Are you an aspiring runner? Someone who has been wanting to run long distances? But no matter how hard you try, you just can’t. You are always overwhelmed by exhaustion and heavy breathing that hurts your chest? Sometimes even severe nausea? We have compiled some of the best long-distance running tips for you.
Long-distance running is an art. It’s not something you can achieve overnight in just a single running session. You need proper training, proper muscle tone, proper technique of using just the right amount of stamina, keeping a very steady pace, and most importantly nice running gear. Because you never see a knight walking into a battle without his armor. No matter how strong he is.
In this guide, we are going to give you some very good long-distance running tips. If you follow these properly, you will improve in no time.
3 Best Long Distance Running Tips
Here are some basic tips and tricks best fit for those looking to start long-distance running. They’re very easy to follow.
1. Start with proper nutrition
Nutrition is extremely important. Not just for running. For any sort of exercise. Mental or physical. Without the proper nutrition, you can’t conjure the energy your muscles need for running long distances.
One of the most basic long-distance running tips is to improve your nutrition. But not just any nutrition. Runners need to make sure their diet contains the proper amounts of everything.
Here we would highly advise you to stay away from sugars and carbs if you’re intending to go for a long-distance run. Sugar, though an excellent energy source, is not fit for running as it will make you feel full and heavy. You can lose your stamina this way.
Proteins are a great choice for long-distance runs. They won’t make you feel full, while at the same time giving you the energy you require. Small amounts of fats are also acceptable since they are a great source of Acetyl CoA, the substance that will help give your muscles energy during strenuous exercises when glucose can’t.
Hence, your diet should be protein-rich and low in carbs, while intermediate in fats. That’s the principle you ought to follow.
2. Take breaks mid-run
It’s okay to take breaks mid-run to regain your stamina. Just make sure the breaks are not super long. A 30-second break should be more than enough.
Take this time to rehydrate and do some light stretches. Just don’t prolong your break too much as it will be more perilous than advantageous.
Most people think that breaks are not a good idea as they can not only disrupt your pace but also your motivation. As for the pace, it can’t be disrupted as long as you do not take an abrupt stop.
Slow your speed down gradually for 5 seconds and then stop. Allow your heart to adjust to the changing dynamics of your body. Breathe deeply. Let your heart slow down. Relax your muscles. And your pace will not be disrupted.
What disrupts the pace is the buildup of lactate in your blood. Something that’s called lactate acidosis. It causes your muscles to fatigue and disrupts your pace. As long as you manage to remove that lactate from your blood, by deep breaths and slow rehydration, your pace won’t be disrupted.
For motivation, we can’t say that much about it as it is more a question of willpower than science. As long as you’re willing to run for a long-distance, nothing should distract you. Even if you’re on a 30-second break.
A nice trick to follow is to lessen the amounts of breaks you take during runs per day. Say you take 5 breaks normally during your sessions. In the next session, try to reduce it to 4. Keep at 4 until you’re comfortable and then switch to 3. And so on. What this will do is increase your stamina steadily while making sure you have a healthy run every time.
3. Choose the right gear
Gear is by far the most important thing to consider while running. Because again, a warrior does not go into a battle without his gear; armor, sword, and shield.
As for the runner, the most important gear is shoes. Without good shoes, you can never be a good runner, let alone a long-distance runner. Lucky for you, we have 5 favorite shoes for long-distance running we’d like to share with you, along with their pros and cons, and features we think make them best for long-distance running. So let’s be quick about it.
1. Salomon Men’s Speedcross 4 Trail Running Shoes
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Features
Grip
The grip on these shoes is just monstrous. You can have an idea about them just by looking at the rubber sole design on these shoes.
With the penetrating traction and the V design of the pattern, these shoes make sure your muscles are as much under low stress as possible, which is an essential long-distance running tip as well, by the way.
LT muscle midsole
The LT muscle midsole is designed for protection, cushion, and supporting the arches. It does what a midsole must do for long-distance running; provide as much cushioning and protection as possible.
The midsole will help your feet adjust to all kinds of technical tracks. Hence, protecting your tendons from injuries and your muscles from overloading.
Foothold
The foothold of these shoes is something they ought to be praised for. Designed to embrace the foot in a way that doesn’t feel too snug.
The footholds make sure your feet are not subject to friction and sliding within the shoe, hence sparing your soreness and discomfort during long-running sessions.
Pros
- Amazing foothold
- Aggressive grip
- Lightweight and cushioning
Cons
- No water resistance
- A little less durable
2. BRONAX Men’s Stylish Graffiti Personality Sneakers
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Features
Padding
Just another addition to our tips for long-distance running tips: make sure the padding on your shoes is not too much, or too less. Just the right amount to make things comfortable and durable both.
And this shoe does just that. The padding of these shoes makes the running experience a lot more comforting. Hence exposing better chances of long-distance running.
Slip-on design
The slip-on design of these shoes makes these shoes extremely convenient to wear around. Just slip in your feet and you’re good to go.
Why do we like this feature? Simple. Remember when we talked about taking breaks mid-run? Well, this is a good feature to use when you want some extra breathability.
Versatile
These shoes are highly versatile. This is something we like because it makes these shoes highly economic.
We like to use these shoes both for long-distance running, for the gym, sometimes for work and also for short-distance running. This shoe is just the best for all kinds of events.
Pros
- Highly convenient to wear
- Great comfort
- Highly versatile
Cons
- Could use improved breathability
- Could use some arch support
3. Skechers Men’s Vigor Sport 2.0 Trait Memory Foam Sneaker Shoes
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Features
Breathability
Breathability is very important. You’ll see it everywhere when you search for Long-distance running tips. And it must be important. You would want to keep your feet as fresh and cool as possible to avoid them being sore and unpleasant.
These shoes are highly breathable. The mesh fabric side panels provide extremely good ventilation during compressions and decompressions of the running. And it is just the thing you will need for long-distance running to keep your feet fresh.
Comfort
With a padded collar and tongue along with a soft fabric shoe lining. This shoe takes care of your comfort from heel to toe.
Plus, the memory foam full-length insole makes sure your every step is comfortable and that your feet do not turn out to be sore after the long-distance running session. Do remind yourself that comfort is something you need for long-distance running, as having an uncomfortable run will not only tire you quickly and demotivate you but can also give you some serious injuries.
Stability
The stability of these shoes is what we admire the most. Comfort is something you’d expect in a sketcher shoe, but not stability. Stability is a little rare in many shoes. And when we spot a shoe that qualifies all the features for long-distance running. We look for stability. And if it’s a present… a jackpot.
Lucky for you these shoes are highly stable. The midsole features shock absorption. This means you’ll have the bounce back you deserve after every stride. Also, the midfoot and heel are quite stabilized as well. Thus adding to the overall stability. If you’re someone with pronation problems and are looking for stability. These are the shoes to go for.
Pros
- Flexible traction outsole
- Highly comfortable with a good foothold
- Good heal drop
Cons
- Could use some more durability
- Not water resistant
4. New Balance Men’s Fresh Foam Roav V1 Sneaker
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Features
Endurance outsole
Another one of our long-distance running tips: the better the durability, the more chances of your running an extra mile.
Durability is one of those things people seem to ignore quite easily when shopping for long-distance running shoes. They look for heel drops and lightweights and breathability. But very often for durability.
Well, let us tell you something. Long-distance running causes a lot of wear and tear on the shoes. So if your shoes are not durable enough, you’re both at a risk. Both financially and physically. Thanks to the endurance outsoles of these shoes, it can take almost any kind of abrasion, as long as it is limited to running. They will last longer and they can be used on all sorts of tracks. Technical or not.
Fresh foam midsole
The midsole technology employed in these shoes is what intrigues us. It’s lightweight but also very cushioning. Considering most of the foams are not very lightweight. Especially after they soak up that sweat.
However, the foam in these shoes is very lightweight. You can simply by just looking at the shoe. And not just that, they are very breathable as well. Unlike many foams (like memory foam) that are not breathable at all. Quite a nice combination if you ask us.
Heel design
Although the heel drop is something we do not like in these shoes, there is something else that we do. The ultra heel design.
The design ensures the heel portion of the shoe embraces your heels properly, giving a snug kind of feeling back there. But not snug. A comfortable snug, if you will. This increases the support for the heel portion of the shoes and reduces the strain provided by the low heel drop.
Pros
- Very durable
- Fresh foam midsole
- Attractive design
Cons
- 8mm heel drop
- Lacks some arch support
5. SOLLOMENSI Running Shoes
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Features
Flexibility
Here’s another one to add to the list of long-distance running tips: the flexible the better.
When your shoes are flexible, just like this one, you run in a more natural gait, specific to yourself and your style. A flexible shoe will adapt easily to your natural gait and won’t disrupt it at all.
This is something great for long-distance running. The more natural your gait is. The more your muscles work efficiently and effortlessly. This means less strain on them, which implies more stamina conservation.
Remember, the less flexible your shoes are, the more you will be forced to switch your gait to meet the shoes’ demands. This means your muscles have to put in the extra effort. hence, draining your stamina.
Lightweight and durability
The whole sole of this shoe is made of very lightweight material. Which is a plus. Because we need as much lightweight as we can get for long-distance running.
Also, the outsole is rubber. Which makes it quite durable, even for its style. Rubber is also great for traction. We already know the importance of lightweight and durability from the above discussions, so we won’t go any deeper here.
Breathability
Although not as breathable as those sketchers up there, they are still quite breathable, compared to others.
The mesh upper ensures breathability, freshness, and a dry feel. Also, the collar and the tongue are padded so which creates good cushioning. The cushioning combined with breathability makes sure your feet remain as sore-free as possible
Pros
- Breathable, lightweight, and durable
- Highly flexible
- Very comfy
Cons
- A little snug on the toes
- Has a little bulky look to it
Conclusion
And that’s it for our post on long-distance running tips. True we focused mainly on gear, but trust us. That’s what counts the most. If it didn’t, athletes wouldn’t be so choosy about their gear.
If you’re a runner and you’ve got some nice shoes on, you’re pretty much unconquerable. They will not only convert your simple training to high-yield training but also make sure you perform the best on track.
You might also be interested in these running shorts as they are quite comfortable and affordable.