@camrunsoncoffee: Disclaimer, I’m not a marathoner..! First let’s start with the basics: why do distance runners do long runs? • ↑ Mitochondrial density → greater aerobic ATP production. • ↑ Capillarisation = more blood vessels → better oxygen delivery + waste removal. • ↑ Stroke volume: Your heart pumps more blood per beat → higher cardiac output. • Connective tissue adaptation: repeated low-intensity load → collagen synthesis + tendon durability. Long runs primarily stress the aerobic system for extended periods, driving central (heart) and peripheral (muscle) adaptations. But what’s the difference for the mile or 1500m? • Yes, it is still ~75–85% aerobic • BUT, the race duration? ~3–5 minutes • Your ability is often limited by lactate turn point + running economy Lactate turn point = The highest speed you can sustain before lactate accumulates rapidly. So I opted for an extra threshold instead of the long run for the following reasons: • ↑ Lactate clearance capacity • ↑ Speed at a given blood lactate concentration • Improve efficiency at race-specific velocities • Provide aerobic stimulus with lower total mechanical load Long runs do build broad aerobic capacity but with training for the mile, threshold targets aerobic speed and metabolic control. Different event → different limiting factors → different emphasis. Anyway, this is just an example of how there’s more than one way to train for a specific event 💪🏼 #Running #threshold #altitude #run #track

camrunsoncoffee

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Saturday 21 February 2026 01:52:24 GMT