David Roche is a two-time USATF trail national champion, the 2014 U.S. Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year, and a member of Nike Trail Elite and Team Clif Bar. You might have read his work that he publishes regularly on the Trail Runner magazine website or perhaps you’ve read his book, The Happy Runner. You can hear me talk about that book with David’s wife Megan in episode 82 of The Strength Running Podcast.

David isn’t just an incredibly talented trail runner, he’s a wonderful writer and a coach who works with a wide variety of athletes. With his legal background, David is able to clearly explain some difficult concepts which is just why I wanted to have him on the show today.

We cover the benefits of doing long runs and discuss the details of:

Aerobic endurance
Musculoskeletal strength
Metabolic adaptation
Mental resilience
Improved mechanics

Truly, there's so much to gain from going long.

I love David's focus on feeling good, even during those grueling long runs. Hint: fartleks are a key part of it. He approaches workouts with the long view in mind, rather than having his athletes hammer out the hardest possible workout.

In this episode we also cover:

Glycogen depletion and recovery - you can read more here
My personal long run mistakes
Importance of fueling
And how to adjust long runs based on your experience

Thank You Gatorade Endurance!

This episode is made possible by support from Gatorade Endurance. Use code Strength20 for 20% off at GatoradeEndurance.com.

Reformulated in 2017 to be even more effective, Gatorade Endurance Formula is a specialized sports drink. That means it has higher amounts of sodium and potassium to help sustain hydration, maintain proper fluid balance, and replace key electrolytes that you lose when you’re running.

Plus, it has no artificial sweeteners or flavors and has a lighter flavor designed for athletes training longer. I know the last thing I want when I’m two hours into a long run is a strong flavor that might turn my stomach.

Gatorade Endurance Formula also now offers a multi-carbohydrate blend to help you dial it in and maintain performance over much longer runs. Different carbs are utliized at different rates, so this advancement helps you both run longer and lower any risk of stomach distress because it won’t be working so hard all at once.

You can check out all of their flavors, including caffeinated and non-caffeinated options, at GatoradeEndurance.com and don’t forget to use code Strength20 for your 20% discount.

155. The Definitive Long Run Episode: David Roche Explains Everything About Running Long

The Strength Running Podcast