The #1 Mistake Runners Make on Long Runs (And the Simple Fix That Lets You Glide Through Miles Effortlessly)

Running for hours without hitting the wall isn’t just about logging miles—it’s about rewiring how you approach distance entirely.

Ultra runner Simon, who has completed 33 100-mile races, recently shared his framework for building the kind of endurance that feels almost effortless.

His approach challenges conventional wisdom about pace, breathing, and what “training” should actually look like.

These aren’t quick fixes—they’re foundational shifts that require patience and consistency, but they can transform how your body handles prolonged effort.

The Glide State: What Running Without Fatigue Actually Feels Like

Simon describes a specific sensation that becomes possible with proper training: moving through trails in a flow state where conscious effort disappears.

You’re running, but you’re not really aware that you’re running: you’re moving on the trail. You’re flying through the trail. You’re just going! Slow breathing. You’re just looking at the views. And you’re just in the zone.

This isn’t hyperbole or runner’s high—it’s a trainable physiological state that emerges from specific practices applied consistently over months.

Run Slower Than You Think Necessary (Then Slower Still)

The first principle sounds deceptively simple: slow down. But Simon emphasizes that most runners fundamentally misunderstand what “slow” means in this context.

You’re running slow-ish but you need to run even slower. And next time you go on your long run, try to do it even slower. And think about me that says “NO! This is still too fast dummy! Run slower than that!”

The target is Zone 2 training—a heart rate zone where conversation remains comfortable and effort feels sustainable indefinitely.

When Walking Becomes Part of Running

Many runners hit a mental block when they realize maintaining Zone 2 might require walking intervals. Simon’s response? Embrace it completely.

A run-walk strategy—four minutes jogging, one minute power hiking—isn’t failure. It’s intelligent training that builds sustainable endurance without pushing into fatigue zones.

During ultra marathons, power hiking comprises significant portions of race strategy anyway. Training should reflect racing reality.

Redefine Success: Fresh Over Fast

The mental shift required separates casual runners from endurance athletes: destination arrival quality matters more than speed.

What you’re trying to do is not reach a destination quickly. What you’re trying to do is reach the destination fresh. Feeling fresh like chocolate ice cream. Mile 70 – fresh like a toast.

This philosophy extends beyond pace to encompass fueling and hydration strategies that prevent energy depletion before it occurs.

Sustainability Requires Proactive Nutrition

Running long without fatigue means never entering the red zone metabolically. That demands consistent caloric intake and hydration throughout training runs, not reactive eating when hunger strikes.

Fueling properly and maintaining freshness aren’t separate goals—they’re intimately connected elements of the same endurance equation.

Trust Process Over Results (The Three-Month to One-Year Timeline)

Simon’s experience reveals a timeline most beginners underestimate: meaningful endurance adaptation takes months, not weeks.

I remember very specifically the day that I went for a marathon in my training and I said “I’m going to finish this marathon without getting tired. Nothing else matters. I don’t care about finishing time.” And I did it.

That breakthrough didn’t arrive overnight. It emerged from consistent application of slow-pace principles, gradual mileage increases, and back-to-back long runs accumulated over months.

Patience isn’t optional—it’s the foundation. Expecting next-week results guarantees disappointment and potentially injury.

Mental Game: Recalibrating Your Pace Instinct

Physical capability often exceeds mental discipline during training. Bodies naturally accelerate when feeling good, moving from 11-minute miles to 10-minute, then 9-minute pace.

Endurance training requires active resistance to this instinct. Set pace limits and enforce them religiously, even when energy levels suggest faster running feels effortless.

Mental Strategies for Maintaining Discipline

• Music and podcasts create distraction from pace temptation
• Constant “why” reminders reconnect effort with training purpose
• Intentional disconnection uses runs as meditation rather than performance
• Pace alerts on running watches provide objective feedback

Long runs become opportunities for mental reset—time disconnected from work stress and life complications, mind busy but unfocused on specific problems.

Running Partners: Accountability Meets Conversation

Training companions provide multiple strategic advantages beyond simple companionship.

Social commitment transforms optional training into firm appointments. Telling someone you’ll meet creates obligation that internal motivation sometimes lacks.

Conversational pacing naturally enforces Zone 2 effort. Maintaining dialogue requires breath control impossible at higher intensities, automatically regulating pace downward.

More experienced runners offer real-time coaching. Peers at similar levels create shared growth trajectories where progress feels collaborative rather than solitary.

Time perception shifts dramatically during engaged conversation—12 miles can feel like brief social events rather than endurance ordeals.

Breathing Mechanics: The Overlooked Performance Variable

Running form receives endless attention, but breathing technique remains surprisingly under-discussed despite profound impact on endurance capacity.

I think one of the biggest switch I did beyond just the mindset of “I’m going to run for very long time and not be tired” is how to breath properly.

Nasal Breathing as Pace Governor

Simon advocates nose breathing as both physiological tool and pace control mechanism.

Breathing exclusively through nostrils creates natural intensity limitation. Going too fast makes nasal breathing impossible, forcing automatic pace reduction.

This creates built-in feedback preventing overexertion before heart rate monitors signal problems.

Rhythmic Breathing Protocol

Establishing breath-to-step ratios adds structure:

• Inhale through nose for three steps
• Exhale through nose or mouth for three steps
• Count continuously: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3

This practice serves dual purposes—mental distraction similar to counting sheep, and respiratory regulation that calms nervous system response and maintains Zone 2 effort.

Initially challenging, rhythmic nasal breathing becomes automatic with consistent practice. Simon suggests interval implementation for beginners: focus on nasal breathing for 0.1 mile every mile, gradually extending duration as comfort increases.

From Half Marathon Struggle to Monthly 100-Milers

Simon’s personal transformation illustrates these principles’ cumulative power. His progression from finding half marathons challenging to completing 100-mile races monthly didn’t involve secret protocols or genetic advantages.

It required relentless application of six interconnected practices:

1. Running slower than instinct suggests (including walking)
2. Prioritizing arrival freshness over speed
3. Trusting multi-month adaptation timelines
4. Maintaining mental discipline against pace creep
5. Leveraging running partners for accountability
6. Implementing deliberate breathing mechanics

There is a feeling that is very difficult to describe of just being able to do these miles and just basically flying… You don’t feel any pain from that. It’s just movement. You’re just moving through the trails.

That sensation—effortless forward motion through hours and miles—isn’t reserved for elite athletes. It’s accessible to anyone willing to recalibrate expectations, embrace patience, and consistently apply principles that feel counterintuitive at first.

The path from struggling through short distances to gliding through ultra-length efforts exists. It just requires running slower than you want, longer than feels comfortable, and trusting adaptation that arrives on its own timeline.