Monday, May 10, 2004
How to Run Long
During our last 18-mile run, I was thinking about the psychology of enduring and even enjoying a run of almost three hours. Here are some of the "secrets" I've found through experience.
Recipe for a Good Run
- Run with a friend. Or, make a new friend. Conversation is a great way to pass the miles. I remember running 20 miles with Emily my first season. By the end of the run, we knew a lot about each other, college, families, spouse and each others' weddings, ... ! Last weekend, I ran with Jerald for about 7 miles and we had a good chat, talking about our running history and goals, and meeting other runners along the way.
- Break the run into pieces. Our course was nine miles out and nine miles back. Rather than dwelling on an 18-mile run, I focused on the nine miles to the turnaround point. Now, nine miles isn't too bad and I knew I could do it. So, that was a nice trick.
Recipe for a Bad Run
- After a couple of miles, start to dwell on some discomfort and start to panic because you're only 10% into the run.
- At the end of a long run, calculate how much longer you would have had to run to complete a marathon, and get disillusioned. For example, my first 12-mile run was pretty tough. It was drizzling and I ran the whole thing alone. At the end, I was beat. Then I though, "I haven't even finished half a marathon. I need to run twice this distance! Now that's discouraging!
