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Question for those 60+ mpw runners. (Read 573 times)


Future running partner.

    Over the summer my goal is to build up my mileage to 60 mpw. Over the past year I have been fairly consistently averaging 35-42 mpw without to many problems. I have been building a plan to get to 60 with lots of easy running, lots of stretching, strides and core training to try and stay injury free. I am also using the 10% rule of weekly increase for my long runs and weekly mileage, and giving my self a rest week every 4th week by cutting back mileage by about 33%. Once I get to 60 on my plan my week looks like this: Sunday: up to 3hrs or aprox. 18 miles Monday 6 miles or aprox. 1hr Tuesday 11 miles or aprox. 1:50 Wed 6 miles or aprox. 1hr Thursday 12 miles or aprox. 2hrs Friday 7 miles or aprox. 1:10 Saturday: rest or x-train My concern is that given the pace that I am running, along with the heat of the summer my Tuesday Thursday runs are going to feel like long runs of up to 2hrs. Would this be pushing to much, given I already have a Sunday long run of up to 3hrs? Confused For me a long run is pretty much anything over 90 min. Would it be better to schedule 2 a’ days on Tuesdays and Thursdays to maintain the mileage? Confused
    jEfFgObLuE


    I've got a fever...

      If your schedule permits it, you may want to consider doubles on Tuesday and Thursday (i.e. do two runs of 5~6 miles). Sometimes, it's a lot easier to to squeeze in 1hr in the morning and 1hr after work than it is to find a 2hr block.

      On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.


      #2867

        Sometimes, it's a lot easier to to squeeze in 1hr in the morning and 1hr after work than it is to find a 2hr block.
        That's what I tend to do.

        Run to Win
        25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)


        Future running partner.

          I apologize if my question wasn't that clear and long winded. Im not so much worried about how much time I have, but more the physical demand I am concerned about. Would the physical demand of running a 3hr run on Sunday, a near 2hr run on Tuesday and a 2hr run on thursday be to much? When I see the schedules of runners doing over 60mpw I rarely see more than 1 run of over 90 minutes. Is there a reason for this (perhaps overtraining) or is it just that they can cover the scheduled distance in that frame of time


          #2867

            If you work up to it slowly and methodically, you'll be fine. The reason that I don't tend to run in 2 hour blocks during the week is that I just don't have time. Hence doing doubles.

            Run to Win
            25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)


            Future running partner.

              Thanks man!
              jEfFgObLuE


              I've got a fever...

                Im not so much worried about how much time I have, but more the physical demand I am concerned about. Would the physical demand of running a 3hr run on Sunday, a near 2hr run on Tuesday and a 2hr run on thursday be to much?
                As Blaine said, not if you build up to it. But I also believe that two one-hour runs are less stress on you body than one two-hour run.

                On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

                  If you work up to it slowly and methodically, you'll be fine.
                  I agree. MTA: You may want to start doing doubles now to help get you ready when your schedule will have you running 3 days for over 90 minutes.

                  Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                    I find that two 45-min runs are definitely less stressful than a single 90-min run. In your case I think it would be good if you could keep the Sun and Thur runs as singles, but break up the Tues run. You'll just have to try it and see how you hold up. The heat certainly makes a difference but you will proably handle it better once you acclimate.
                    Age 60 plus best times: 5k 19:00, 10k 38:35, 10m 1:05:30, HM 1:24:09, 30k 2:04:33


                    Future running partner.

                      Thank you for all the suggestions and insight. I like the idea of doing a 2 a'day on Tuesdays and trying to keep the 2hr run on thursdays. You like you said, if do everything as carefully as possible. Then I should be able to get to 60. If not, I just may need to limit myself to somewhere less and wait until I get a little faster and more experience before moving up again. You all really inspire me. Checking your logs pushes me to stay consistent.


                      Bugs

                        I had weeks this summer when 60 mpw was easy and weeks I struggled to hit 55 months later. My schedule was very similar to yours (although I took cut-back weeks more often and ran LR on Saturdays). What I struggled with was my Thursday run which was usually 10 miles or more. The first four miles were always recovery pace until my legs gave into the idea of running more. I feel I did not have enough recovery jogs in my schedule. I think my legs would have responded better to a 3-4 jog at lunch and my 10 mile at night. I struggled to run more than that always, not sure if it was general fatigue at the end of the day or if I should have tried some energy drink/gel since I would not eat supper until after run. Nobby, would also tell you to run doubles a couple days a week. Good Luck!

                        Bugs


                        #2867

                          I struggled to run more than that always, not sure if it was general fatigue at the end of the day or if I should have tried some energy drink/gel since I would not eat supper until after run.
                          I generally eat a snack around 4:00 normally, but especially if I plan on running after work. Gives me a little boost to get through that last hour of work, and usually gives me time to hit the john before running around 6:00.

                          Run to Win
                          25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)


                          Bugs

                            I generally eat a snack around 4:00 normally, but especially if I plan on running after work. Gives me a little boost to get through that last hour of work, and usually gives me time to hit the john before running around 6:00.
                            Blaine you have the bathroom break thing figured out way better than I do. Sad I'd even have to eat a light lunch, so my guess is probalby right, I was running out of fuel.

                            Bugs


                            Future running partner.

                              I finally reached 60 last week. Allthough I managed to get through it with out any signs of injury, I don't know if I could sustain it for very long with out burning out. In my quest to increase weekly mileage, here is what I learned, which I think could be beneficial to anyone, at any level. When your increasing mileage like this it's a very good opportunity to learn about yourself, by observing every little detail about your running and recording it. Become your own experiment. For every workout for about the past 6-8 weeks. I've been recording resting HR, avg. HR and max HR. I've recorded Temperature and DewPoint. I've recorded max pace, and avg pace for each run. I even used metrics like pace/hr and decoupling %. As a measure of daily, weekly and monthly performance. In the process, I have learned how I react to increasing and decreasing temperature and humidity. I have an good idea of at what HR is resting pulse too high to when I need to back off. I also learned that currently if I run at a Heart Rate range of 144 or less that that is a good recovery zone for me. If I run at a HR range above 150 for more than an hour then that's hard enough of a workout too necessitate a recovery day the next day. In about 2 months, my aerobic conditioning has increased by about 20%, and I can now run steadily for 2hrs w/o my HR going up or my pace slowing down at a pace that's about 90s/mi faster then when I started from 2 months ago. Afer my marathon the goal is to start focusing on the various aspects of speed, while trying to maintain my aerobic conditioning as best I can. Mileage wise, Ill probably do 40-45 on cut back weeks and 50-60 on the other weeks. 60 will be an extreme peak probably on the week before a low mileage week and just ramp up mileage from low to high.