trackhead
I agree with you. The “endurance” support for Race Paces are LT runs, quite intense runs that you try to delay the pace IN intensity and not Long runs - long aerobics "steady state runs".
Long runs are used for some reasons and one among them to training perseverance "that´s the capacity to delay an effort for a long term duration". That´s effective for long distance/duration events, but a 800m or a 1500m/mile that´s a so short duration relate to 2 hours long run. Ther´s also a good reason to use long ones in long distance events. That´s carbo depletion and to teach the body to use fat as fuel. But that depletion doesn´t exist in middle distance runs. There are also a physiologic reason to use that Long runs: that´s psychological perseverance: independently in what effort level you are going your mind need to be ready for a long term effort duration.
They start to use that also, because in the past they train lesser than we train actually. So, a long one that´s a useful format to cover mileage volume that eventually that did miss during the week.
I agree that long runs are benefits to a certain extend, and in certain contexts – oxygen uptake, mitochondria, perseverance, whatever.
But did you measured also the risks - or inefficiency to use Long Ones ?
More risks to injury, more risks that carbo depletion can affect your training routine, more time to recover, tendons and cartilage are more exposed to long term effort with negative consequences and so and so. If that negative effects don´t exist I would advise 3-4 long runs weekly in a marathon plan. But that exists.
Take a look to Ingrid Kristiansen site (in the English version).
http://www.ingrid-kristiansen.com/
Later on in Marathon she explains why we must consider a long runs as a specific for the marathon and why you take more benefits while mainly by SHORT RUNS.
http://ingrid-kristiansen.com/holisticfitness/marathon.htm
Ingrid explains why she did just a 2hours runs weekly and why all their runs have no more than 45min, mainly twice a day.
Ingrid says: “….On the average Ingrid had one 2 hour easy long run and one 1.5 hour easy long run a week. Her most common training was a 45 min long run. She had, on the average, 2 harder training sessions a week (threshold training as intervals or fartleks), and 1 medium hard training run. The rest were long easy runs (45 min). We will try to more fully explain this training philosophy…”
The training is specific (you improve in what you actually do); it is therefore important to simulate and get as much training exposure as possible in the pace you are looking for in the different distances of competitions. For Ingrid, this was a pace around 3:20 min per km for the marathon. As you may understand, she could not run all the time at this pace on the long easy runs, but she could more easily do it on her 45 minute runs.
If you do many long easy runs, you get very good at running long and easy, or you get very good at slow running. When you do regular long runs of 2 hours and more, we all know that we have to run rather slowly simply because of several limitations; you get tired and exhausted. Oxygen supply, dehydration and limited carbohydrate storage are the major limitations.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to train or adapt your body to handle dehydration, it is a non-trainable quality. Most of the waste products produced while training are water soluble. The more dehydrated you get, the higher the concentration of the waste products in your body. When you are running, it is not possible to compensate for all the dehydration like it is when you are biking or cross country skiing. If you drink too much while running, your stomach will stop you.
We believe that too much training while partly or totally dehydrated (a typical condition on long easy runs) limits endurance growth in your muscles; very often the conditions in the working muscles get toxic and break down your endurance. As a rule of thumb, you lose 10% of your performance capacity for each 1% of your weight you lose as liquid. If your weight is 70 kg and you have lost 1% of your weight, 0.7 kg water, then your performance capacity is only 90% of your capacity. Dehydration also reduces the cooling capacity of your body.
Did you know that 75% of the energy produced by your muscles is heat (energy loss), while only 25% of the energy ends up under your shoe soles. Our body loses a lot of salts and minerals when we get dehydrated; is very important to replace these losses. Remember also from the Physical chapter that the principle of overload is fundamental in the study of exercise.
However, if you do a lot of easy long runs there will not really be an aerobic overload on your central system (your heart and lungs); and it is this system that is normally the major bottleneck in general endurance. There will also be no real aerobic overload on your peripheral system either; when running too slowly your working muscles will not improve their threshold level. Other drawbacks with too many and too long easy runs:
You get good at running slow
You get a slower stride
You lose your elasticity
You end up running on your heels
You need longer rest periods to recover
Actually, the main objective with the few long easy runs we recommend is to improve the fat burning capacity of the muscles. The better oxygen capacity you have, the more fat you are able to burn at a higher pace. Remember that fat requires about 16% more oxygen to produce the same amount of energy as carbohydrates.
There will always be a trade off situation of how many of these long easy runs you need, but we think the limited number of long easy runs Ingrid did is one of the major reason for her results. Another objective with the long easy run is to get used to all the pounding on your legs and muscles.
Ingrid got her running volume by running more, but shorter long runs. On these shorter long runs she then got much more training exposure to:
Faster running, more aerobic "overload"
"Simulating" the actual competition pace
More mental acceptance of the actual pace
Running with faster strides
More elasticity
More running on her toes
Need of shorter rest periods, easier recovery
Less dehydration
Less emptying of carbohydrate reserves
Less boring running shorter runs
In the system and sensitivity analysis in the Physical chapter we could see how important the central system with its heart and lungs is to endurance training and how vital the aerobic energy supply was relative to the anaerobic. In the marathon close to 100% of the energy supply will be aerobic.
You should not do any work within the anaerobic zone when you prepare for a marathon, simply because you do not need it and as we have already stated, you should simulate the actual work condition for the race when you train. If you get too eager and push too much on the harder workouts, you can easily interfere with your whole endurance capacity.
This is in conflict with most cultures where we are praised if we do "something" more, harder and faster. However, the lactic acid environment can be like poison for your aerobic capacity.>>
Now, my friends, relate that what Kris says to short middle distance runs.