So how far is too far? (Read 1105 times)

I decided that today on my long run, I was going to break the 10 mile mark. I did. It's the farthest I've ever run, and it was a great feeling knowing that I did it. My feet though, were killing me around mile 8, and now my legs are so 'banged up' feeling. Joints hurt. It feels like it did after my first run.

Congrats. Awesome, ain't it?

Is this just another set of pains that I'll adapt to and overcome? Like the first two or three weeks of running? Did I maybe go too far?

Probably. I had lots of little pains as I increased my mileage. Almost all of them were just plain muscle soreness - to be expected since I was newly off the couch. Too far? Nah. You'll be fine. Just go easy for a day or three. If anything still hurts after that - then maybe ease off a bit next time.

Thanks Bonkin and Mt.E. I think I'll be fine and overcome these little pains. I'm also starting to lean toward mounteverest in some things though. I used to want to run a marathon. Work up to an iron man. I'm starting to aknowledge that those are just dreams, and the likelyhood of me actually doing it are pretty slim. I'm giong to keep running (I couldn't give that up!) and maintain where I'm at mileage wise for a while. That run was sooo boring, that I'm going to focus a little more on better sub ten miles than just trying to go as far as I can. Thanks for the replies guys. Mike

The Marathon starts as just a dream for everyone. The likelihood of you doing one (or more) could be great if you want it to be. Mere mortals can run marathons if they train properly. If your lungs are normally burning at the end of your runs, and your legs and feet feel all banged up after your long run then you're running it WAY too fast. I know you said you've learned to run slow, but I'm doubting it. I think it's more likely the speed is still killing you, not the distance. I was in my 40's when I did my first ten mile run/walk and I remember being physically exhausted but not in pain. A week later I did a run/walk of 11 miles. A week after that I did a run/walk of 12 miles*. Don't do anything you don't want to, but you're a young buck and there's no reason to give up on distance goals if you don't want to. You could even come to the dark side and take walk breaks on your long slow runs. *This was before I found RA, so I'm working from memory. Galloway has you increasing your long run/walk by a mile a week., and I kinda skipped over the cutback week part of the book...

If your lungs are normally burning at the end of your runs, and your legs and feet feel all banged up after your long run then you're running it WAY too fast. I know you said you've learned to run slow, but I'm doubting it.

Yup, I agree I've been going too fast up till now. I'll drop down to 7 miles with the same pace I did today for the next few weeks and I should be fine. Thanks for all the replies guys!!

As a follow-up to my previous post, my 5-mile run, one day after my 10-mile run, was WONDERFUL!! Felt like I was walking on air. So increasing my long run very gradually is working out great.

Don't forget to take an easy week every 4rth week... where you cut back your long run... I didn't do that enough last year and well paid for it... with minor injuries that forced me to cut back...

So if my last three long runs have been 9, 9.6, and 10, how long should I run next week? Thanks!

The figure I've seen used most often is cut back to fifty percent of your longest recent run, every third or fourth week.