LSR advice please

Hi.

I am after some advice about my weekly long runs.

From previously going out and running as fast and as hard as I can, in the last 6 weeks I have been following a structured training plan based on a lot of comments and advice from people on here. I have been running since the beginning of this year and I am now clocking up 40-45 miles per week.On Saturdays I go for my long runs (now between 12-19 miles) and with each week the distance is increasing. I also vary my route and take in some off road trails, hills/mountains etc. 

My first race is the Clowne half marathon in November and my first marathon is Manchester next April.

However,  with my new found enthusiam, my long runs could not always be described as 'steady/easy', I do enjoy going off road and hitting the hills and trails. Should my long runs always be long but easy or is it ok if they take in some hills etc ? So far, I have always been able to go out on an easy Sunday run without too much trouble.

Cheers

Good prep is to have some sections in there that are at race pace imo. Clowne will have undulations I`d suggest.

i believe a good rule of thumb for long runs is to do them at a conversational pace, so as long as your route doesn't knacker you out so much that you're breathless I reckon it should be fine. I'm also doing manchester next year, good luck - i'll be somewhere near the back of the pack though

By all means run hills on the long runs, but as AG says - keep it easy.

If you race all your long runs, you wont race your race.  You'll be worn out.

On a positive note, if you can run 19 miles in training then your half marathon should be easy.

The other thing not mentioned in other replies is that most plans have a quiet recovery week every now and agan, for example every fourth week your long run is replaced with a shorter run at the same, low intensity (e.g six miles rather than 15 miles) just to give your body some time to adapt to the training stresses put upon it.  If your following a training plan this should already be incorporated , but if you've devised your own plan it would be worth including this.  Your new found enthusiasm can easily lead to over-training, so this is an imprortant safety measure to avoid injury and ultimately keep you running.

Agree with cougie. Long runs are about getting out and enjoying where you are running. One of my favourite routes is Boars Hill out of Oxford. Is several miles of not inconsiderable uphill, some quite steep, to get from town to top of boars hill, but the views back into Oxford from the hill and from South Parks are well worth it. As long as you're not killing yourself, taking in some hills on easy runs will help to make you run stronger when you are pushing it, and might give you the views and reasons to keep motivating you to get out of the door!

carter are you near clowne or manc then? If it's any good something you might want to try is just head out into the peaks and set yourself a goal of reaching ex bus stop or one of the towns in the peaks to get the train back to home. Hills are great and the more you get to love them the better your training is going to be as you've worked harder.

If any use getting of the train station at Edale and going over the hills to Haversage is exceptionally good for this. Bonus is if your feeling saucy there you can deside to go the long way round or take a pit stop at one of the cafes for a cuppa and some fodder.

i would also like to advocate having an easier week every 4th week ........lets the body recover......

I also believe that the long runs should feel easish with conversation easy..but i also think that a couple of them  should have some marathon pace miles in them.or try the last half at marathon pace.........but not every week..........

also if the marathon is hilly train hill...........if the marathon is flat i would mainly train the long run flats but some hillier runs are good............

there...i sound like an expert don't I

just read a lot of threads

hr zone 2 for 90 mins

or 10 mins hr zone 2 followed by 5 mins hr zone 3...repeat

The first is a Friel extensive endurance run the second is an intensive endurance run.

sorted.

Cheers Mark. How often do you suggest I run one/both of these ? 

Carter I'm stocksbridge based and used to live up past huntersbar. Edale is useful because you can pick a very easy but hilly route if you want or pick a very hard and mountainous route depending on what you want out of your run. There are train's once a hour from sheffield. If you see a fat lad out there cycling or running with a skull and crossbones on there kit will be me so throw and rock at my head and say hello.

You might be interested in some of these by the way come next year they have some lovely hills on them and in case you havn't seen it yet there is a sheffield thread in the clubhouse.

. http://www.totleyac.org.uk/cands.htm

Cheers cake.

I will have a look at those Totley races. If I was to throw something at you would it be a 'rock cake'......(here all week !)

I've had a look at Peak Trail Runner and it's got some decent routes on there so I will definitely be trying out some of them.

I guess there are some decent runs up near you ? (Langsett, Underbank, Broomhead reservoirs)

Thanks to everyone else as well for the advice. 

AgentGinger - I will see you at the back of the pack in Manchester then What time are you hoping for ?

There are matie the best one around these parts through has to be rivelin valley through if you looking to explore the city a little. The reservoirs are normally very quite so if you want a chill out run well worth it.