Author Jack Waitz.

The text is taken from Runner's World.

Preparing for long runs as a marathon differs a lot from training to other distances. Even training for a half marathon is different. Marathon training requires physical properties of the body that are not as relevant at shorter distances.

I will go through the most important qualities that we will achieve, based on our own and others' coaching experience. The most important thing is to understand the energy sources required to perform muscle work. Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy with intense loads.

However, with increased duration in the loads, it is important that you can work with a large proportion of fat as fuel, since carbohydrates as an energy source only last approx. 90 minutes with a well-trained person. In other words, the most important property is to develop the body's ability to burn fat instead of carbohydrates (glycogen).

Specific workouts with the goal of burning fat are important, so you can "rationize" the use of carbohydrates as long as possible. If you become good at this, the result will be more stable energy storage, better endurance and most likely better end time.

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The long walks are an important part of your marathon training. No other workout has a major impact on your marathon performance. A very important part of your training is therefore to train the body to burn fat, so that you save on the carbohydrates that are stored as glycogen. In addition, you develop muscle endurance, your mental capacity, and that you specifically prepare for what you will feel in the last part of the marathon.

Most long trips will take place at "talk speed". Once you have trained up to a good level so that you are comfortable running 25-35 km, I recommend that you run some of the long trips progressively, that is, faster at the end of the trip. This can be done about every four weeks. The effect of speed at the end, when you are low on carbohydrates, is that the body learns to look for alternative fuels and burns fat. A session we often practice is 20 km at talk speed, then 8 km at marathon speed, and an end with 4 km at a leisurely pace.

As mentioned, muscle endurance is also important. You develop this over time with regular training. For those who have come the furthest, it may be a good idea to have a fairly hard session the day before the long trip. This helps you start the long trip with slightly less glycogen, so that this approaches what you will experience during the marathon.

We say that marathons really start after 30 kilometers, and this is what you have to train on.

Posted by: Jack Waitz.

The text is taken from Runner's World.