The quick version of why running long will help you run short

Okay, it's 4:39 a.m. Thursday morning and I want to post something good. I gotta leave for work in like 6 minutes so I'll do my best.

In your body there are three systems (and I'll do a more profound post on this later) and they are the ATP-Phosphocreatine system, the Anaerobic glycolisis and aerobic system. It just so happens that the greater the capacity of the aerobic system (which is developed through long slow jogging/running) the greater the ability the recover the anaerobic system.

For example, if you have a great aerobic capacity and you go out and try to run a mile as fast as you can, even though you're using a lot of anaerobic you will do better because your aerobic helps your anaerobic. Whereas someone really fast may go out fast and die because the fast twitch muscle is there, but the ability to recover deplenished systems is not.

Run. Fearless. :)