The Benefits of Long, Slow Distance Runs - Virtual Runner

They promote an efficient running form · They help to strengthen your muscles – especially in your legs, arms and torso · They train your respiratory, cardio and ... Thereareseveralbenefitstolongslowdistancerunning:fromstrengtheningmuscles,totrainingyourrespiratorysystemandmore.It’stimetomixthemupwithyoursprints. TheBenefitsofLongSlowDistanceRuns Whetheryou’renewtorunningorareaseasonedprofessional,itcanbedifficultbuildingupthestaminarequiredforalong-distancerun.Oneimportantthingtorememberisyourspeed:youshouldn’tbereachingthesameaveragetimeperkmina5kmrunasyouwouldina25kmrun. Forsomepeople,runningisallaboutgoingasfasttheycan,andmaintainingthesamespeed.However,therearemanybenefitstolongslowdistanceruns,andwe’ddefinitelyencourageyoutogiveitago,soyoucanstartfeelingthoseadvantages. WhatisSlowRunning? Slowrunningissubjective,becauseeachpersonwillhavetheirownpace.However,agoodwaytodeterminewhetheryou’rerunning“slow”,istoseeifyoucanhaveaconversationwithyourrunningpartner.Ifyoucan,thenthat’syourslowrunningspeed. Anotherwayyoucandeterminewhatyourslowpaceis,istocheckyourheartrate.Ifyou’rerunningatagentlepace,thenyourheartrateshouldbesomewherebetween110to140beatsperminute. Essentially,ifyourbreathingisn’ttooheavyandyoudon’tfeellikeyou’reputtingintoomucheffort,thenyou’rerunningataslowpace(andbytakingnormalbreaths,you’reabletoholdaconversation). WhatAretheBenefitsofLongSlowDistanceRuns? Therearemanybenefitstogoingonalongslowdistancerun: TheypromoteanefficientrunningformTheyhelptostrengthenyourmuscles–especiallyinyourlegs,armsandtorsoTheytrainyourrespiratory,cardioandmuscularsystemstobemoreefficientTheyimproveyourabilitytohandlephysicaldiscomfort,whilstmakingyouamorepatientanddisciplinedrunnerTheyeffectivelyadaptyourligaments,tendons,bonesandjointstothestressofrunningTheyincreasethequantityandsizeofmitochondria,whichhelpyoutoimproveyouruseofoxygen,andglycogenstoragelevels Ultimately,therearemanyhealthbenefitsofgoingonalongslowdistancerun,whichiswhyit’ssoimportanttomixthemupwithyoursprints.Thesetypeofrunswillhelpyoutobecomeabetterrunner,asyouaretrainingyourbodyandmindtowithstandlongerdistances. Youmaynotrealisethis,butlongslowdistancerunsburnmorecaloriesthanhigherintensityactivity(suchasasprint),whichwillhelpwithweightloss.Plus,byadaptingyourmuscles,jointsandbonestothestressofrunning,you’repreparingyourbodyforhighintensitytraining. HowOftenShouldYouGoforaLongSlowDistanceRun? Likemostthingsassociatedwithrunning,thisissubjective,asitdependsonhowoftenyougoforrunsinthefirstplace. Along-distancerunistypicallycategorisedas50%furtherthanyourtypicalruns.Ifyougoforthreerunsaweek,thenmakeoneofthemalongslowdistancerun–you’llreallystarttonoticeadifferenceintermsofhowyoufeelwhenyourun. Whenyoufirststartdoinglongdistanceruns,itcanbetemptingtotrackyourdistance.However,whatyoushoulddoistrackyourtime.Ifyoudoadistancerunonceperweek,youcanincreaseyourtimeby10-15minuteseachweek,andyou’llsoonnoticethatyoucanrunfurther,moreeffectively. Ifyou’reanewbietorunning,thenstartyourlongslowdistancerunat45minutes.Thisisbeneficialasnotonlydoesithelpyoutobuildstrengthandimproverecovery,itwillalsohelptoflushanywastefromtiredmuscles. Longslowdistancerunsthatare45-90minuteslonghelptoincreaseyourbody’sabilitytotransferanduseoxygen,whilstbuildingupyourstrengthwithoutusingtoomuchphysicalandmentalstress. Alternatively,ifyourunforover90minutes,thentheaddedbenefitisthatyou’reteachingyourbodytoimproveitsglycogenstoragelevels,whilstincreasingyourabilitytohandlethediscomfortthatcomeswithrunning. Ifyou’reworriedaboutbeingaslowrunnercomparedtoeveryoneelse…thenstopcomparingyourself!Ifyou’rerunningandfeellikeyou’reputtinginalotofeffort,andarelosingyourbreath,thenyou’renotrunningslowlyenough. Thefinalbenefitoflongslowdistancerunsisthatyou’rereducingtheriskofcausingyourselfinjury–ofwhichthere’sahigherchancewhenyou’rerunningfaster.Thataloneshouldbereasonenoughtostartgivingslowrunningago-tohelpyourbodyadapttorunningfurther,andenableittowithstandhigherintensityexercise.Formoreadviceonrunning,headonovertoourblog,whereyoucanfindouthowtobuildyourendurance,mentalstrategiestohelpyoukeeponrunning,thebenefitsofrunningwithafriend,andmore. Sharethisstory 1 Enterracesandcompetewithaglobalcommunity Joinover50,000runnersworldwideandentervirtualracesyoucanrunanywhere,anytimeatyourownpace. 2 Runanywhere,anytime,withanyone-atyourownpace Whetherit’sarunaroundyourhousingestateoronatreadmillinthegym,youcanrunracespracticallyanywhereintheworld. 3 Submityourresultsonlineandwincustommedals Uploadproofthatyouhavecompletedthedistanceorchallengeusingappscreenshotsorparkrunstatsandwe’llsendyouacoolmedal. 4 Atleast20%ofyourraceentrywillgotocharity Everyracehasasponsoredcharityandwedonate20%ofyourraceentrytothatcharity.Youcanalsonominateacharity. Ready?Let'srace ×