I'm sure I'm one with most track afficionados out there when I say that wishing for Long Distance Running Success is plastered on most runners' minds. Whatwith the resurgence in popularity of different marathons, of cross country running, of 4 mile meets, 5 to 10km runs, and the like, it truly is no surprise that a great number of people are hooked to the sport. Influenced by friends, family members, or the general public, the average Joe usually finds himself testing out the field so to speak in order to improve his general fitness and physique. However, for some people, simply improving one's look and body is simply not enough. These are the same people who you would probably find contesting the line Running for running's sake. They run, not only to build athleticism, but to experience some level of success in the long distance arena. This is the mindset that I believe to be most crucial and most advantageous in order to reach your maximum potential as a runner.

Of course success cannot be attained without proper knowledge of the different subtopics involved in the discussion of the sport. One should be aware of the following, just to list a few: Proper form, as this will greatly aid you in running efficiency; Core exercises, as these will be the physical base that you can rely on for support; Mental and physical endurance, as having this will allow you to last for stretches on end; Proper diet, as this is one of the fundamental aspects in maintaining a healthy, and well conditioned athleticism; Progressively increasing mileage, as this will condition your mind and boy to last longer; and lastly, training programs which can be found here and on the net. I strongly suggest that you take the time to research on these, as there are plenty of them online, I swear. This is important because not having a stable system of practice is detrimental and can lead to injury. An example of this is focusing merely on increasing your speed. You can do all the sprints and bursts in the world, but how the hell will that translate into faster marathon times, if that's all you do? A better exercise would be to follow a basic Fartlek program, to have that right mix of speed and endurance. 

Another important area to focus on in attaining success for long distance runners is having the right mindset, coming into the workouts. I mean, it's all in the mind, really. It begins with a conscious decision to say "yes" to running, progresses to say "I will last," and concludes with the desire to "Win and Improve."  Having a negative mindset impairs you to improve further, as this often leads to that nagging feeling of not being strong enough to crunch out the last few km in your mileage, or that annoying and limiting sense of fear in the face of competition. Having a positive mindset, on the other hand, allows you to spit in the face of overwhelming odds, to conquer distances you never thought possible, and to drive your performance forward.

Moving on, increasing mileage is again very, and I mean very important if you desire to improve further as a runner. Neglecting this highly relevant factor will cause you to waver in long runs. I mean, how can you possibly expect to finish a 10km run at record breaking time, when man, you can't even finish a single kilometer a day? The best runners eat 10km as their warm-up, run an equivalent of about 5-10km again in their workout, and cool down with roughly 10km. Now I know not everyone has the free time to do this. But do you get the picture? If you want to succeed, you have to devote time and energy to progressively increase the number of miles you run everyday. Never settle. Never allow yourself to perform anything less than what you can be. The road to long distance running success is never easy, but with the proper mindset, and a work ethic that allows for the continuous punching in of mileage, I believe you can be a great runner.