Can A Sprinter Become A Long-Distance Runner?

by | Jun 7, 2018 | Articles, Running

Last Updated: July 8th, 2022

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and an affiliate for some reputed brands, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost you. I may recieve a commission if you purchase something mentioned in this post. See more details here.

I poured down all documents on the table and set out to search for an answer…OK…drama queen…STOP!!

This is what actually happened…

When the question, Can A Sprinter Become A Long-Distance Runner? popped into my mind…I turned to my most trusted guide…Google… Surely it gave some answers….but there were too many gaps… 

So, I took matters in my own hands…. 😛

Here I’ll summarize my understanding..

Hope this will help to answer the question in hand….

Can A Sprinter Become A Long-Distance Runner?

The straightforward answer to this question is…

YES!

If you train properly, ready to accept the changes that will come along the way, you will be able to transition to a long-distance runner.

However, there is a lot of cloud around this, so let’s try to clearify that one by one.

But before that…..you need to find out….

Is it really for you?

We all have a lot of aspirations in life…

But that doesn’t mean that can do everything.

So, yes, you can become a distance runner, but the real question is, do you really want to do it?

Meaning, is it like all your co-runners are shifting to long distance running and you are just feeling a peer pressure.

Can you really define, why you want to change after so many years of sprint training?

If the reason is not as compelling as you might have expected, I would suggest that don’t make this shift.

Why?

You will not be able to stick with it till the end.

Is it suited for your temperament?

This is one thing that I’ve learned as a trader.

Every human being is different.

Some technique or process that suits my friend, doesn’t necessarily mean that it will suit me.

We all are temperamentally different.

So, before making any permanent change in your lifestyle or training, find out if this will suit your temperament.

Don’t do it, just because everyone else is doing it. Do it only if it suits you….

I would suggsest that you start to train for a 5K.

It will hardly take you 4 weeks to train and the result of this experiment will be almost immediate.

If you don’t like this, you have only lost a month, instead of 4-6 months which is typical with any marathon training

If you like it,GREAT!!!

Try to train for a 10K next….and repeat the process till you reach your marathon distance.

At any point if you feel that this is not good for you, get out of it immediately.

There is no shame in quitting. Just because you have started, doesn’t mean that you have to go through with it.

This is about fitness and not punishing yourself.

What is the difference between running a marathon and a sprint?

This one is kind of obvious.

Mindset

There is a huge mindset difference between a marathoner and a sprinter.

For a marathoner, the goal is to last long…reaaaallllly looonnnng…. 😉

So, they start slow, and give their final push at the last couple of miles….

Whereas for a sprinter, it must be a quicky….

Hence, they go all in right from the beginning…..

Speed

Sprinting is running as fast as possible within a short distance of time. Your Pace is everything.

Whereas marathon is a completely different beast.

If you run too far too fast, your body will give up and you will not finish the race.

Distance

The average distance of a sprint is 400 meters most of the times.

Which means an average sprint is around 0.25 mile.

Whereas a marathon is around 26.2 miles

In other words, distance of a marathon is 104.8 times more than that of the average sprint.

Time 

The current world record of the fastest Sprinter running a 400 meters Sprint is 43.03 seconds

That of a marathoner is around two hours.

Endurance

Endurance of a long distance runner is much more than that of a sprinter.

A sprinter has to conserve her resources only over a short period of time.

However, for a marathoner, the resources need to be expended gradually.

They cannot afford to expend everything at one shot as they need to last till the finish line

Re-Fuel

This is not apparent immediately.

To run a marathon, you body will need a lot of fuel.

So, you have to stop in the middle or slow down, to take some sort or refueling

Ideally, any marathoner, takes some kind of sports drink around 15-20 min before the run, again after 5 miles and then at every 2 miles.

A Sprinter, cannot afford this luxury.

Within a fraction of a second, the entire game changes for them.

Will training for marathon make you a slower sprinter?

This is not a straight forward answer.

Both kind of races require different type of mental setup.

For one you are deliberately running slower and for the other you are running like a mad bull is behind you.

But, what my logic says is, (though completely theoretically) the endurance training for the marathon race, should help the sprinter in you, to run much faster.

However, the reverse may not be quite true.

Meaning, your sprint pace will not make you a faster marathoner.

This is because, your endurance will give up, if you run too much too fast.

Marathon is like old wine. You have to learn to enjoy it slowly.

How to train for a Marathon as a Sprinter?

Training for a marathon as a sprinter is no different than any other common person.

However there are some things that you have to do in order for you to be successful.

Train for a shorter distance

Your current mental makeup is that of a Sprinter aka running in front of a mad Bull.

To change this, you have to undergo a lot of struggle with the inner you…

Since you are becoming a marathoner, you have to learn to slow down…

So, rather than starting your training for a marathon right away, try to train for a 5K or a 10K first.

This will slow down your pace and will build your endurance.

Power of ritual

When I started Yoga, I used to visit the class, right after my work.

Incidentally, I used to reach early.

So, I would happily go in the class, spread my mat and quietly in a Vajrasana.

BTW, to be very clear, there was no reason for me to sit in Vajrasana.

It is a childhood habit of sitting and folding my legs backwards.

Later I came to know that, this is the famous Vajrasana 😛

Anyways, back to the story…

After a couple of days, I found that, following this ritual made me immediately focused for the upcoming Yoga class.

This is what is called the power of a ritual.

For a Sprinter who is transitioning to a marathoner, it will be same.

Develop a two minute ritual before starting your daily training for marathon.

Your mind will respond more appropriately.

Once you have setup your ritual you can follow a training plan like this one.

Check it out to begin your journey as a marathoner.

Acceptance

You will not be as fast as you used to be…

Your body will not remain as muscular as it used to be…

You have to learn to conserve your energy…

Along the way, there will be a lot of things that can cause frustration to you…

You have to learn to accept it and give yourself the time and love it requires.

Can a sprinter become a long distance runner? Yes that can...but can they run a marathon and a sprint with equal effectiveness? Find it out for yourself.

Can a sprinter become a long distance runner? Yes that can…but can they run a marathon and a sprint with equal effectiveness? Find it out for yourself.

Can you be equally good at both?

Ah! This is a sensitive question to answer….

Let me ask you something…when you were in school, were you good at every subject?

Or let’t say only with maths?

Are you equally good at every hobby of yours?

This is not the case with me…I love to try new things every now and then.

So, throughout the years I’ve picked up, Sketching, Painting, Playing Guiter, Drums, Yoga, Cycling, Palmistry, Numerology, Stitching, Knitting, Pottery, the list is endless..

What I’ve noticed is, some of the things come naturally to me like Painting and Yoga.

For the rest, I am ok ok..

This is same for running.

You may or may not be good at both. 

Conclusion

So, to conclude, you can become a long-distance runner even if you are a sprinter.

The only thing you have to change is your mind set.

Yes it is a difficult transition, but hey! if you stick with it, you will reach your dreams of becoming a marathoner.

Also, be ready to accept that the marathoner in you may not be as good as the sprinter.

But whatever it is, enjoy the process… 

Question Of The Day!

Have you ever tried to run a marathon being a sprinter?

What was your experience?

Can a sprinter become a marathoner? How to become a long-distance runner? If you are looking for answers, here is the exact plan.

Can a sprinter become a marathoner? How to become a long-distance runner? If you are looking for answers, here is the exact plan.

Madhusree Basu

Madhusree Basu

Author, Admin

Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.

Recent Posts