Long distance relationships are a form of slow torture and any one thinking of having one should be aware of this. If one of you isn't willing to move within 18 months you shouldn't be chasing someone living any distance from you.
It starts out great with lots of phone sex, probably nude pictures and all the highs of getting a new woman but once that fades it becomes a form of abuse. You spend the weekend together then have to wake up in a bed alone again. You cook basic meals because there's no reason to make anything special and no one else is putting the effort in to give you a special meal either. Sex is a want, not a need (thanks Jobama!} but going from having intimacy on command where it's as simple as leaning into someone and going back to jerking off becomes soul crushing the more times you do it. Small issues start to creep in and eventually your love will turn to hate because you're forced to watch others with their partner with them making relationship progress while you're trying to navigate getting a weekend together more than once a month and there is always something blocking it. Eventually "Hey I saw this cool thing so I sent you a photo" becomes "Hey, remember how you aren't living the same life as me?" You start to look at the grey hair creeping in and realize you didn't look this old when this started and you're starting to enter the phase of life where you need to be settled in and comfortable because the body is showing signs of wear. Depression sets in, your comfort is the same person who's tormenting you and you can't stand to do anything over the phone or send nice emails. All you have is a burning need for change and to make some progress in the one thing that truly matters. Having a family around you and sharing love with your partner and your eventual kids. Kids she maybe getting too old to have and you're too old to be a proper father to, if you wait much longer.
That week you spent together on holiday becomes a sore spot rubbing salt in the wound. You could have a woman like that, you could have delicious meals made, lots of laughter, quiet cuddles on the sofa and cheeky quickies before you rush out the door to experience something together. But you don't, you don't have any of those things. You get a small glimpse of what life you could have if you could tell this woman to fuck off, listen to the burning resentment consuming your soul and turn your heart to stone just long enough to break the bond. But it's very hard for the starving man to give up his scraps hoping he can find a feast further down the road. Depression sets in even worse, stability vanishes and every interaction becomes "Why aren't you here?", which makes you realize if things have deteriorated to that point then neither of you should be moving closer to the other because the relationship isn't healthy any more. Communication breaks down and nothing you can do will get through to the other person, it's a stone wall of no progress and only a legacy bond from before things went to shit remains. One of you may try a hail Mary attempt to reforge a bond but once it's done it will be broken again within days, if not hours because the bitterness is so overwhelming and the core of the relationship is still the distance that's creating the problems to begin with.
Hopefully this can be a learning experience for some of you guys. Don't get involved in women who live more than an hour from you. There's always more options and you can find someone who won't make you suffer every morning you wake up and realize you're still getting punished for caring about them.