Originally Posted by imag

Since this debate always rages endlessly, I'm not going to debate short vs. long. However, no matter when you decide to let loose, there's one rule that remains true:

Make sure the car is warmed up before you redline it.

The above is generally a good idea, but if you're doing early break-in, this holds doubly true - you want the parts to be at proper operating temperature before putting stress on the rings. Don't whale on your car when it's cold, and it should love you long time.