LSD: efficient use of your energy

A long, slow endurance run, also know as a long jog, is the foundation of all kinds of endurance training. You ought to incorporate it into your training programme once a week. What qualifies as an endurance run? When you're running for more than 90 to 100 minutes. But you can obviously run for much longer, for instance two or even two and a half hours. That being said, for health reasons, it's not a good idea to run longer than three hours.

In terms of its impact on the body, you're training the metabolism to use your fat reserves as energy and to preserve your carbohydrate reserves (glycogen) – or rather not to tap into them first. Running for longer improves how well your body provides the muscles with oxygen. And the musculoskeletal system is prepared for the physical strain of a long competition.

Steady pace

A steady, slow version of the long jog is still the best option for those with less experience or for older runners who are more prone to injuries or overstressing the body. By a slow pace, I mean about two minutes slower per kilometre than you would do in a marathon. A good indicator is your heart rate. During a LSD run, it's between 70 and 75% of the maximum heart rate. In other words, your heart rate is fairly calm.

As a general rule:

• 220 minus your age = maximum heart rate
• Example: 220 minus 50 = 170 beats per minute
• 170 x 70% = 119
• On a long jog at a steady pace, your heart rate shouldn't be more than 120 beats per minute.

Increased pace

Experienced runners can also use the «African method». You start slowly – about 1:30 minutes slower than your usual marathon pace. Then you run 15 seconds faster every four or five kilometres so that by the last few kilometres, you're only slightly slower than your competition pace.

Kenyan marathon runners push themselves so much on their Long Slow Distance runs that they end up going faster than they'd run in a marathon for the last 35 or 40 kilometres. Running like this trains your metabolism so that you still have energy at the end of he race. Not only that, the hard version is also demanding for the mind. You have to force yourself again when your legs are already tired. Just like you have to do in a marathon where the last few kilometres are often the make or break of winning a race.

Run walk run

Another type of LSD training comes from American running guru Jeff Galloway. The Olympics competitor, author and mentor to countless runners recommends the run-walk-run method, especially for older or bigger bodied people. In one of his books he says:

«Switching from running to walking has the same pyschological effects as a steady endurance run but with the advantage that the body isn't put under as much stress.»

Jeff explains that most beginners think the goal is to eventually be able to run without any walking breaks. But there's no need to skip the walking breaks.

For older people or those who aren't experienced runners, the run-walk-run method is sensible. And even marathon runners who can cover 42.195 in four hours aren't necessarily slower when they take short walking breaks.

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