A bearing compartment seal for a gas turbine engine includes a seal ring that defines an axis and has a radially inward facing sealing surface. A seal runner is configured to rotate relative to the seal ring. The seal runner has a runner surface facing the radially inward facing sealing surface. A plurality of grooves are spaced circumferentially along the runner surface. The plurality of grooves have a length in an axial direction that is at least 50% of an axial length of the runner surface.