There are specific steps which one must take to prepare for distance running.

Some common ways to prepare include hydration, nutrition, rest and training.

Hydration:

For both safety and performance purposes, it is important to be hydrated in preparation for distance running.

You probably want to drink about 16 fluid ounces of water 1-2 hours before your distance run. Closer to beginning your run, you want to sip and not chug on water, as chugging close to performance can cause cramping. You also want to incorporate electrolytes before a distance run- this could take form in drinks such as gatorade, body armor, or less sugary options like nuun.

Nutrition: 

Again for both safety and performance, it is important to be properly fueled for distance running.

Fueling is one of the most difficult aspects for distance runners to master. You want to eat enough to be fueled, but eating too close to running can be uncomfortable. Ideally, you want to eat a meal 3-4 hours before a distance run and a small snack 1-2 hours before.

Rest: 

Runners need adequate rest in order to be able to perform well. It is essential to get enough sleep to be able to run a long distance. Without sleep, the runner is especially susceptible to fatigue.

Training:

Running mileage is important for distance runners. This means running “enough” miles. This is also a difficult aspect for runners to master because the runner wants to run enough mileage to build fitness, but not to be prone to injury. For beginners, it is recommended that runners run easy runs- meaning that the runner can still hold a conversation as they run. A beginner might start by doing 1-2 miles every other day of the week.

As a general progression tip, a runner should calculate 10-15% of their weekly mileage, and should increase their mileage for the next week by no more than that number.

This means that if a runner ran 10 miles a week, they should not run more than 11-11.5 miles the next week.