Now that I’m training for a Half Marathon Personal Best, I’m running longer and longer distances over the weekend. I love the wonderful feeling of accomplishment once I’ve completed the Long Run, but I don’t enjoy that sense of dread I often get the day before. However, as we know, when you are training for a long-distance race, the Long Run is the backbone of your training programme. One runner once told me, “You can skip any run in the week, but not the Long Run”. So today I’m sharing some approaches I use to make my Long Run a bit easier and less stressful. Hopefully, some of these will help you too!

How To Survive Your Long Run

1/ Plan Your Run. By planning, I mean all of it! For starters, choose an outfit that is comfortable. I’m especially careful when it comes to my bra and tights as there are some I can wear for short runs but are inappropriate for long runs. I also check that my best blister-proof socks are not in the wash! I fill my hydration pack the evening before and include gels, tissues, and music ear pods so I don’t have to worry about that in the morning. In the morning, I then just throw in my phone and keys. As part of the planning, I also think of the route I’m going to run.

2/ Choose an Interesting Route. The thought of running loops in my neighbourhood always puts me off a Long Run! So, I try to plan routes that take me further afield. Often, I will start at my house and head to a different part of Gaborone, sometimes as a big loop but other times as an out-and-back. On occasion, I’ll drive to another part of town and set off from there. When I’m feeling particularly demotivated, I will plan a run in another town for some added adventure. Running outside the city always feels refreshing with lots of different sights and sounds.

3/ Run with a Friend. When it comes to ticking off those kilometres, there’s nothing better than a great conversation with a friend on the run. You don’t have to get someone to run the whole distance with you as this is often not possible. But having them join you for even part of the distance makes a huge difference! This past Sunday, I had to run 16km, so I called my cousin Tapiwa. She said she could do 8km – so I ran 3km to meet her, we did 8km together, and then I added 5km to complete my run. This is my favourite and most effective tactic.

4/ Listen to Music. When I’m on my own, I make sure my music pods are fully charged! For many years, I didn’t actually listen to music on the run. But as I got into endurance training and my distances increased, I found music was a great way to keep me going. I have such an eclectic mix of music from Sia’s Unstoppable to Kizz Daniel’s Buga to Eminem’s Lose Yourself to Major Lazer’s Particula to Celine Dion’s I Drove All Night to Tina Turner’s The Best! I can’t seem to concentrate with Audio Books or Podcasts, but I know runners who relish these on the run.

5/ Make an Event of it. The weekend before my friend Tshire headed to Comrades, a group of us ran 15km together. First, she surprised us with matching outfits (!) and during the run, Elisa and her daughter supported us with drinks and refreshments. At the end of the run, we had a post-run breakfast laid out in the car with cheesecake, scones, fruits, as well as tea and coffee. Of course, this is not possible every weekend! But once in a while… make an event of it!

6/ Include a Race. This is another one of my favourite hacks. I register for a race and then run the extra kilometres either before or after the race, or a combination of before and after. Nothing beats the excitement of a race and the crowds really help to get you through many tough kilometres. This year, the monthly Spar Community Challenge has helped to guarantee that at least once a month, I can include a race as part of my long run routine.

7/ Chase a Photo Op. I love finding different places to take photos for social media, so believe it or not, the thought of a specific photo will often get me on the road with some gusto! I love anything that’s a bit different or slightly hidden, including old caravans or quirky dimausu; and I’ve often taken photos in town where people who live here will ask, “Where on earth is that?!”

8/ Reward Yourself. When I’m long running it, I always find it so helpful to think of the end – what I’m going to eat or what I’m going to do whether it’s going out for brunch, a Netflix binge or just enjoying a cappuccino with my feet up! This weekend, the thought of a pizza at Sanitas with my friend Polelo really kept me going when the going got tough!

“Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running.” — Julie Isphording

We know how important the Long Run is when we are distance training, but it doesn’t matter how many times we do it, it has a way of inducing some level of nervousness, anxiety or even fear – 18km is still 18km or two hours is still two hours. So, I hope some of these strategies will help to make your Long Run experience a bit easier, happier, and more enjoyable!

What strategies do you use to make your Long Run more enjoyable? Have you tried any of these tips before?

I’m joining Kooky Runner and Zenaida on their link up, Tuesday Topics. Be sure to read their blogs and catch up with other runners from around the world.