Run Tucson’s Randy Accetta featured in Runner’s World article about the RRCA Long Run, March 2026
If every long run in your race build looks the same, chances are you’re leaving fitness gains on the table.
By adding different types of long runs to your schedule, you not only improve your endurance gains but you also take the pressure off constantly performing well and you keep training fresh. Randy Accetta, director of education for the Road Runners Club of America, originally split long runs into four different categories as a way to give runners permission to run longer and slower—something many runners struggle to do.
But slow miles aren’t the only type of long run you need on your plan, and how you accomplish that easy pace can also change. Here’s what to know about the long run variations Accetta believes you need on your calendar.
https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a70625532/long-run-types/