Running for hours without hitting the wall isn’t just about logging miles. It’s about changing everything you think you know about endurance.
Ultra runner Simon, who has completed an astounding 33 100-mile races, recently shared his hard-won wisdom on staying fresh during impossibly long runs.
His approach challenges conventional thinking about pace, effort, and what it truly means to build sustainable endurance.
These aren’t quick fixes—they’re foundational shifts that require patience and consistency but deliver transformative results.
Jump to:
The Zone 2 Reality Check Most Runners Ignore
The first and most critical tip sounds deceptively simple: run slower. But Simon emphasizes that most runners completely misunderstand what “slow” actually means.
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 goal is true Zone 2 training—an intensity level where conversation flows easily and breathing remains controlled. Many runners protest that maintaining Zone 2 while running feels impossible, that they’d need to walk instead.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Simon’s response? Perfect. Walk.
Run-Walk Strategy: Not Cheating, Just Smart
Implementing a run-walk approach during training isn’t admitting defeat—it’s building sustainable endurance. Simon suggests alternating four minutes of jogging with one minute of power hiking to maintain proper heart rate zones.
This strategy proves particularly valuable because ultra marathons themselves involve significant walking on challenging terrain. Training the body to handle both modalities creates more resilient runners.
Look on race day if you’re running an ultra marathon, you’re probably going to be power hiking a lot of that anyway. So don’t be silly and think that in training you only need to be jogging or running all the time.
Fresh Arrival Over Fast Arrival
Simon advocates for a fundamental mindset shift: stop trying to reach destinations quickly and start focusing on arriving fresh. This seemingly subtle change transforms training philosophy entirely.
Sustainability becomes the primary objective—never pushing into the red zone regarding effort, fueling, or hydration. Proper nutrition and consistent fluid intake during long runs form the foundation of feeling strong mile after mile.
Simon recalls a breakthrough training run where he completed marathon distance without fatigue, describing it as a pivotal moment in his development as an endurance athlete.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
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.
Patience: The Unglamorous Truth
Perhaps the hardest pill to swallow involves accepting realistic timelines. Building endurance that allows effortless long-distance running doesn’t happen in weeks—it requires months or even years of consistent training.
Simon emphasizes trusting the process and gradually improving mileage through deliberate, controlled progression. Back-to-back long runs executed at sustainable paces create adaptations impossible to rush.
Results won’t materialize tomorrow or next week. Expecting them in three, six, or twelve months sets more realistic expectations that prevent frustration and burnout.
Mental Mastery Matches Physical Training
Endurance sports demand significant mental discipline alongside physical conditioning. Simon points out that runners naturally want to push pace when feeling good, requiring constant self-regulation to maintain appropriate zones.
Setting strict pace limits and adhering to run-walk ratios even when tempted to abandon them builds crucial mental toughness. Coming back repeatedly to the “why” behind each training session helps maintain perspective.
You know, we’re not trying to reach that destination as soon as possible. We’re trying to reach that as fresh as possible. As simple as that.
Mental strategies that support this approach include:
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
- Music or podcasts for distraction during easier efforts
- Mindfulness practice to stay present rather than fixating on distance remaining
- Mental reminders about training objectives for specific workouts
- Visualization of race-day scenarios requiring fresh legs late in events
Simon describes long runs as weekly opportunities to disconnect from work stress and life pressures, letting the mind wander freely while the body moves steadily forward.
Running Partners Multiply Benefits
Training with others provides numerous advantages beyond simple companionship. Running buddies naturally regulate pace through conversation, making Zone 2 adherence easier without constant watch-checking.
The “talk test” for appropriate aerobic intensity becomes built into social runs. Maintaining conversation requires controlled breathing and moderate effort levels—exactly what endurance development demands.
Additional benefits include:
- Accountability that increases workout completion rates
- Shared experience from runners at similar ability levels
- Mentorship opportunities from more experienced athletes
- Time distortion that makes long miles pass faster
Social connection during training transforms potentially monotonous long runs into enjoyable experiences that build both fitness and relationships.
Nose Breathing: The Underrated Game-Changer
While running form receives extensive attention, breathing technique remains surprisingly overlooked. Simon considers proper breathing mechanics among his most impactful discoveries for sustained endurance.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Focusing on nasal breathing automatically limits pace to sustainable levels. The physical restriction of nose-only breathing prevents excessive effort that mouth breathing permits.
I don’t know if there’s any physiological reason why it would be any different but the biggest difference at least for me is that it’s harder to breathe through my nose. Which means I can’t be out of breath.
Cadence-Based Breathing Patterns
Simon recommends establishing rhythmic breathing synchronized with footsteps—inhaling for three steps, exhaling for three steps, creating a meditative pattern that regulates both breath and pace.
This counting technique provides mental distraction similar to counting sheep before sleep, occupying the mind while the body settles into sustainable rhythm. With consistent practice, proper breathing becomes automatic rather than requiring conscious attention.
For runners finding full-time nose breathing challenging, Simon suggests interval approaches: when the watch signals each completed mile, focus exclusively on nasal breathing for the next tenth of a mile before releasing back to natural patterns.
The Elusive Flow State
Simon describes an almost transcendent experience available to properly trained endurance athletes—the sensation of gliding effortlessly through miles, feeling movement without conscious effort.
A feeling I will always chase is this feeling of running on trail and just gliding through it. 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.
This flow state requires mastery of all previous elements: appropriate pacing, proper fueling, mental discipline, and efficient breathing. Athletes don’t stumble into this experience—they systematically build toward it through patient, consistent training.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Reaching this level where marathon distance feels manageable rather than exhausting represents true endurance development. Bodies adapt to sustained effort when given appropriate progressive stimulus without overwhelming stress.
Implementation: Your Next Long Run
Rather than attempting dramatic overhauls, Simon encourages focusing on one primary objective during upcoming long runs: finishing fresh, regardless of pace or total time required.
Implement these core principles:
- Slow down more than feels necessary, incorporating walking if needed for Zone 2 maintenance
- Prioritize arriving fresh over covering distance quickly
- Fuel and hydrate consistently throughout efforts
- Practice nose breathing with rhythmic patterns synced to cadence
- Trust gradual progression over months rather than seeking immediate results
These techniques transform running from an exercise in suffering into sustainable movement that bodies can maintain for extraordinary durations. The path requires patience, but the destination—effortless endurance—proves worth every deliberately slow training mile.
