When you run long, do you stay the same pace? Now that the weather is nicer, I've been able to go on some ten mile runs. I'm not running super fast---maybe about a 10 minute pace. I'm wondering if it would be a better workout if I were to switch up my pace, like, maybe run a mile at a fast pace and then maybe job slowly for two miles and repeat that a few times during the run. Is there anything to be gained by doing that? Or would I be better off trying to maintain the same pace for the whole time during my long runs (which I'll maybe do once or twice a week) and use my other runs for increasing medium-distance speed? I don't have any road races coming up soon, so I'm mostly just trying to increase my overall fitness rather than training my body to go a certain pace.

You run 10 miles in ten minutes? Wow, you must have the speed of a cheetah and the endurance of a horse!

I mean 10 minute per mile pace, of course. 10 miles in 10 minutes---that's definitely something to work towards.

Continues "interval training" (what you are talking about) is an excellent tool to help improve both V02m and lactate threshold.

You might benefit from looking something up called "fartlek" training.

If you're looking for speed work, do that separate of your long distance runs. Your long distance runs should be done at a relatively steady pace. Give yourself at least a day, or even two, between a long run and speed work and only do speed work once a week.

What we want to focus on is specificity, therefore try and run as fast as you can without fatigue. This will gradually increase as you train (progressive overload).

Sure you could do some intervel training, but should only complement at best. We want to turn your intermediate muscle fibres into oxidative fibres, continuous is key, over time your body will predominately burn more fat for the same amount of intensity and duration, allowing you to run faster and longer.

good post! nice to see a runner

matt,
run as fast as you can without fatigue? hahahahahahahahah LOL!

What Flyinfree said, Msteechur. I took a look at your web page and it is very impressive what you have accomplished!

You accomplish several goals from running: improvement in cardiovascular/pulmonary systems, muscular development, fat loss, and improvement in endurance. Depending on your goals, you will want to modify how you run.

If you want to build up endurance, you want to do long, steady-state runs that will encourage your body to increase its network of capillaries and replicate mitocondria.

If you want to more quickly increase the other benefits, add some high intensity workouts with it.

You probably want to incorporate both. But, to maximize the benefits of endurance runs, don't do them on the same day and don't do HIIT more than twice / week.

well what i meant was running fast at steady state i.e not running at 50% vo2max..

I believe in keeping things separate too. Going at an even pace for 10 miles will not only increase your endurance and chance of finishing that stretch with gusto, but it will help you avoid injury. There are 2 main reasons runners get hurt. One is they increase their overall distance too quickly (the rule is 10% increase in mileage a week), and the second is they increase their SPEED in those distances too quicky. Better to get used to the steady pace for a while and go longer than switch up the distance, have a harder time finishing, and then develop some injury.

Actually, before we start saying what someone "should" do, it's probably best to find out:

a) What are your goals as a runner?
b) What is your experience?

For example, I've coached new runners. A new runner I would hesitate to suggest much, if any speed work. And then, only once they have a good solid base. As another poster pointed out, the most common time for a runner to injure him/herself is going out too long too soon, or too hard.

If your goal, right now, is to complete a first marathon I'd suggest finding a good training program and choosing "beginner" if you've never done much more than a 10k. It's tempting to think "I can do more than THAT!" but the key is to get to the START LINE of a marathon without injury and feeling confident that you can go to the finish line and finish upright, smile on your face. The marathon can school you and school you HARD if you get ****y and don't take training seriously. (Not that I'm suggesting...)

I think most of us want to run faster. The interesting thing is, increasing your long runs will definitely increase your speed on shorter runs. I can now run a half marathon at my previous 5k pace, and my 5k pace has improved substantially. But that's after training for nine marathon since 2005. I am just now starting to consider a training program for myself that has the intensity needed to see a major improvement in my marathon speed. That will come AFTER I finish my half ironman. (Don't do as I do and schedule a marathon in June, a half IM in August, and another marathon in October. Dumb dumb dumb.)

I think if you do, say a 3 to 5 mile run, at a faster pace-trying to increase your speed on the days you run less miles, then on your long runs, you will ultimetly and eventually run at a faster pace.

MsTeechur has offered some great advise, define your goals and experience. I was a casual runner no more than 7-8 miles and decided to run my first marathon last year. What I found out, when increasing my milage at a level pace, my shorter runs became faster, of course I did do speed work training 1-2 days out of the week. My 7 mile runs went from a 7:40 pace to 7:15.

Now the worst part of training, I increased my long runs by 10% per week and I felt great after 20 miles. My last long run before tappering down for the marathon was 22 miles, and I decided to run a little harder downhill, bad mistake I felt a pain in back of my knee and running up or down grade was a little painfull. Since I was tappering down for the next 3 weeks I thought I would heal in time for the marathon and ran very easily and felt just ok.

I ran the marathon and at the 10 mile marker I felt a pop on the same knee and severe pain. I didn't want to quit because I trained so hard maybe too hard just for this day. The next 16 miles was the most painfull and mentally enduring run I have ever made, I finished but at a very disappointing 4:21:00My goal was 3:40:00. I was happy to finish but the injury put a damper on the event.

A trip to the doctor revealed a stress fracture of the fibula and fluid in the knee caused by overuse. I was really surprised because I increased long run milage by only 10% per week. It turns out that was just too much for my body too quickly. At 47 I feel like I am in better shape than when I was 20, I guess not.

Ease into your long runs and pay attention to your body, rest is sometimes better than stretching out those runs. Good luck