The Sunday run is a staple of the middle distance and distance training programs. I recall asking Donovan Brazier, the 2019 World Champ at 800 meters in Doha, Qatar, what his long runs were like. Donavan noted that his longest long run was 8 1/2 miles.
I recall asking Rob De Castella, 1983 World Champion at the marathon, what his long runs were like, and he noted, on Sundays, 20-22 miles, hilly and good footing. I ran a 20 miler with Rob as he prepared for the 1984 Olympics and we went through trails in Nisene Marks, in Santa Cruz, CA. We began at 7 minute pace to get the stuff out from the day before, and by 15 miles, Rob and my training partner, Tim Gruber, looked back and me and asked if I knew the way back. Catching my breath, I said, “Sure”. They went from 6:30 pace to 6:00 pace to what felt like 5:30 pace.
And they were off!
Sunday training, June 19, 2022: Easy 30-45 minute run.
Author
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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