in your 20 miler, think outside the box and look for an easy trail system - around Madison I love Military Ridge.  It's flat, straight, and soft footing which is great for the legs.  It may feel counterproductive to hop in the car to drive somewhere to go for a run, but the change in surroundings can make a huge difference.  I also like to go to my hometown a couple times a year and log miles on a 'memory lane run' going past my old house, schools, high school hangouts.  It's a great way to let the miles slide by while keeping your mind occupied with happy things.

2 - Get a sidekick.  If you're a super long distance runner, you might not have friends that are able to go the whole distance with you, so save them for the end.  Even if you are just meeting someone for the last 5 miles, it's worth it.  You can finally talk to someone besides yourself and they can also have a fresh water bottle and snack for you.  It's the best of both worlds!

Having a friend run with me in the dark hours of my relay helped me get through that last leg
 (which was 24.4 miles by the way...yikes).

3 - Give yourself something to look forward to.  People respond well to incentive - for me when I'm running it's a food or drink treat, or allowing myself music.  For a while I'd allow myself half a Red Bull and a handful of Cheez Its at mile 15.  It made a big difference to know that I had something that I really liked on the horizon, and the last few miles cruised by once I had my mood lifted from my sugar and salt injection. 

4 - Break it up.  Running a loooong way on the same terrain, with the same surroundings gets old. Well, at least mundane.  So think about what you can work into your routes to get some variety.  Here in Madison I can plan a 20 miler that includes lake views, hills, flats, ritzy residential, Big Ten campus, prairies and woods.  With variety like that you can split up the long run into shorter parts that are all just different enough to keep you interested.  If at all possible, I try and have the 'natural beauty' segments towards the end.  Nature rejuvenates me in all contexts so to catch some fresh air off the lakes and float through the floor of a pine forest refreshes me even on the worst of days.



View from a long run outside Tucson in April, 2011

5 - Mind games.  This is my favorite, and you can do this on the fly whenever you decide you need it.  Almost all of my long runs have been alone, so I resorted to brain games using the alphabet a few years ago.  All you do is go from A - Z and name a city that starts with each letter, then girls names, then boys names, last names, foods you like with each letter, foods you dislike, songs that start with each letter, bands...  It can be really fun!  I can recall some delirious moments where I start laughing out loud while mumbling these games to myself.  One particular laugh fest came when I decided my favorite boys B name was Barkley.  Yes, Barkley.  (I never said you did your best thinking 20 miles in on an 80° day.)