Here are some long run tips in kinda random order:

 

 If you haven’t started already you should develop a ritual for long distance training days, like laying out all your clothes and necessary equipment the night before and eating the foods the night before that help you perform at your best.  When you find the best pre-long run dinner or the breakfast foods to eat for your long distance training, always eat the same things, that way you won’t be surprised by extra bathroom sightseeing trips or showing everyone what you ate that morning.

 

  You should do nothing but rest the day before the long distance training. Okay, you may need to go to work, but otherwise take it easy. If you absolutely need to work out, you can lift weights for your upper body only. Don’t do heavy weights and low reps. It is better to do a light weight, higher rep workout instead. No leg activities. Give ‘em a break.

 

  Nice easy stretching the night before really helps limber up the body and provides good relaxation. You’ll sleep better and feel better when you get up the next morning. Take your time with this, and don’t force any positions; instead, try to melt into the position.

 

  Try to get a good night sleep for the two nights prior to the long distance training.

 

  You’ll need to eat during the run approximately every 45 minutes or so. You can try things such as GU gel, Blocks (sort of like gummy bears) or Powerbites (chopped up bits of Powerbars). All of these things can be found at your local running store. Eating keeps your energy levels up; the body can’t function properly without enough fuel. Also make sure some of the food you eat on the long run includes something salty like pretzels or potato chips. The salt helps your body retain water to aid in hydration and also counterbalances the sugar in the other foods that will help prevent nausea.

 

  As far as hydrating during the run, don’t wait until your thirsty to drink. Take a little water when you stop for a walk break. Take small amounts of water often as opposed to a gob of water at the end.

 

  If your stomach is not sensitive to anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil, you may want to try taking 2 or 3 capsules before starting out.  You should experiment with this on shorter distances to find out if this works for you. Use good judgment here, always follow the prescribed amount and don’t exceed the maximum dosage.

 

  Don’t lace your shoes too tightly. Your feet will swell. Shoes that are laced too tightly will become painful and hinder your form and speed.

 

  You may want to bring some change for a bus or to make a phone call if you can’t make it back to the starting point or finishing point. Make sure you wrap the change in some foil so it doesn’t jingle for the whole run. Oooooh that is so annoying!

 

  Always carry some form of ID and any other specific medical instructions.

 

  Bring a dry shirt and some comfortable slip-on shoes for afterwards.

 

  Lube up!  Make sure you take the time to cover those areas where you chafe with some type of lubrication such as Vaseline, Body Glide, Sportslick, etc. Some common places to chafe or blister are: nipples, feet, underarms and around the sports bra and especially the inner thighs. It is not a bad idea to carry a small tube of this stuff with you in case you need to reapply or you missed a spot. It is much better to take a couple of minutes to reapply than to run with blisters for several miles.

 

  Arrive early so you can take a few minutes to gather your thoughts, visit the bathroom and perhaps a gentle warm up so you can be ready to have a good run that day.

 

  Make sure you use waterproof/sweatproof SPF sunscreen to protect against sunburn — anything above 30 SPF should be fine.

 

  It is necessary to keep your sugar level up.  An easy way, in addition to taking gels or energy bars at regular intervals, is to eat some kind of hard candy.  Low sugar levels affect mood levels. If you notice you are dragging, you might try some hard candy. It gives you something to do by playing with it in your mouth and it is a nice psychological treat you can give yourself.

 

Don’t get locked into your walk break ratios. If you feel you need to walk before your upcoming walk break you can alter the ratio. For instance: if you are doing a 5:1 walk to run ratio and you are feeling like that next walk break is just never going to come, you can adjust to 2:30 running and: 30 sec walking. You still are doing 5:1 overall but you get a break sooner.

 

 

  All of the above are physical ways to deal with the rigors of long distance training but the mental side is just as important.  Here are some mental tips to help you get through this training:

 

  Maintain a positive outlook. Avoid negative talk in your head as you can talk yourself into a bad day. To help avoid negative talk, the use of mantras such as “Strong, light, smooth” repeated over and over in one’s mind can bring the words of the mantra into focus and allow them to happen. Using visualization techniques such as picturing yourself running strong and fast.

 

  It may sound silly but, SMILE, it really does help. If you look and act happy your body will soon be fooled into thinking you are happy.

 

  Talk to the person next to you. Conversation makes the time go faster and the training seem easier (but remember not to get so involved in conversation that you forget to look at the road). Come prepared to tell an involved story that you can share with the group to help pass the time and keep the mood of the group high.  If the majority of the group has a good attitude, it will rub off on everyone.

 

Relax. This goes for your body as well as your mind. If your body is tight and worried you waste energy your body needs to keep going. When your mind isn’t relaxed you can talk yourself into feeling worse than you really are. Try at the end of every walk break just talk a few deep breaths in and exhale deeply to relax.