Distance Running Training: The Main Ingredient that Make Distance Runners

Distance Running Training: The Main Ingredient that Make Distance Runners

Aside from superb running speed, training is what makes a long distance runner. Just like any race, running speed greatly matters, but this isn’t enough for a long distance running race. As Stamina is the buzzword when it comes to long distance running races, long distance running training is quite essential for the success of a long distance runner.

Distance running training simply involves the invocation of three D’s; Discipline, Determination and Dedication. Without these instilled within the heart of a runner, the chances of that runner winning a long distance running event is bleak.

What natural speed a runner has is fortified by distance running training, ensuring optimum stamina, which is needed in winning a distance running event. Coaches, for the longest time, have seen regular long runs as important in distance running training excursions. Most runners reach 32.2 kilometers (20 miles) as a total in a week, during distance running training periods. Sometimes runners double this, reaching 64.4 (40 miles) during their weekly runs, adding more distances week after week. The most elite of runners are known to have a weekly total of 160.9 kilometers (100 miles), an amazing feat in itself.

Oftentimes, distance running training periods start happening 6 to 5 months prior to the actual long distance running event. There are actually no rules that dictate when a runner should start his/her distance running training period. Common sense dictates this “early” training time frame, considering that a runner’s body has to be conditioned for a long distance running race. Distance running trainings consider this, and understand the value time, as well as the limitations of the human body.

Though a running regimen like long runs greatly increases a runner’s stamina, not to mention speed, the training also increases the chances of injury for a runner. Knowing the balance of when to push, and when to pull back is then, quite essential in distance running training.

During distance running training runs, recovering from overworking one’s body is important. As the point of long runs in distance running training is to allow a runner’s body to be conditioned for long distance runs, simply letting a runner’s body accept the new stresses being forced on it isn’t enough.

Letting the runner’s body recover from the fatigue it gets from distance running training is also important. Not doing this often results to overtraining, which would actually yield opposite expected results.

A runner’s stamina, instead of being strengthened, would be weakened, resulting to lower endurance and speed.

When distance running training is being talked about, knowing when to stop, as well as when to keep on running, is important. The three D’s, Discipline, Determination and Dedication are perhaps the most important mix one could add in a distance running training program.