Runners Long Distance?

Options
2»

Replies

  • arussell134
    arussell134 Posts: 463 Member
    Options
    Totally subjective - depending on what kinds of running you've done before. As someone that's done marathons, I'd consider 10+ long distance. I consider 5 miles or less a pretty easy workout, and I like to refer to 6-10 miles as "mid distance."

    Everyone's at a different level though - I know some may not think my long runs or really long runs and I know for some people running a 5 miler is a major accomplishment and that's awesome. ;)

  • ES110791
    ES110791 Posts: 43 Member
    Options
    For me a short run is anything under 10k, 10-15k is a middle run and more than 15km is a long run.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    Options
    Char231023 wrote: »
    What do you consider long distance running?

    Anything past the refrigerator.
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
    Options
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    Seems subjective but I think 5K or less is short, upto a half is middle distance and after that you get into long then ultra.

    +1
    Stef.
  • Rundavey
    Rundavey Posts: 12
    Options
    Is 55 miles long enough :smile: My wife and I have run the Comrades Ultra marathon. Amazingly over 15,000 peiople comple it each year. She has done it tiwce and wants to do twice more - I am now going to support - Once was enough :)
  • LoneWolfRunner
    LoneWolfRunner Posts: 1,160 Member
    Options
    Rundavey wrote: »
    Is 55 miles long enough :smile: My wife and I have run the Comrades Ultra marathon. Amazingly over 15,000 peiople comple it each year. She has done it tiwce and wants to do twice more - I am now going to support - Once was enough :)
    You run Comrades? Very cool... that's like the oldest road ultra that is still being run. I do almost exclusively trail races, but I would definitely make an exception for Comrades...and yeah, 55 miles probably constitutes a long run.

  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Options
    Depends on who you ask. If you asked me 2 years ago, I'd say anything over 6. Today, it's anything over 20. Your top-notch ultramarathoners would say anything over 50-100mi.
  • r_kraft
    r_kraft Posts: 27 Member
    Options
    When I started 3-4 miles was long, but now I have done two 1/2 marathons so 5K seems short. Even the last 10K I did seem short, but I ran that pretty fast for me. So right now I look at 10 miles or more as a long run, 4-10 as medium, and 5K as short. It all comes down to what you have trained to. Just have fun and run :smile:
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    Options
    5k is a long race. At least it feels that way to me. 5ks HURT BAD.

    Running 3 miles is short, and easy. A 5k race is brutal.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Options
    glevinso wrote: »
    5k is a long race. At least it feels that way to me. 5ks HURT BAD.

    Running 3 miles is short, and easy. A 5k race is brutal.

    100% agree. Toughest race to execute properly.
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    Options
    I'm probably not experienced enough to say with any certainty, but I think in terms of just casual runs, or a lot of people's training even, anything over 10 miles is pretty long as a "long run" for just about anyone. Of course, for marathons or ultra's, people will run much farther. But for most peoples normal runs, 10 miles is pretty long.
  • rightoncommander
    rightoncommander Posts: 114 Member
    Options
    Distance running is 5k+ if we're talking about racing. 100m-400m is sprinting, 800-3000 is middle distance, 5000+ is distance. For me, 800m is the worst race, worse even than 5k, it's pure agony.

    If you mean training, a long slow distance run is just the longest run for this stage in your training cycle. Right now for me that's not even 10 miles as I ease into my base training after an injury lay-off, but in a couple of months it could be 20+.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Options
    I'm classifying my runs based on the time it takes me to run them.
    Long > 1hr
    Mid > 30min
    Short <= 30min

    Distance-wise, at my current pace (usually 9:30-9:45) that'd roughly translate into:
    Long > 10K
    Mid > 5K, < 10K
    Short <= 5K
  • chesnity3
    chesnity3 Posts: 960 Member
    Options
    For me, right now, since I'm only 3 months into running, anything over 5k is long distance.
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 339 Member
    Options
    glevinso wrote: »
    5k is a long race. At least it feels that way to me. 5ks HURT BAD.

    Running 3 miles is short, and easy. A 5k race is brutal.

    So true. 5k races are just a case of go too hard from the gun, try and hang on for 4k then go even harder for the last 1k!

    5k races and 10 mile time trials are the only time i'm nearly at the point of puking on the finish line. I'd rather do ultra's than 5k's

    In answer to the original question though for me anything I feel the need to plan for like running with a comeback or small water bottle etc rather than just chucking a pair of runners on and stepping out the door. For me thats out 15 miles, shorter than that and I don't carry anything except maybe a gel if my breakfast was lacking!
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    Options
    10 mile or more is long distance in my book

    29509743.png
  • throoper
    throoper Posts: 351 Member
    Options
    Anything 6+ is "long" to me. It's mostly just a mental line in the sand, because I do run that far really regularly.
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    glevinso wrote: »
    5k is a long race. At least it feels that way to me. 5ks HURT BAD.

    Running 3 miles is short, and easy. A 5k race is brutal.

    100% agree. Toughest race to execute properly.

    oh my god I so agree! Running a half feels easier in a lot of ways than sprinting for 3.1 miles.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    Options
    It's all about perspective. A year ago today I would have considered 1 mile to be long because I wasn't as into running back then. Now an average run for me is 7-9 miles longer 10-12. First half this weekend!

Categories