The Steady-State Long Run

Workout - The Steady-State Long Run

• 10min @ 6'15''/km
• 90min @ 6'15''/km
• 10min @ 6'15''/km
• 5min rest

Ready to start training?

If you already having the Pacing app, click try to import this workout:

Try in App Now

workout/the-steadystate-long-run-9c22beb2

Don’t have the app? Copy the reference above,
to import the workout after you install it.

Intro

Flora Beverley’s recent video My LONGEST Marathon Training Run | Nutrition and what I listen to offers solid insights for anyone training for a marathon. We’ve distilled the main takeaways below so you can put this workout into practice. The full video has much more detail if you want to explore further.

Key Points

• Longest training run: A 32 km outing (about 20 mi), consisting of a 15‑minute train commute followed by roughly 30 km on the cycle path.
• Pacing method: Using heart rate as your guide, with a target of staying below 155 bpm (Zone 2 territory). This steadier approach delivered roughly a 30 s/km improvement versus her previous weeks.
• Nutrition plan: She started eating around the 40‑minute mark with an energy‑puree (sweet‑potato and butternut‑squash blend), grabbed a coffee at the 15.2 km point, and drank 3 scoops of Tailwind (roughly 300 kcal and 75 g carbs) over her 3 hour 30 minute run—bringing her total intake to approximately 1020 kcal and 194 g carbs.
• Mindful listening: She ditched the earbuds and tuned into the environment instead, treating the run as a mindfulness session rather than just logging miles.
• Practical gear tip: The energy‑puree in its squeeze pouch makes it easy to portion out what you need, giving you more flexibility than traditional single‑serve gels.

Workout Example

- Total distance: 32 km (20 mi) – longest run of a 16‑week marathon plan
- Structure:
  • 0–0.5 km: easy warm‑up
  • 0.5–30 km: steady run, keep HR < 155 bpm (Zone 2)
  • 30–32 km: finish with a relaxed effort, focus on form
- Fueling:
  • 40 min in: small solid snack (e.g., a bite of fruit or a nut bar)
  • 45 min onward: energy‑puree (sweet‑potato/butternut‑squash) – ~150 kcal
  • 15.2 km mark: coffee stop + electrolytes
  • Throughout: 3 scoops Tailwind in water (≈300 kcal/75 g carbs total)
- Optional: listen to an audiobook or nature sounds; pause headphones for mindfulness periods.

Adapt the distances, heart‑rate zones, and refueling strategy based on your own running pace and training schedule.

Closing Note

Test this approach on your next long run, and adjust the HR zones and nutrition timing to match what your body needs—then track it in the Pacing app to see how you respond over time. Enjoy the training, and make those miles count! 🚀

References

• My LONGEST Marathon Training Run | Nutrition and what I listen to - YouTube (YouTube Video)