Do you like to solve riddles? Then try answering these questions:
- How does a 3km run differ from a 3000m run?
- Why is there less in common between the 2km and 3km distances than between the 5km and 42.2km distances?
- Why is Mo Farah's 21.097m distance in less than an hour never included in half marathon records?
How many secrets! And they are all related to stayer running. To solve sports riddles, we need to get to know this area better.
Stayer running is covering a distance of more than 3 km (inclusive). This also includes a marathon, half marathon, daily run, hour run. Therefore, long-distance running is often called “long-distance running.”
By what principle are these disciplines united? Why is 3 km considered to be the lower threshold, since running 3 km is considered to be an average distance?
Let's look for an explanation together.
All about the concept of “stayer distance”
A stayer is an athlete who covers long distances. What distances can be considered long? By all rules, the shortest distance for stayer running is a distance of 3000 meters or more. During training, the athlete sets a goal for himself - to run as far as possible in just one hour, while his main task is to correctly distribute his energy and follow all the rules.
An athlete will be able to run a long distance when he achieves positive success in training and constantly increases the intensity of stress on the body. Stayer athletes must have a well-prepared body physically, only then can they count on winning competitions.
Types of predisposition
A person’s predisposition to distance running or sprinting is determined not only by the structure of muscle fibers established during a skeletal muscle biopsy.
Stayers:
- predominance of the parasympathetic nervous system;
- I/I-form of angiotensin-converting enzyme;
- low pressure;
- a heart adapted to long-term, less intense stress.
Marathon runners:
- predominance of the tone of the sympathetic nervous system;
- D/D form of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene;
- high blood pressure;
- the heart is adapted to short and heavy loads.
What distances should a stayer cover?
Even in distance running there are medium and long distances. Today, the upper and lower limits of stayer running are distinguished. For example, for a marathon you have to cover 42,200 meters. At the Olympic Games, runners cover 10,000 meters. Long distances include 2 miles, 20,000 meters and even an hour run.
In the latter type of running, the winner is determined simply; the athlete who can run the greatest distance becomes the winner. But this type of running is unacceptable for official athletics competitions.
Development of the respiratory system
For the effective development of the respiratory system, just running will be enough, but if you decide to run more intensely, then it is recommended to use several exercises, among which stand out:
- Distance training. This type of training should make up more than 50% of the total. It consists of light moderate running for half an hour, with a gradual increase.
- Threshold training. Designed to work under conditions of long-term oxygen deficiency, which increases muscle endurance in extreme conditions. Performed in 1 km segments as quickly as possible, with a break between approaches of no more than 2 minutes. The number of approaches depends on experience, preparedness and well-being.
- Interval training. Similar to the tactics of jerky running, it is performed at an average distance of up to 5 kilometers with periodic acceleration every 50 meters for 1-2 minutes.
- Speed training. Performed over a short distance of 400 meters, one track and field lap. The goal of the training is to gradually increase the lap speed.
It is the combination of different types of training that allows you to optimally and fully develop the respiratory system, which works in different modes and varying degrees of load.
Originally posted 2018-01-09 08:22:15.
Stayer's running technique
An athlete must first of all pay attention to efficiency and proper distribution of his strength. If we compare a stayer and a sprinter, the latter must make a strong push and cover the entire distance almost on his toes. For a stayer, everything is different, the athlete should put the main load on the foot and make sure that there are no unnecessary actions in his movements, this will take energy and time. A long-distance runner has no right to make a mistake, because this will negatively affect the results.
Under no circumstances should you look at your feet and lift your head too much towards the sky; the stayer must keep his head in the correct position.
Features of preparation
Let us list the basic rules that work when preparing to participate in a long-distance race.
Increase your weekly training mileage by no more than 10% per week.
In training, sometimes simulate your target race pace. Let's say you want to run 10 km at a pace of 4:30 min/km. To do this, you need to run at this pace, but it is not advisable to completely simulate a race in training because it will require a long recovery. The solution is simple: run a shorter distance at your target pace, doing intervals with a rest break.
Start each workout with 10 minutes of warm-up: walking or slow running. The same must be done after the end of the lesson.
If you have pain two days in a row while running, take a break from your runs, as this may indicate the beginnings of an injury. The good news is that even five days of complete rest from running will have little effect on your fitness level.
Don't eat or drink anything you haven't tried before or during a race or hard workout.
Terrain and headwinds can slow you down, but the key is to control your effort, not your pace, so don't be discouraged if you can't hit your target on a windy day.
Marathon runners and participants in the 10 km race at the Moscow Marathon distance. Photo: Moscow Marathon
During recovery runs, you should maintain the ability to speak in coherent sentences. If you're having a hard time, this is a signal to slow down.
Sleep is an important part of your progress, so for every additional mile (1609 m), sleep one extra minute. If your weekly mileage is 50 km, you should sleep half an hour longer than usual every night. The average person needs 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep, but you should sleep longer if you exercise a lot.
Don't ignore cross-training: cycling, swimming, strength training. Not only will this give your core muscles a rest, but it will also make you a stronger, healthier runner.
The best way to compete for a personal best is to maintain a steady pace from start to finish. Most 10,000m and marathon world records set over the last decade are spread evenly across kilometres.
If you run too fast early in the race, you will almost always pay for it after the first half of the race. It's all about the accumulation of lactate - it did not have time to be utilized when at the beginning of the race you ran at a pace that you cannot maintain for a long time, that is, above your lactate threshold.
Read a selection of articles on the topic:
How to properly physically prepare for running?
Long distance running requires great effort and good preparation from the athlete. Constant training will help you properly prepare for running and improve the skills you have acquired. Preparation consists not only of running, but also of other exercises that are aimed at developing strength, speed and endurance. With exercise, a long-distance runner can improve their performance and train specific muscles. Special exercises necessarily include running with jumping, for example, you can use a jump rope for this, and alternate running.
When athletes do not use special exercises in training, their physical fitness level quickly decreases, which, in turn, negatively affects the achievements of the stayer.
Types of marathons
Over its long history, the marathon has remained virtually unchanged, but various variations have appeared. For some, running 42 kilometers is not enough to achieve complete satisfaction.
Classic Marathon
A classic marathon is a road race of 42,195 meters. The marathon course runs through the city, along closed streets. National marathon championships are held as part of commercial races.
Interesting to know! In 2022, the Russian Championship was held as part of the Sochi Autodrom, and in 2022 as part of the AK Bars Kazan Marathon.
Organizing a classic marathon is expensive in terms of time and money. It is not profitable to organize championships only for professional athletes, which is why official competitions are combined with commercial competitions. The professional is lined up at the beginning of the starting corridor so that amateurs and pros do not interfere with each other.
Ultramarathon
Ultramarathons are not as popular as classic marathons. They require longer and more complex preparation, as well as experience.
In addition to medical requirements, there are also restrictions on the level of training for ultra participants.
Interesting to know! To register for the Altai Ultra Trail at a distance of 128 km, proof of experience in races over a distance of 70 kilometers or other competitive activity in cyclic sports is required.
Ultramarathons are held outside the city. Organizing a classic 42-kilometer marathon creates difficulties for city infrastructure, while organizing a 100-kilometer race would be devastating for city life.
As a rule, such races are held in the mountains. They can be dangerous for an unprepared participant, but wild nature is the only thing you can constantly look at throughout the entire distance.
Extreme Marathons
Extreme marathons are held in every exotic corner of the world. Launches are organized in the jungle, deserts, mountains and even at the North Pole.
The most famous extreme start is the Marathon des Sables . Runners are required to cover 250 kilometers in 6 days in Morocco through the Sahara Desert. This multi-day run is considered one of the most difficult in the world. Russian athletes have also become repeated winners of the marathon.
Another extreme marathon is being held across Lake Baikal. The date is February, when the ice on the lake is strongest. The competition is called the International Baikal Ice Marathon “For the Preservation of Clean Waters.” It is considered one of the coldest races in the world. The difficulty for the participants is the constant Siberian wind “khius”.
The North Pole Marathon is held in April. The start is from the drifting ice station "Barneo". A 4.21-kilometer-long circle is being landscaped around the Russian station, along which participants run. In 10 laps, participants cover the distance of a classic marathon, but the marathon itself cannot exactly be called classic.
How should an athlete behave during a stayer's race?
A stayer is a runner who must always follow the basic rules and monitor the position of his legs, his body and breathing. Let's look at these rules in more detail:
- The leg muscles must be physically prepared. While running, you need to carefully monitor your foot placement. Initially, the part of the leg that is located on the outside of the foot is placed, then the entire foot is completely lowered. If a stayer constantly monitors the placement of his foot, he will not lose speed while running. It is also important to remember that the head is kept level and the eyes look exclusively forward.
- Particular attention must be paid to body positioning and arm movements. The stayer's arms must constantly move energetically, the elbow bends ninety degrees, and the hand itself turns inward and goes to the middle of the body. This hand position helps develop speed. Stayer running is a type of long-distance running, during which the body must be vertical; you can only bend over a little when finishing.
- The third important rule is proper breathing. You should breathe in the same rhythm as your step. In this case, there is every chance to keep your breathing even throughout the entire distance, but when you need to make the last push before the finish line, there will be no problems with oxygen. You should breathe frequently, in which case oxygen will enter the lungs evenly while running.
An athlete must actively develop the entire muscle group; only in this case can he become a successful stayer. Athletics includes not only running, but also some strength exercises that will help make stayer training effective, for example, pumped up leg muscles will help the athlete accelerate at the right time. A trained athlete must have his own tactics.
How to properly place your feet and push off from the track
Running distance distances requires absolutely well-functioning leg muscles. In this case, the way the foot is placed on the track during normal running will be slightly different. Here, the front part of the outer side of the foot is first placed, after which it moves to the entire surface of the ground.
Jogging involves placing your foot on your heel, which will not be effective at all, because it will not allow your legs to properly push off from the track in a long race. When the foot is initially placed correctly, the high-speed pace will not slow down anything.
During the push from the track, you should straighten the leg that will push off. In the meantime, the swing leg should be extended so that subsequent pushes are more powerful. In this case, the head should be level and the gaze directed forward.
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Famous champions of stayer racing
A stayer is an athlete who is a fan of one of the most prestigious sports. Today we can name the names and surnames of many famous athletes who have set records in this sport, here are the brightest of them:
- Kenenisa Bekele - became the holder of world records in the 10,000 meter run; no one has been able to break his records for ten years now.
- Vladimir Kuts set his record for running 5000 meters back in 1957.
- Zersenai Tadase was able to set a record in the half marathon and covered a distance of 21,098 meters.
According to statistics, most of the record holders come from Kenya and Ethiopia. Whether this is due to the fact that they have more motives for winning or simply have their own genetic body structure, no one can answer.
But one thing is clear: a stayer is an athlete who makes great efforts to win. Often it is at stayer competitions that fierce battles and real struggles arise between athletes who have the right to be considered one of the best. A stayer can win only if he constantly trains, adheres to a strict regime and has enormous willpower.
Popular marathons
The amateur marathon movement in the world has been around for over 100 years. Races over a distance of 42,195 meters are held in all corners of the world and attract tens of thousands of participants.
In the world
The largest marathon is held in New York. The competition was first held in 1970. Now this start is part of the World Marathon Majors series. The marathon distance runs through all areas of New York. The race can be called a real excursion around the city, because along the distance, views of the famous places of the city open up. More than 53,000 runners will line up for the 2022 New York City Marathon.
The Berlin Marathon is also part of the World Marathon Majors series, in which athletes receive points for participation. What makes this marathon famous is that its route is completely flat. The last 7 world records were set in Berlin. Every year up to 40,000 participants take to the start line.
The Boston Marathon is considered a mecca for runners. This is the only start in the World Marathon Majors series that requires qualification even for amateurs. To take part in it, men in the age category 18-34 must have a personal record of at least 3 hours. Therefore, for many amateur runners, Boston is the most desired start of their entire sports career.
Adding to the fame of this event is the fact that the Boston Marathon has been held annually since 1897 and was canceled only once in 2020 due to the pandemic.
In Russia
The Absolute Moscow Marathon in 2022 attracted more than 10,000 participants to the start, making it the largest in the running history of Russia. The capital event attracts amateurs with its status, and professionals with good prize money.
The Kazan Marathon has been taking place in the capital of Tatarstan since 2015. After the International Universiade, the city has changed greatly for the better. The Kazan Marathon is an opportunity to look at all the sights of the city. However, amateurs should be more careful, because the route has difficult terrain.
In 2022, the Russian Championship was held as part of the Kazan Marathon. Despite this, the entire running community was watching the duel between the two frontmen of Russian running: Stepan Kiselev and Iskander Yadgarov. Long before the start, a real information battle broke out between them online. This also benefited the organizers, who built a good PR company on this.
The Siberian International Marathon has been held in Omsk since 1990. This is one of the oldest marathon races in Russia. From 2012 to 2015, the marathon had Road Race Bronze status. In 2016, due to a doping scandal, the status was revoked. Currently, the marathon does not attract such a large number of participants as other domestic starts.
