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Running Schedule (Read 1092 times)

nomies4monsters


    I am 27years old and a SAHM to 4 kids.  I use to be an avid runner in high school.  I use to run 16:30 minute 2.5mile races.  I just started running again at the end of February.  My ultimate goal is to run a marathon, but I plan on working up to that running a couple 5Ks, and half-marathons to get there.  The most I have run so far is about 4 miles (10 minute miles).

     

    Should I be running more?  I try to get in running 4 days a week.  Should I be running more days?  I have no idea where to go from here.  It honestly has been so long since I ran before, I forgot a lot.  Any input would help so much!  Thank you!

    Sees-the-Ground


    barefootin'

      Lots of easy running.  I have made a lot of progress lately by running more days.  Sometimes go fast.

       

      When starting out it will be easier to injure yourself.  Add miles as you adapt to it.  

       

      There will be more good advice from others on here.  If you used to be an avid runner, you are way ahead of where I started.  Smile

      Bill Wagnon / stl

      npaden


        I have a similar question that somewhat relates.  Several folks are saying you need to be working out 5 days a week.

         

        Does it really matter if you end up with the same mileage?  Let's say you ran 5 miles 4 times a week for 20 miles.  Would it actually be better if you ran just 4 miles 5 times a week for the same 20 miles?

         

        I've tended to go up in mileage as I was capable of it and now feel like it isn't worth getting out and running if it isn't for 6 or 7 miles.  There are days that it would be easier to break that up though and maybe run 3 miles in the morning and 4 miles in the evening. 

         

        Is it actually better to break it up into smaller chunks?  Does it really matter on easy runs if you are running 8 miles in one run or 2 separate 4 mile runs?

        Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

        Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

          There's a lengthy thread somewhere around here about running more days (v. fewer).  I'll look for it.  The short answer: yes, there's a difference.  Within reason, running more miles/time is better, and running more frequently is better.  The volume and type of stress is different, and it produces different physiological results.

           

          To the OP: congrats on getting back into it!  I like that you're not diving into a marathon right out of the gate, but instead taking the longer (and smarter, IMO) view.  I'd encourage you to run more, working your way up to 5-6 days/week and seeing how that feels.  You might also think about varying your runs a bit, so you don't get in a rut or become bored with the same-ish distance/time every workout.  The challenge may be to find time (and energy!), given your brood and the responsibilities that go along with them.  Good luck!

          "I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

          -- Dick LeBeau

            To Nathan's question, I think its better for your mileage to be spread out over more days, with variation in the distances and effort as Clive points out.  I would not do 4 days of 5 miles or 5 days of 4 miles each but rather go something like 3-5-0-4-2-6-0.  Once you get used to this over weeks/months, add intensity to one of the shorter days (push the pace in the middle miles of the 3-4 miles) or lengthen your long days and eventually both. 

            Hoban-Jay


              There's a wonderful book called "Run Less, Run Faster" written by two runner scientists (Bill Pierce and Scott Murr)  from Furman University in South Carolina.  It was featured in Runner's World several years back.  It addresses your questions and concerns quite well, with very specific answers (and training plans).  I highly recommend it.  I don't strictly adhere to it, as I enjoy running too much to limit myself to 3 (or 4 at the most) QUALITY runs per week.


              SMART Approach

                Not a big fan of the Furman Institute method if just getting back into running. Too hard of running too often! 4 days a week is fine to start. You can always increase from there if necessary. Build your miles - 25 - 30 miles a week can get you through a half marathon fine (maybe not ideal). For a marathon it is best to build to 40 plus. As mentioned, most of running should be comfortably paced - DO NOT RACE YOUR TRAINING RUNS.  Slowly build a long run on weekends. It is nice to have a semi long run mid week also where you can throw in some quicker stuff (quality work) like 3 miles in the middle of a 6-10 mile run (build up to that) at tempo pace or 3-4 X 1 mile at half marathon effort or last mile or two or three at faster pace. Again build up to that. I would also recommend doing a 5K race to determine your current fitness so you will better know the paces you should be training at and what your comparable 10K, half times would/should be.  Just plug that time into a calculator (McMillan calculator or Tinman calculator to determine all these paces.  Good luck and take your time.

                 

                http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/site/calculator

                http://www.runningprs.com/runnerscalculator.htm

                http://www.runworks.com/calculator.html

                Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

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                www.smartapproachtraining.com

                  Run as much, or as little, as you feel like.  Keep it fun.  You have already done a four mile run, so are ready to run a 5K.  The 5K won't be as fast as if you had run more, but so what. 

                   

                  To give you an idea, I ran my first half marathon on a base of 20 miles per week, with a peak week of 27 miles.  My fastest/longest training run was 10 miles at 10 minutes per mile, I ran the half marathon at 9 minutes per mile.


                  Feeling the growl again

                    Running more miles, and more times per week, will both produce better results.   Taking an 8 mile run and splitting it into two 4-mile runs does not accomplish the same thing.  If you were thinking of an 8-miler one day but for some reason want to double and not run an 8-miler, run a 6 and a 4.

                     

                    Right now you just need to be consistent and keep most of your running at a nice, comfortable pace at which you could hold a conversation.  Far, FAR too many new/back-into-it runners run too hard day in and day out.  This actually limits your progress as you don't get enough recovery.  Adaptations happen during recovery, so if you are not recovering you are not adapting....just keeping your head above water (if you are lucky).

                     

                    I would recommend trying to run at least 5 days a week if you can, or work up to that.  As I said, consistency.  No need to do formal workouts, right now you are at a spot where simple consistency will make great progress for you.  Sure, if you feel great toward the end of a run, pick it up and accelerate into the end so you get some refreshing speed.  Not every day, not every other day, maybe every third day.

                     

                    Frankly I wish Furman (FIRST) would just go away.  It's poorly thought out and poor in its typical results.  Taking newer runners and subjecting them to nothing more than a lot of intensity, is a recipe for burnout and injury.  Not to mention that you must do a ton of cross-training to really do what they are wanting you to do, and few people do it.  I am a scientist and I wish scientists would stay away from coaching runners.  Training and coaching is not science, and the models they use in the labs are very poor for translating results to real people.  

                     

                    Make running a regular part of your life.  Run whenever you can, and make it fun for yourself.  Race regularly, say 5Ks, and consider those your "real workouts".   Recognize that there are no shortcuts...no magic training plan to get the results you want on less work....this is a sport of putting miles on your body.  All the Furman workouts in the world won't help you if you have no base of miles logged.  It may get you faster for a few works, but the benefit will be short-lived.

                     

                    Realize that what you decide to dedicate to training will dictate the results....not your goals.  Too many people set goals then won't put in the training to back them up, and end up disappointed.  Do the training, set reasonable goals the training says are possible, and move yourself forward one race at a time.

                    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                     

                    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                     

                       

                       

                      Realize that what you decide to dedicate to training will dictate the results....not your goals.  Too many people set goals then won't put in the training to back them up, and end up disappointed.  Do the training, set reasonable goals the training says are possible, and move yourself forward one race at a time.

                       

                       

                      Hey Spaniel,  thanks for the reminder.  even the more experienced get caught up in setting up unreasonable goals that are not truly based on the actual training that is done.


                      Feeling the growl again

                          even the more experienced get caught up in setting up unreasonable goals that are not truly based on the actual training that is done.

                         Like me.  Wink

                        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                         

                        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills