Most Runners JUST do a Long Run (How to Spice them up) - This Messy Happy

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Most Runners JUST do a Long Run (How to Spice them up) from This Messy Happy. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

Long runs are the cornerstone of training, but they can become mentally dull. The video offers five simple tips—one per lap—to keep them interesting and challenging.
Tip #1: Play pacing games (e.g., hit a target pace every other km, such as a 5 min/km target) while staying in Zone 2 (≈140–164 bpm for the hosts).
Tip #2: “Inject a race” into the run – treat a 5 km or 10 km segment as a race, or add a short race (e.g., half‑marathon) with a warm‑up and cool‑down.
Tip #3: Change the time of day or terrain (trail vs road, morning vs evening) to keep the body guessing.
Tip #4: Use negative‑split practice or “fastest last kilometre” to finish strong.
Tip #5: Add “hot‑spot” intervals at goal race pace (e.g., 3 km, 7 km, 12 km of marathon pace) or a longer tempo segment mid‑run.
Bonus tip: reward yourself after the run (café, coffee, ice‑cream) to boost motivation.

Workout Example:

Warm‑up – 1 km easy.
Main set (≈17 km total):
- Lap 1 (2 km) – play a pacing game: aim for 5 min/km every other km.
- Lap 2 (2 km) – treat as a 5 km race segment (push a bit faster).
- Lap 3 (2 km) – change terrain (run on trail if you usually run road).
- Lap 4 (2 km) – negative split: run first half slightly slower, second half a touch faster.
- Lap 5 (2 km) – hot‑spot: run 1 km at goal marathon pace, then return to easy.
Cool‑down – 1 km easy.
Reward – finish with a coffee or treat of your choice.

Closing Note: Give these five tips a try on your next long run, tweak the paces to suit your own training, and log the workout in the Pacing app. Have fun, stay fresh, and keep those long‑run joy levels at 11/10! 🚀