Increase base mileage or more tempo run for beginner (Read 1234 times)

You'll get more bang for your buck increasing mileage.  But I don't see any reason why you couldn't run a weekly tempo as well.  If you need 2 days of rest after a tempo run, you're doing it wrong.

Did you really just set a new monthly mileage high by more than 100% with your last 4 weeks: 61, 81, 83, 91?  And you think you might be able to handle 50mpw for the next 2-3 months?

Very confused. 

You figure you're fine to train for a marathon, but can't run a tempo more than once every few weeks and can't handle hills or intervals?

You'll get more bang for your buck increasing mileage.  But I don't see any reason why you couldn't run a weekly tempo as well.  If you need 2 days of rest after a tempo run, you're doing it wrong.

I normally do a 7-miler at night and my easy run pace tends to fall somewhere between 9 to 9:30 mile. If I try to run tempo, then for the next two days my easy pace drops to around 10 min/mile and felt sluggish. I don't know if I tried to run the tempo too hard, or if I just need to slow my easy pace even more afterward...

Did you really just set a new monthly mileage high by more than 100% with your last 4 weeks: 61, 81, 83, 91?  And you think you might be able to handle 50mpw for the next 2-3 months?

My June mileage was abnormal. I was running a mileage challenge and testing my limits, I was really pushing it, and realistically it is not something I can sustain or commit to for even another month in July, both in terms of physical efforts and time constraints. When I aim for 50mpw I'm trying to be realistic, picking a number between what I can comfortably do (40mpw) and what is overly zealous (>80mpw)

Yes, if the choice is 50 mpw easy vs 40 mpw w/ tempo, then I'd choose the 50... but... hmmm, how are you running that tempo run?  A tempo run should not knock you out for days and force you to drop your mileage by 20%.

I'm not being overly accurate, and only guesstimating. I'm assuming my week to be something like 5 days of easy runs about 7 miles each plus a long run of around 14 miles. If I do a tempo I need an extra day of rest and maybe one shorter day (3 instead of 7 miles), so that'll know about 10 miles off to closer to 40mpw. Again, I'm just guessing based on my short history of runs.

For the tempo run, I take my easy run (usually 7miles) and try to increase pace gradually. I start at around 10 min/mi (sort of a warmup) and finish at close to 8 min/mi, usually no rest except for crossing streets. I'm not sure tempo is the right term, I'm poor at semantics...

My suggestion is to dial down the milage for 3 weeks and focus on your speed.   To make sure you don't get so tired keep things simple.

Focus on 4 runs per week with two rest days

Run 1: 5K : Interval

- 2K warm up @ 10:00 pace

- 400 @ 7:15 pace

- 600 @ 9:00 pace

- 400 @ 7:15 pace

- 600 @ 9:00 pace

- 1K cool down @ 10:00 pace

Run 2: 10K Easy @ 9:00 pace

Run 3: 5K : Tempo

- 2K warm up @ 10:00

- 2K @ 8:00 pace

- 1K cool down @ 10:00

Run 4: 15K Easy @ 10:00 pace

This is only 30K (less than 20 miles) per week and should help you get used to running faster.  Given your current base none of these should "wipe you out" if you are resting enough.  What you will likely find is that your marathon pace will drop from 10:00 to 8:30 with a program like this.  After you get used to it you can start increasing things; here are some suggestions.

- Increase the 15K easy run by 5K each week in a ladder format.  15K, 20K, 15K, 25K, 20K, 25K, 20K, 30K  (8 week program)

- Increase the 5K  Tempo run to 10K

- Increase the 5K interval run to 10K, basically run the run twice.

Use your body as a guage, if you are tired after the 25K run week, then dial back the interval run back to 5K, etc...

I think you will be surprised with the results...

You are either:

a) Doing your tempo runs too hard, and I'm almost certain of this based on the details you give.  It should be "comfortably hard", so you are almost refreshed at the end from a good effort.  You should feel like you could keep going at that pace for several more miles when you finish.

b) You may be running your easy runs too hard.  The fact that you are worried about your easy run slowing down 30sec/mile the next day....worried about that pace at all, for that matter...makes me wonder this.  Just go out and run easy.  If you're doing no workouts of course your daily average will be faster on easy runs, that is where you are putting your effort.  When you put it into workouts your easy runs slow down but that's why they are called "easy runs" not 9:30/mile runs", the pace makes little difference. 

For a 2nd year runner 50mpw is highly respectable, and I would focus on getting the mileage in.  If you have any problems running 1 3-4 mile tempo run per week, see A and B above.

You are either:

a) Doing your tempo runs too hard, and I'm almost certain of this based on the details you give.  It should be "comfortably hard", so you are almost refreshed at the end from a good effort.  You should feel like you could keep going at that pace for several more miles when you finish.

Thanks spaniel for that point! I can not keep my pace for another mile at the end of such run for certain. I think I have mistaken how tempo should be run (I kind of have the "I want to see if I can PB this course tonight" mentality when I do that). I shall keep that in mind.

b) You may be running your easy runs too hard.  The fact that you are worried about your easy run slowing down 30sec/mile the next day....worried about that pace at all, for that matter...makes me wonder this.  Just go out and run easy.  If you're doing no workouts of course your daily average will be faster on easy runs, that is where you are putting your effort.  When you put it into workouts your easy runs slow down but that's why they are called "easy runs" not 9:30/mile runs", the pace makes little difference. 

b) is probably true as well... I think I need to learn to not watch my garmin so often