RunningAHEAD - Topic: New to this forum - question on increasing distance

jogalong

posted: 12/31/2006 at 10:58 AM
modified: 12/31/2006 at 11:05 AM

I am trying to achieve longer distance in my runs. Is it best to do one long run per week (and 2 shorter runs) and keep increasing that long run. Or to do 3 slightly longer , and increase the distance of all those runs every week? I have been running (regularly, but not very far for over 3 years) I did do a 7 mile run 2 years ago and have suffered with the outside of my knee (ITB?) ever since. I can really feel the twinge when I go further - but try and do smaller steps and run on the most level ground to keep the pain at bay. Any advice welcome! Just realised I have put this question in the wrong section - but am not sure how to move it! So do excuse me! ( ;

jogalong

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Fanatic #3965

posted: 12/31/2006 at 11:13 AM

I'd be interested to see the answer to this, too. I have heard that generally the long run should be no more than about 2x as long as any other weekly run. Right now I am doing 2-3 60 minute runs while my son is in school, then a longer one on the weekend. I'm currently up to ~100 minutes for my long run. I will likely not be going any longer than 120 minutes until Spring, then I might try to squeak in at least one 75 minute run during the week, in addition to 1-2 60 minute ones. Before my half marathon this last Oct. I was doing something like a 45, 60, 75, and a 150. I tried to increase more than just my long run, but no more than 10% cumulative increase in time for the entire week, from week to week. k

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

Wingz

posted: 12/31/2006 at 5:35 PM

Welcome! Right now there's not a way to move threads, so don't worry about it! Smile

It looks like youv'e got about a month's runs logged here. When you say you've been running "regularly" for the past three years, I've got to assume that your running habits were about what is showing on the calendar here, so that's where I'm coming from with this... First off, if your knee's been hurting you when you run for two years, get thee to a sports doc and get healed up! First priority for a runner's got to be staying injury free... or getting better! While you're working on getting better, don't do anything that you know will irritate your injury and make healing take longer. Duh. So if it hurts to run long, don't! Wink

How's that for advice? So for you, looking at your log and knowing it hurts when you run long, I really wouldn't suggest a "long" run at this time. Instead, spread it out and work on consistancy... once you're consistantly running your 3 days/wk, 3 miles per run, if your knee's not giving you any trouble, consider bumping it up to 4 days/wk rather than making your runs longer. I think that long term this will have more benefit for you. Good luck! Get well! Enjoy running! And have a great New Year's! Janell

Roads were made for journeys...

LydiaT

posted: 12/31/2006 at 10:12 PM

Quote from jogalong on 12/31/2006 at 10:58 AM:

I am trying to achieve longer distance in my runs. Is it best to do one long run per week (and 2 shorter runs) and keep increasing that long run. Or to do 3 slightly longer , and increase the distance of all those runs every week? I have been running (regularly, but not very far for over 3 years) I did do a 7 mile run 2 years ago and have suffered with the outside of my knee (ITB?) ever since. I can really feel the twinge when I go further - but try and do smaller steps and run on the most level ground to keep the pain at bay. Any advice welcome! Just realised I have put this question in the wrong section - but am not sure how to move it! So do excuse me! ( ;

I have dealt with ITB for years. It usually is affected more by speed and hills than distance. So I would try fixing the itb problem rather than cutting out the long runs. To help with ITB you need to stretch, stretch, stretch. You can stretch during the run and it will help with the pain. If you haven't talked with a specialist yet about your ITB you really should. It could be an issue that is best addressed with orthotics. You don't need to be sidelined by ITB. That said, there is nothing like a long run to increase your stamina, strength and confidence.

tekko

posted: 12/31/2006 at 10:32 PM

I suggest you get your injury attended to first before attempting long distance. Runners World has some very good articles on distance running. Check it out. Personally, I prefer a mixture of short (speed) and mid distance to long distance runs a week but any increase in distance must be gradual to avoid injury. Most people go by the 10% rule. What I would suggest is to set a target to achieve a certain distance by a certain date and plan your running distances with that objective in mind.

www.runningsucks.blogspot.com

New to this forum - question on increasing distance (Read 768 times)

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