Long runs are the cornerstone of distance training. They build endurance, prepare your body for race-day miles, and sharpen the mental toughness needed to close out difficult challenges. But for many runners, it’s the back half of these runs where performance starts to slip.

With the Cape Town Marathon just over a month away, you will still need to get a few long runs under your belt, as well as master the art of running long. Here’s how focusing on two aspects of training – smart fuelling and wise pacing – can boost your long run durability and help you finish stronger on race day.

Fuelling: Eating and Drinking Maintain Energy

If you’ve ever hit a wall in a long run or bonked in a marathon, you’ve felt what happens when your body’s glycogen stores run low. Without its primary energy source for distance efforts, your body can’t maintain its pace; in fact, holding any pace feels pretty hard. Dehydration can escalate this problem even further.

That’s why figuring out a smart nutrition strategy is just as important as running itself. “If your long run is longer than 90 minutes in duration, you’ll want to make sure you’re carrying electrolytes and carbs in the form of a drink or gel,” according to Ben Rosario, CEO of The Marathon Project.

In order to stock your glycogen stores, take in about 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour. You can get these carbs in the form of gels, chews, or sports drinks, whatever your stomach tolerates best. Pair this with steady hydration, taking in 300 to 600 ml per hour by sipping regularly.

Fuelling before and after long runs also plays a role in performance. Science suggests going for about 1 to 4 grams of carbs per kilogram of bodyweight, about one to four hours before exercise. Carb-rich snacks that are easy to digest work best, including foods like a bagel, oatmeal, or a banana with toast.

Afterwards, refuel with both carbs and protein (a 4:1 carbs-to-protein ratio) to restore depleted glycogen and support muscle repair and recovery. Aim for about 30 grams of protein in that post-run meal.

Pacing: Slowing Down Builds Endurance

The other half of the long-run equation isn’t about what you take in, but the effort you put out. More specifically, how slow you’re willing to run most of the time.

It’s tempting to think faster long runs will make your race pace feel easier. But experts say otherwise. Training mostly in zone 2 – the aerobic “conversational” zone, about 60 to 70 per cent of max heart rate – strengthens your muscles’ mitochondria, improves efficiency, and helps delay fatigue, says Sonia DelBusso, doctor of physical therapy and corrective exercise specialist. Basically, long, slow running is what builds the endurance engine you rely on late in races.

Don’t worry, fast and fun speed efforts still have a place in your training, but the race-day payoff comes from combining speedwork sessions with a steady diet of easy miles. Over time, this blend improves your ability to run faster for longer. Slowing down also lets you train more consistently, considering easy running is less stressful on your body, reducing the risk of injury.

The takeaway? Run your long runs slower than you think you should. Even though it may not feel like it, trust that these easier miles are doing their job: building your endurance and fatigue resistance.

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