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Frequency vs Distance (Read 2269 times)

    PS - Nobby is more knowledgeable in running than 99% of the people posting on this forum - It may be 100% but I want to help him keep his humility.

     

    Yeah, I think I know more than most but not quite enough for a lot of people as well.  I don't know Jack about ultra like you do; or running so many freakin' marathons per year like SrLopes.  There are always tons of new things to lear and tons of others to learn it from.  So maybe I'll give 98%! ;o)  Just kidding.  In other words, there are tons of knowledgeable people, like yourself or SrLopes, on here if only we listen.

      Actually it's a hell of a lot more than "little".  If your body is not ready for it, it will tell you very quickly and the difference can be comfortable improvement vs. injury.  In my opinion, to even think that there is or isn't a difference with 5 extra miles a week is thinking too much.

       

      My comment referred to running knowledge, not my bodies capabilities or the physical difference in distance of 5 miles

      Never forget the man who mistook his wife for a hat!

      Ποτέ δεν ξεχνά τον άνθρωπο που μπέρδεψε τη γυναίκα του για ένα καπέλο!

        My comment referred to running knowledge, not my bodies capabilities or the physical difference in distance of 5 miles

         

        Well, sorry.  And where do you think those "knowledge" would come from?  And refer to my last post.

        dennrunner


          Both, if you want to be a better runner, or complete a marathon next year. Right now, you're not running very much or very often. I'd start with increasing the frequency to 6 or 7 days a week without worrying about the mileage at first. Establish a consistent running habit then increase the mileage of some of the runs. At that point you can start to train toward a goal. Right now, work on consistency; you're 24, you should be able to run everyday.

            My thoughts, maybe you should forget about weekly mileage, and think more about monthly or maybe yearly mileage.  Since your ultimate goal is a marathon, these would be better predictors of how you will do than weekly. 

             

            Of course, this means you need to stay consistent and healthy for a long period of time.  20 miles per week is roughly 1000 miles per year and 90 to 100 miles per month.  I'm not sure of your past running, but it doesn't look like you have run more than 90 miles in a month recently.  It may be helpful to join the 1000 miles or 1500 Km user groups (chase the bunny).  It will put things into perspective as far as long term, big picture, and give you some comradarie with people in your same situation. 

            2018 Goals:

            Get Lucky Half  1:47:59

            Grandmas Marathon

            Fall Marathon - Twin Cities??

            MrH


              last year I was a 20 mpw runner then as I averaged that for a few months until I couldn't run any more. 

               

              Do you mean "I couldn't run any more" ... "because I got hurt" or "because I had other commitments"?

              The process is the goal.

              Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.

                Just another perspective.  Sometimes it depends on your rest-of-life schedule. When I was starting running more and still working and having achilles issues, it worked better for me to run 3 days/wk. Adding more days, just meant more stress getting dressed for winter running and trying to squeeze it in between whatever. And my runs weren't long enough to break up.

                 

                The two main hurdles (other than rest of life) in increasing frequency were running 2 days in a row, then 3 days in a row. Once I could do 2 in a row, then I easily went to 2 on/ 1 off - 4 days/wk was just really awkward. Parts of this past winter, I was doing more shorter runs - doing what I could under icy conditions then running longer or harder on the better days. Result was sometimes having a string of 6 or more days in a row, much of which was low quality. I rarely get more quality or quantity by adding days beyond 5 days/wk.

                 

                With 4-5 days/wk (2on/1off), it gave me a lot of flexibility with weather, meetings, and whatever else life sent my direction. 5 days - at least to me - seemed a whole lot more restrictive with weather and ROL. Priorities come into play as well as flexibility with weather. Fresh snow can be hard to run in; wait a day for it to compact, and I could have a reasonably firm surface to run on. Consecutive day workouts like subLT (tempoish) followed by long run or b2b longish runs are particularly challenging when footing is an issue.

                 

                (just this week I started running mostly on dirt, but we still have some snow/ice on trails, which will pass through a standing water, then mud stage before it's dry)

                "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog


                Beginner all over again

                   

                   

                   

                  When I first started running, I did a Duration at the expense of Frequency.

                   

                  This time around I'm doing Frequency instead of Duration.

                   

                  When I hear the "Should I...." question, my mind asks, Should in order to.....what?

                  It might depend on what your goals are.  Confused

                   

                    When I hear the "Should I...." question, my mind asks, Should in order to.....what?

                    It might depend on what your goals are.  Confused

                     

                    Look a little up somewhere, they're there Tongue

                    I think I'm going for both Wink Slowly building the frequency in with the mileage, but of course allowing more time to become accustomed to the frequency because it means less recovery time. 

                    Never forget the man who mistook his wife for a hat!

                    Ποτέ δεν ξεχνά τον άνθρωπο που μπέρδεψε τη γυναίκα του για ένα καπέλο!

                      Best of luck Jon.  Someone here (apologies) said "run more, then add miles to those runs" and that really helped me get into shape.  Until I had a pretty weird injury 18 months ago that I'm just working back from...

                       

                      Anyway I am quite impressed that you are spending time exercising where I think you are.  If I were there I would be a drunken 250 pounds, stuffed to the gills with arni exohiko, drunk, and sunburned.  And drunk too.

                        Best of luck Jon.  Someone here (apologies) said "run more, then add miles to those runs" and that really helped me get into shape.  Until I had a pretty weird injury 18 months ago that I'm just working back from...

                         

                        Anyway I am quite impressed that you are spending time exercising where I think you are.  If I were there I would be a drunken 250 pounds, stuffed to the gills with arni exohiko, drunk, and sunburned.  And drunk too.

                         

                        Hmm? Where do you think I am? o.O

                        So it looks like I'm on the right track. Although 3 days in a row was tough on the old legs last week! But it should be slightly easier this week and even easier next week (Here's hoping!!)

                         

                        It's very easy to do so, and I did do that for a while. But I've been here over 18 months now, the novelty has worn off (and so has the drink related weight, the smoking-cessation weight and the general fat weight). I still have a way to go on toning up before I have a beach bod though Wink

                         

                        Out of interest, arni exohiko? What's this? :s

                        Never forget the man who mistook his wife for a hat!

                        Ποτέ δεν ξεχνά τον άνθρωπο που μπέρδεψε τη γυναίκα του για ένα καπέλο!


                        Beginner all over again

                           Slowly building the frequency in with the mileage, but of course allowing more time to become accustomed to the frequency because it means less recovery time. 

                           

                           

                          This is what I am doing right now.

                          Increasing frequency, increasing LongRun of the week and also the medium runs.

                          But I don't increase too quickly, adjusting to frequency.

                           

                          Wink

                           

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