Every Friday, three DC area bloggers Mar at Mar On the Run, Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?! and Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC to host the Friday Five linkup. Anyone can join with their own Friday Five post (yes, it must be a Friday Five!!) They encourage you to visit other blogs on the linkup, comment, share and engage!
If you run 5 miles, stop and then 6 miles for your 11 mile long run, yes it counts as a 11 mile run. At least it does in my book because that’s what I often do.
5 mile race + 6 = 11 miles
So My Friday Five topic is Five Reasons to Split Up Your Long Runs
1. Weather or Scheduling Issues
Sometimes, it is raining or snowing so you start your run on the treadmill. You don’t want to run 12 miles on the treadmill (At least I don’t) so when the weather improves, you continue your run outside.
So you don’t have time to run all 12 miles. You may run 6 miles before work and then 6 miles after work. (I don’t do it often but I have done it.)
2. Vary the Scenery
I’ve run a 5 mile race in the neighborhood or a city
and then continued my run on the rail trail or bike path.
What a nice way to break it up.
You can also start on a hilly course (like I will do tomorrow) and finish on a flat course.
Your legs will be happy that you did.
3. Practice Different Paces
If you start your run with a race and even if you say that it is just part of a long run, you will still run fast.
So when you continue your run, your pace will no doubt be slower. For me, these races are my speed drills.
post race miles
4. Run with a Partner
It’s no secret that I enjoy running with someone else. It’s not easy when you run at different paces or if you live in different locations or if I have signed up for a race.
So if I split up the run, I can run at least part of it with a friend.
And if it’s the second part of your run, you may even enjoy a post run snack together.
5. It’s easier and more fun.
Running 6 miles, taking a break and running 6 miles is much easier than running 12 miles in one shot.
Will your endurance suffer? How will it affect your finish times?
Not sure. I have never trained for a half marathon without a few split up long runs.
But I wouldn’t do all my training this way. And it is better than skipping a long run.
5k race + 7.4 = 10.5 miles
Happy Running! Do you ever split up your long runs?
My First 5K and More... 
Well, obviously I do. Not as often as you do, and I like the confidence that doing a long run without splitting it gives me.
But you do what you gotta do.
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Yes. And I love to race. Occasionally I do run the whole thing like next weekend when I have to run 10.
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I’ve definitely done this before for timing reasons and it always seems fine. I wouldn’t do it all the time but sometimes it’s the only way to get that long run in!
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I agree. And not for your first half or full.
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I am glad you brought this up. I hear people talk about splitting up their long runs but I’ve never done it. If I’m training for a half or full marathon I feel like I would want my training to simulate the race. I know during an 11 mile training run, i’d probably be tired around mile 11…lol, so I better get use to running the last few miles on tired legs. If I split my run up, I think that would give me a false sense of what I am capable of or how I might feel on race day. I’m glad to see that some people do it and that it works for you. I would just be afraid I would hit that wall come race day.
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I don’t do it for all long runs but for some and mostly in the spring & fall. I haven’t noticed a difference in finish times but I’ve never run a marathon.
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Great post! I’ve run a race and then tacked on miles before or after to get the whole distance in or split the run. I’ve read it’s another great way to simulate muscle exhaustion for marathon training and it’s worked well. It’s also fun to split up with friends or multiple groups of friends!
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I haven’t tried splitting up a long run, I think I just want to go and get it done! 🙂 TGIF!
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I have never tried splitting long runs, but I know some training plans do have 2 runs a day. So it is kind of the same thing, right ? I am just not sure if I would have the energy / motivation to go out again, once I have stopped.
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