WHAT THE HELL IS A LONG RUN (AND HOW DO YOU STRUCTURE ONE?)

Published: 08/04/2026 | By: Kate Hutchinson

Long runs – they’re tough, they’re time-consuming, but they’re absolutely essential if you’re training for a marathon. Luckily, Kate Hutchinson knows exactly how to make them work. From swimming for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games to competing at the HYROX World Championship earlier this year and running three marathons, Kate has spent her life figuring out how to train smart. Now, as a Sports Direct ambassador, she’s sharing her tips on pacing, fuelling, and recovering so your long runs actually feel manageable – and get you ready for race day.

If you are even slightly tapped into running Instagram or TikTok, every weekend you will see people posting their SLRs (the classic Sunday Long Run) usually with a Strava screenshot and a very satisfied post run photo. But the weekend long run is not just something runners do for social media. It is one of the most important parts of any marathon training plan.

Long runs are usually completed once per week and form the backbone of most marathon blocks. Their purpose is simple but incredibly important. They gradually build your aerobic endurance, helping your body become more efficient at sustaining effort over long periods of time. Over weeks and months, they strengthen muscles, connective tissue and joints so that your body can cope with the demands of running 26.2 miles. They also play a huge role mentally. Spending two or three hours on your feet teaches you how to manage fatigue, pacing and fuelling. Those are all things that become very real in the later miles of a marathon.

Most marathon training plans gradually build the distance of the long run across the block, often reaching a peak a few weeks before race day. After that comes the taper, when mileage drops to allow the body to recover and absorb the training. In many ways, the marathon itself is simply the day when you put all of those long runs together.

HOW DO YOU STRUCTURE YOUR LONG RUNS

If you have a coach, the planning is often already done for you. But if you are structuring your own long runs for marathon training, it is important to think carefully about progression. One of the biggest mistakes runners make is doing too much too soon. It can be tempting to increase distance quickly, especially when you see other runners sharing huge mileage online, but the goal of marathon training is to arrive at the start line healthy. Gradually building distance gives your body time to adapt.

For many new marathon runners, long runs might start around 8 to 10 miles and gradually build towards 18 to 20 miles across the training block. A commonly used guideline is increasing overall mileage by roughly 5 to 10 percent per week, occasionally including a slightly easier week to allow the body to recover. Experience level also makes a difference to how long runs are structured. Some runners simply aim to cover the distance at an easy pace, focusing on time on their feet. Others may incorporate sections at marathon pace or controlled efforts within the run.

I am currently training for my third marathon, and it is only this time around that I have started incorporating sustained marathon pace efforts into my long runs. In previous years that would have been far too ambitious for me. My body simply would not have coped with it. That is one thing marathon training teaches you quite quickly. What works for someone else might not be right for where you are in your own training journey.

HOW DO YOU FUEL FOR THEM?

Your marathon long run fuelling strategy can genuinely make or break a session. When fuelling is dialled in, a long run can feel controlled and surprisingly manageable. When it is not, you’ll know about it in those final miles.

The reason fuelling matters so much is because your body has limited carbohydrate stores. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, but for most runners those stores are enough for roughly 90 minutes of moderate to hard running. After that point, energy levels begin to drop and fatigue increases. That is why runners often talk about ‘hitting the wall’. Long runs are the perfect opportunity to practise marathon long run nutrition and figure out exactly what works for you.

Fuelling begins well before the run itself. The night before a long run, many runners benefit from a carbohydrate focused dinner such as rice, pasta or potatoes paired with a lean protein source. Staying well hydrated in the 24 hours before the run also makes a noticeable difference.

On the morning of the run, I usually eat around 2 to 3 hours beforehand to avoid the dreaded stitch. My typical breakfast is simple and familiar: eggs on toast, a banana and a glass of orange juice. Around 30-45 minutes before heading out, I will often have a form of workout fuel, which provides easily digestible carbohydrates and gives me a small top up of energy before the run begins.

Once the run goes beyond 90 minutes, fuelling during the session becomes increasingly important. Sports nutrition research generally recommends runners consume somewhere between 30 and 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour. For me, that usually means taking an energy gel roughly every 30 minutes. This provides around 40 grams of carbohydrates per half hour and closely mirrors what I plan to do on race day.

The most important thing is practising this during your long runs so that your stomach becomes used to it. The worst possible time to try a new gel is during the marathon itself.

Recovery fuelling also matters. Within 30 to 60 minutes of finishing the run, it is helpful to eat something that contains both carbohydrates and protein. This supports muscle repair and helps replenish glycogen stores. A protein shake with banana, Greek yoghurt with granola, eggs on toast or a simple chicken and rice meal are all good options.

LONG RUNS ARE AS MUCH MENTAL AS THEY ARE PHYSICAL.

Even now, I still feel slightly nervous before some of my longer runs. No matter how experienced you become, long runs can be challenging. The distance, the fatigue and the effort required to maintain pace can all feel quite daunting beforehand, but that is exactly why they are so valuable. Long runs teach you how to manage discomfort and keep moving forward when things start to feel difficult. That mental resilience becomes incredibly important on race day.

One strategy I find really helpful is breaking the run into smaller sections. Instead of focusing on the total distance, I think about the run in segments. Sometimes that is time based. Every time I take a gel, roughly every thirty minutes, it marks the end of one section and the start of the next. Other times I break the run into distance segments, focusing only on the next few kilometres rather than the full distance ahead. Music is another big motivator for me. I often listen to live DJ mixes while running because they keep the energy consistent and there are no awkward pauses between songs. Running with other people can also make a huge difference. Even if everyone runs slightly different paces, just knowing others are out there tackling the same long run can make the experience feel much easier. I also have a slight preference for out and back routes rather than loops. It is entirely psychological, but I like the feeling of reaching halfway and knowing that the only option now is to turn around and run home. Sometimes I will even arrange to meet friends for coffee afterwards. Having something waiting at the end of the run can be a surprisingly strong motivator.

RECOVERY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

Recovery is a crucial part of marathon training recovery and it is something that runners often overlook. Long runs place significant stress on the body. Allowing time for recovery helps the muscles repair and adapt so that you can train consistently. If I am being honest, my immediate long run recovery sometimes involves lying on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon. That downtime genuinely helps me absorb the training and reset before the following week.

Nutrition is one of the most important elements of recovery after a long run. Refuelling within 30 to 60 minutes helps replenish glycogen stores and supports muscle repair. Hydration also matters, particularly if the run was completed in warm weather or involved significant sweating. Replacing lost fluids helps the body return to normal balance.

Although resting is important, gentle movement later in the day can help reduce stiffness. Foam rolling, stretching or a short mobility session can help restore movement and improve circulation. I often use the Pliability app or complete a very gentle yoga routine. Sleep is another powerful recovery tool. After long run days, I often try to get to bed earlier than usual. Good quality sleep helps the body repair and adapt to the training load. I also tend to take Monday as a rest day after a Sunday long run. Giving the legs a full day to recover means I can start the next week of training feeling much fresher.

Ultimately, the best marathon training plan only works if you can train consistently. Recovery is what allows that consistency to happen.

DON’T MAKE THE MISTAKES I MADE

After training for three marathons, I have definitely made my fair share of mistakes with long runs. A few common ones stand out.

Not fuelling properly is one of them. I have gone out on long runs without taking gels, sometimes even in very hot conditions. It might not feel disastrous at the time, but the fatigue in the following days is noticeable.

Increasing the distance too quickly is another. It is easy to compare your training with others online and feel like you should be running further sooner. Gradual progression is much safer and far more sustainable.

Running long runs too fast is also surprisingly common. Many long runs should feel relatively comfortable, often around three to five on a rate of perceived exertion scale. Running them too hard simply accumulates unnecessary fatigue.

Finally, ignoring fatigue or niggles can cause problems later in a training block. While consistency is key in marathon training, pushing through illness, extreme fatigue or worsening pain is rarely a good strategy. Listening to your body is an important part of training well.

LONG RUNS REALLY ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF MARATHON TRAINING.

Over time they build the endurance, resilience and confidence needed to cover the distance, both physically and mentally. They are also where you practise the details that matter on race day, particularly fuelling. Learning what works for you during these sessions helps you avoid hitting the wall later on.

Recovery is just as important. Refuelling properly, prioritising rest and allowing mileage to build gradually all help your body adapt and keep training consistent across the block. Most importantly, listen to your body and trust the process. Week by week those long runs add up and prepare you for the challenge ahead.