Long Slow Distance: The Humane Way to Train

by Joe Henderson

“A revolutionary is where you find him,” wrote running’s leading writer, Dr. George Sheehan, as he reflected on the revolution-charged 1960s. “He could be the guy next door. Joe Henderson looks like a typical guy next door. Out of Iowa, he has the smile and style of the heartland of America. But he has fallen for that old Socratic saw that the unexamined life is not worth living. The first result was revolt, rebellion and a booklet called Long Slow The Humane Way to Train. The LSD method of running that Henderson espouses is not new. He has simply systematized it and, in effect, founded a new order, a new sect that has bid pain, suffering and sacrifice good-bye. Joe Henderson is a revolutionary not because his writings have produced a wave of faster runners, but because he has spawned happier ones.”

This slim volume, published in 1969, chronicles the revolution in approaches and attitudes that helped spark the running boom of 1970s. Long Slow Distance tells the stories of Henderson and five fellow revolutionaries (Amby Burfoot, Bob Deines, Tom Osler, Ed Winrow and Jeff Kroot) who all revolted against the speed training in vogue at the time. Independently they arrived at similar conclusions about their long-distance training, slowing and going longer. This digital edition includes a new introduction and updates on the six runners.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Joe Henderson is a former US runner, a running coach and writer.

Reviews

[Storm Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot takes on running training. Even if you aren’t going to start using LSD I think it had some good input on training

[Nita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short e-book compiles the training histories of six runners who changed their training methods from intense, track speed workouts to include nearly 90% long, slow distance (LSD). Each runner still included small amounts of interval training, but nothing like the amounts they had before. And each of them got faster. He received both criticism and praise for allegedly advocating this revolutionary method of training. Joe doesn't claim correlation as causation and makes no promises to anyone that this method will work for them. He is only citing examples. I appreciated his no nonsense style of writing and training.

[Wendi Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good, brief book about enjoying and improving in running simply by running at a comfortable pace that helps one remain injury free. Now granted, the runners profiled have very FAST easy paces (Amby Burfoot ran at 6:45-7:15 pace and Joe Henderson did 7-8:00 pace), but I can apply Henderson's message to my much reduced pace so that I may continue to run well into "old age."

[Susan Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am 100% on board with LSD and the relief it brings to the body. Maybe I should have skimmed over the numbers more. The repeated reference to the snail pace of 7 min mile was a turn off for this 12 min miler.