Forums >Running 101>Why does weekly mileage matter so much?
Feeling the growl again
So why run slow? Well the big reasons are to avoid injury and burnout.
IMHO slower easy runs are even more valuable than this. I will differentiate "easy runs" from "recovery runs". Recovery runs are done the same day as, or the day after, a race or hard workout. The sole purpose is really to get out and loosen up, circulate the blood and recover from the previous day's workout.
An easy run serves an additional purpose. Simply volume and time running will add conditioning to the cardiovascular system, mitochondrial numbers, as well as muscular strength and endurance. 100 mile weeks were gold for my 5K times because when I came down from that my legs were incredibly strong. Mile-for-mile you don't get the same benefit as from faster workouts, but you can run a lot more miles easy than you can fast workouts in a week.
Even when I was running 100-120 mpw, only about 20% of my miles were MP or faster. That 80-100 miles of additional easy running was NOT log padding.
"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
Let me clarify. Because I have other interests like family and competitive tennis to name a few, I don't have time to run as much as whats often recommened.
Then do what you can (or want, in this case) with the time you're willing to commit. Other than that, I have no idea what the point of your post is.
Why is it sideways?
How dare you come on the boards at RA and ask a question about weekly mileage!!
I know, right?
The King of Beasts
I dont think this was the original posters idea, but I enjoyed reading everyones story of progress. This is sort of turning into a "whats your story" thread.
"As a dreamer of dreams and a travelin' man I have chalked up many a mile. Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, And I've learned much from both of their styles." ~ Jimmy Buffett
"I don't see much sense in that," said Rabbit. "No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way."”
she runs like a girl
This actually made me laugh out loud Thanks
On to the OP:
Now I am one of those people who runs 25 ish miles per week and so far I have seen PR after PR but I know that has a lot to do with my newness to the sport. Once you start running and doing workouts you will see PR gains time after time and although it hasn't happened to me yet, I know that mileage will have to change to continue enjoying those PRs
Enjoy your natural talent - it seems that you have it! And it's good, it can earn you wins even at some smaller races but if you really want to be a real competitor at bigger races someday (I do, too ) then mileage will help
Also, there is nothing wrong with having natural talent and flaunting it - it's something to be proud of, just be careful how you say it on the internet because we lose non-verbal speech and things like irony and sarcasm and it can offend people
It would seem to me that, if this is where you want to go, then your goal is not to enjoy running, or to race well, but is rather to "complete" a marathon, or a half, on as little training as possible.
I ran this way back in 1993 to prove to myself that I could run the NYC marathon. I ended up doing miserably because my weekly mileage was low and my longest run was only 20 miles (against the advice of my seasoned-marathoner brother). Needless to say I burnt out and never ran again until December of 09. I may or may not do a marathon again, but right now I'm paying attention to the posts on this forum and building a base slowly and at a slow pace because I want to enjoy it for a long time to come. I think the people here are looking out for your best interest. Also, Nobby mentioned reading materials...is there a recommendation for the recreational runner???? Thanks for the lively topic
Gina
A Saucy Wench
Many of us, the current "high mileage junkies" were once where you are. I remember a friend pledging to do 1000 miles a year and thought she was nuts. And then she started running like 35 miles a week and I thought she was nuts. Now I feel like its been a slow week if I am under about 45-50. You may have to come into this on your own at your own pace like so many of the rest of us
Why not add just one more run to your week, take it easy and see what happens. Make it's purpose "to bore me to tears" if that is what it takes to stay easy. See what happens in a few weeks.
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
Options,Account, Forums
... The next year we were back at the same race and I ran into the same guy after the finish of the race. He was very excited and brought up our conversation from the previous year and how he had heard what we were saying and re-evaluated his training. After a year of putting it into practice he'd more than doubled his mileage and taken 20min off his HM PR that day.
...
The next year we were back at the same race and I ran into the same guy after the finish of the race. He was very excited and brought up our conversation from the previous year and how he had heard what we were saying and re-evaluated his training. After a year of putting it into practice he'd more than doubled his mileage and taken 20min off his HM PR that day.
20 minutes off a Half PR? Was that a typo?
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
Anyways I always hear about the weekly mileage, but I know people who run 2 to 3 times as much as me, yet they are running 9-10 minute pace.
You probably know this, but there are at least a few people who run triple digit weekly mileage and do their marathons at under 5 minute pace.
I don't really know, but my guess is that most of the people who run marathons at under 5 minutes per mile, are averaging substantially more than 40 miles per week.
No, he was a 2hr-ish HM runner and brought that down. Funny things happen when you don't beat yourself to exhaustion three times a week and call that training.
Well, no wonder he was happy, and happy to tell you about it. 20 minutes off a Half. Wow.
I believe it. My 1/2 PR went down something in that range by going from low miles lots of speedwork to higher miles and virtually NO speedwork. You need both, but that is what was working for me at the time.