Training for Longs Peak

[justiner]

I am very interested in Meeker and would be very happy to call it a day there and head back down. That's sort of the root of my question. If I got up there relatively comfortably, but didn't feel the energy to continue on to Longs, then decending the Loft is possible without too much difficulty?

Yup, you should have an easy time going down, if you've gone up it. Once you've descended below the Loft, there's a gentle rise of the trail up to Chasm Junction, then it's all downhill to the TH.

The Loft is usually melted mostly out by late August. I do find it easier with a bit of snow on it, so I avoid using it as a downclimb myself. Watch yourself for kicking rocks on anyone below when on the exit ledges.

[youngk2844]

Don't forget the Gummy Bears.

[Sean Nunn]

Training for Long's is the same as training for any other 14er. It's just harder than a lot of others.
Lots and lots of running.
As someone else said, some type of squats. You need some strength in your butt just to get through the boulder field without exhausting your legs.
A little rock climbing, either on the crags or in a gym, is a good idea. Although there isn't much true rock climbing on the standard route of Long's, you want to be very comfortable with class 3 scrambling, because there is some of that, and some of what there is has some decent exposure.
My latest training scheme (I live in KC so it isn't much different than Ohio except we do have a few hills) is running stadium stairs (think several thousand in a session if you are preparing for a 5000' elevation gain like Long's standard route). Or you could walk them with a backpack; I think that would be more specific but to me it is too boring.
Just some ideas.