The long run is the cornerstone of almost any training plan you find or devise.
I’ve spent years doing long runs. In fact, over the last ten years, I’ve done hundreds of runs of 20 miles or longer. Does this “experience” make me an expert? Absolutely not. I like to think of each effort as another brick in the wall. But I have picked up a trick or two (or three).
So why don’t I do back-to-back long runs?
1.) Time
Part of the problem with back-to-back anything is time. When training for ultramarathons, time ultimately becomes one of the biggest constraining factors. Maintaining a healthy balance between the time you spend running and, well, everything else is crucial. The last thing you want is to burn out. Back-to-back long runs are an easy way to “lose” 8-10 hours a weekend. I found the time spent on long runs, when taken with the time spent training during the week, to be too much.
2.) Gain versus Loss
No, I’m not talking about elevation (though that can be important depending on what you’re training for). I’m speaking about the diminishing returns that come with increased volume. Running on tired legs is tried-and-true advice, but does that still hold when you’re always tired? Too much of anything is never good, especially when the body is the vehicle through which this “too much” manifests. For me, quality beats quantity every race day.
3.) Because I don’t want to (am I allowed to admit that?)
Okay, so we’ve arrived at the crux of things. Yes, there are performance reasons not to do back-to-back long runs, but the biggest reason I no longer do them is that I don’t want to. I’ve been there, done that, and moved on. Sometimes we get caught up in doing everything “right,” accounting for every detail, and forget that this is supposed to be a hobby. Could I do more? Sure. But experience has shown me that one 20-mile run per week is good enough. Sprinkle in the occasional 50K and 50-mile “training race,” and you’ll be golden for just about anything.
(I suppose we never properly defined what back-to-back long runs actually entailed in the context of my training (oops). As an example, I’m talking about knocking out a 25 or 30-mile run on Saturday, then doing another 15 or 20-mile run on Sunday. These would be done weekly or, more likely, every other week. The total elevation gain between the two runs would be 10,000-20,000 feet, depending on the routes.)
(Advice: One alternative to back-to-back long runs is the “training camp” concept popularized by the Western States Memorial Day weekend 3-day training camp. Pick a weekend four weeks (or whenever you feel the time is right) out from your big race, and do a 3-day (Friday-Sunday) training camp where you knock out back-to-back-to-back long runs. This is a good way to simulate running on tired legs, which some people find important, and to test equipment, fueling strategies, and so forth without the weekly or bi-weekly commitment to back-to-back long runs.)
Closing thoughts:
The context I’m working in is extremely narrow. As an ultramarathon runner, training year-round, I tend to view everything through the ultra filter, as that’s ultimately where my focus is at the moment. Is this advice applicable elsewhere? Dunno. The key point is to embrace long-term consistency versus trying to rush things over a short period. The greatest ultramarathon training plan is to run a lot, for years, and build long-term fitness. For me, one long run per week is enough to do that. The long run is just another run now, no big deal. Trust the process. You might be surprised where your legs will take you….
Until next time.