What’s the longest distance you’ve ever raced, and how long was your longest training run while preparing for it? Why?

Question

Michael Johnson · Answer

What's the longest distance I've ever raced? And how long was the preparation in training for that run? So as a 200/400-meter sprinter, my longest distance was 400 meters. And starting off as a 200-meter sprinter, and rarely running the 400 other than being a member of the 4 X 400 meter relay, the 400 meters was not my first event. I was a 100/200-meter sprinter, then just pure 200. And it wasn't until later that I added the 400. And as a 200/400-meter combination sprinter, and typically, where the 200-meter sprinters are just 100/200 sprinters, the 400 was a bit of a stretch for me from an endurance standpoint. Although I won gold medals in it, and broke the world record, competing against other 400-meter runners, they had a strength and endurance advantage on me. Where I had the advantage was with my speed and my ability to maintain and carry that speed for a majority of that 400 meters. So if you imagine where the speed can come into to play, is the first 200 meters doesn't take nearly as much out of me because I'm able to run it faster than my competitors, that I can be a little bit more relaxed through that first 200 meters. And then on the back end, when they're starting to get their endurance, I can match them because I've conserved on the front end of the race. So with the speed advantage, I worked a lot in practice, and in training, on speed endurance, and also on endurance itself. So that was what we really focused on in my 400-meter training, so that I could-- I sort of trained to my weakness in that way. So the furthest I would go in training would be 600 meters, or 500 meters, but repeats of those. So two times, 500 meters, or two times, 600 meters, or [? a 6,4,2 ?] step down. But the biggest training advantage, I think I had in preparation for the 400, was focusing on a three times, or a four times 350 meters, so just short of the distance. But the rest factor was very, very short. And that was the key.

Meb Keflezighi · Answer

Peter, thanks for that question. The longest race I ever done is a marathon 26.2 miles, but the longest I trained for is 28 miles. I want to make sure that I can cover the distance and then on race day, I can concentrate on getting faster but I try to do a race pace for as long as 16, 18 miles and then the long run, 26 or more. And then add a filter that is and then hopefully I'm Each day I can cover the distance, quite efficiently, and also faster than I didn't train. So that's the goal of doing the long run, this wishes and good luck.

Gail Devers · Answer

Okay, so this is a good question. What's the longest distance you've ever raced? And how long was your longest training run while preparing for it and why, why is a good question, okay? So the longest distance I race I've ever run is a half marathon, which I had to look it up to him, like, woohoo, 13.2 miles, that's a long time because I consider myself a sprinter and I always said that 105 metres was basically distance for me so 13.2 my Is a long time. And I remember looking up saying, okay, what's a good time for someone my age. And at that time, I was like, 53, almost 54, and it said, like two and a half, two and a half hours. I'm like two and a half hours on the road, that is not happening. So anyway, the longest training run that I did to prepare for that was I ran. I actually ran 13.2 Miles because I just wanted to see how it would feel or 13 miles. I think just to see how it feel to know, okay? I only have a little bit more to go. I can do. This but I remember doing like, you know, I would do like eight miles, nine miles, repeat, five miles became like nothing. I'm like, oh I'm just going on a 5 Mile Run and that just does not sound right coming out of my mouth. But now, why did I even do this? Being a sprinter is probably the best question man. By the name of Rich cannot who is the in-charge of Atlanta Atlanta Track Club basically conned me into running this race. And I said I was do, I would do it. I was actually dealing with a injury from my knee from my dog, who's over energetic and decided to mess me up, but it was, it was a good. It was a good challenge and I always say that II look for challenges. And so that definitely challenged me. I did it right before they shut the world down before covid. And it was a great experience. Crazy parties people are like, oh, you know, don't walk too fast, cause you're a sprinter and so I was waiting for the A point of when I should go out and then I heard Rich saying, let's go Gil, finish strong. Only have 200 meters to go. So I was actually mad that I didn't move, and I felt like I recovered way too soon and I had a lot left. So people like oh, you need to run it again and not my answer to them is it wasn't on my bucket list, but I did it. So it's already checked off, so I'm good. So I won't be doing that anymore. I think I want to stick to 3K five k's and maybe 10 case. Thanks for the question.

Deena Kastor · Answer

What a provocative question because the the longest distance I've ever raced as a marathon. And I actually had to run a marathon distance and training to have the confidence to get on the starting line to know that. I could go that distance after doing that. I tend to run 20 to 24 miles in training, but never the strong Pace that I'm going to race with. So it is tricky. It's a lot of faith and trust in the in the training program. I will say since you're an ultra Runner that my longest One was from my hometown of Mammoth Lakes California to Yosemite National Park. It was a 28 mile, run through the backcountry on the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails. It was absolute Bliss. I'm not sure. I want to race any distances longer than a marathon but I sure love Going the Distance.

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"What’s the longest distance you’ve ever raced, and how long was your longest training run while preparing for it? Why?"