General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How much would I improve on 30 miles per week Rss Feed  
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2012-04-23 2:16 PM

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Subject: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

I have been running, and doing triathlons, for about 3 years. During that time I have generally done 2 swims, 2 bikes and 2-3 runs per week. My average run mileage per week has only been about 12-15 miles. This has occasionally gone up to 20 miles for a short period when I was training for a 10k or a half marathon, but has never stayed at that level.

I am happy with where my swim (FOP) and bike (FOMOP) are at, but I am frustrated with my running. It has plateaud, and I obviously cannot improve any further by running 12-15 miles per week.

My current best times are as follows:

5k                         22:50

10k                       49:30

13.1m                1:59:30 (on an extremely hilly course in 80F heat)

If I were to build up to 30 miles per week and hold that for a year, how much do you think I could improve my best times by?  Clearly there are many factors involved, but I am interested to see people's predictions on what kind of a difference this increase in mileage would make? 



2012-04-23 2:41 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Champion
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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

A lot....

Look at this chart based on your 5K time and see what equivalent times would be if you were well trained and executed well for the event. HM equivalent time would be about 1:45.

Plus your 5K time would improve. You have quite a bit of untapped potential. YOu are fortunate that you can train for your weakness, the run, easiest and almost anywhere with very good swim and bike on not a lot of training.

2012-04-23 2:42 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

5k 20:15

10k 42:45

13.1 1:36:00

2012-04-23 2:42 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

For each extra MPW you can expect a speed increase of 1.125 seconds per mile.

So if you are currently running 13.1 miles in 2 hours that's about 9:09 minute miles on 12 MPW than 30MPW would be an increase 18MPW which should get you an increase of 1.125*18=20.25 seconds per mile putting you down around 8:48 minute miles making your new 13.1 time 1:55:26!

Just remember when calculating things like this based off things you have read from the internet that you can't always believe what you read!  Especially off the internet!

2012-04-23 2:50 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

I used to be an extremely slow runner. 1 mile-11min I never run when I was a child. I just biked and swam.  I started runnning 4 years ago on and off.

Since October 2011, I got my town down to 1 mile -9 min , pace for a half marathon. I'm not sure what my 5K would be , probably around 24.

I did not see any improvements when I trained for a triathlon. I only ran twice a week. As soon as I started running 4 -6 times a week , I noticed that I became faster and faster. Now I run 20 miles a week and do speed work once.

2012-04-23 2:51 PM
in reply to: #4167809

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
2453V - 2012-04-23 2:42 PM

For each extra MPW you can expect a speed increase of 1.125 seconds per mile.

So if you are currently running 13.1 miles in 2 hours that's about 9:09 minute miles on 12 MPW than 30MPW would be an increase 18MPW which should get you an increase of 1.125*18=20.25 seconds per mile putting you down around 8:48 minute miles making your new 13.1 time 1:55:26!

Just remember when calculating things like this based off things you have read from the internet that you can't always believe what you read!  Especially off the internet!

Looking at the two highlighted exceprts above (my emphasis added), I had to ask, where did your 1.125 seconds/mile come from?



2012-04-23 2:54 PM
in reply to: #4167850

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
Ershk - 2012-04-23 3:51 PM
2453V - 2012-04-23 2:42 PM

For each extra MPW you can expect a speed increase of 1.125 seconds per mile.

So if you are currently running 13.1 miles in 2 hours that's about 9:09 minute miles on 12 MPW than 30MPW would be an increase 18MPW which should get you an increase of 1.125*18=20.25 seconds per mile putting you down around 8:48 minute miles making your new 13.1 time 1:55:26!

Just remember when calculating things like this based off things you have read from the internet that you can't always believe what you read!  Especially off the internet!

Looking at the two highlighted exceprts above (my emphasis added), I had to ask, where did your 1.125 seconds/mile come from?

I believe from the same approximate locale as my times.

2012-04-23 2:54 PM
in reply to: #4167850

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
Ershk - 2012-04-23 3:51 PM
2453V - 2012-04-23 2:42 PM

For each extra MPW you can expect a speed increase of 1.125 seconds per mile.

So if you are currently running 13.1 miles in 2 hours that's about 9:09 minute miles on 12 MPW than 30MPW would be an increase 18MPW which should get you an increase of 1.125*18=20.25 seconds per mile putting you down around 8:48 minute miles making your new 13.1 time 1:55:26!

Just remember when calculating things like this based off things you have read from the internet that you can't always believe what you read!  Especially off the internet!

Looking at the two highlighted exceprts above (my emphasis added), I had to ask, where did your 1.125 seconds/mile come from?

It's science.

 

 

2012-04-23 2:54 PM
in reply to: #4167850

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
Ershk - 2012-04-23 2:51 PM
2453V - 2012-04-23 2:42 PM

For each extra MPW you can expect a speed increase of 1.125 seconds per mile.

So if you are currently running 13.1 miles in 2 hours that's about 9:09 minute miles on 12 MPW than 30MPW would be an increase 18MPW which should get you an increase of 1.125*18=20.25 seconds per mile putting you down around 8:48 minute miles making your new 13.1 time 1:55:26!

Just remember when calculating things like this based off things you have read from the internet that you can't always believe what you read!  Especially off the internet!

Looking at the two highlighted exceprts above (my emphasis added), I had to ask, where did your 1.125 seconds/mile come from?

Did you know that 47.639% of all facts found on the internet are made up?

You did read this post on the internet no?

It then may very well be one of the 68.957% of the facts that have been made up!

2012-04-23 2:55 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

Just to give you an idea of my thoughts, I would expect (and be happy) to improve to the following times after running 30mpw for a year:

5k              <21:00

10k            <46:00

HM             <1:48:00

If I decide to do it, I will post my results on here.

2012-04-23 3:06 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

Build up to it smart, it's better to spread the mileage out over more frequent runs, blah blah blah.

But I'd bet you some big juicy {MELON PRESSES} two things:

1) You run 30mpw for a year, you're going to improve a lot more than you've anticipated.

2) You run 30mpw for a few months, you'll start wanting to build up to more than that, anyway, with the concomitant improvements, and so 1) even more so.



2012-04-23 3:34 PM
in reply to: #4167863

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
2453V - 2012-04-23 2:54 PM
Ershk - 2012-04-23 2:51 PM
2453V - 2012-04-23 2:42 PM

For each extra MPW you can expect a speed increase of 1.125 seconds per mile.

So if you are currently running 13.1 miles in 2 hours that's about 9:09 minute miles on 12 MPW than 30MPW would be an increase 18MPW which should get you an increase of 1.125*18=20.25 seconds per mile putting you down around 8:48 minute miles making your new 13.1 time 1:55:26!

Just remember when calculating things like this based off things you have read from the internet that you can't always believe what you read!  Especially off the internet!

Looking at the two highlighted exceprts above (my emphasis added), I had to ask, where did your 1.125 seconds/mile come from?

Did you know that 47.639% of all facts found on the internet are made up?

You did read this post on the internet no?

It then may very well be one of the 68.957% of the facts that have been made up!

Removing hook from my cheek now . . . painful!

2012-04-23 3:42 PM
in reply to: #4167802

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
To quote Kathy, "a lot". Be sure to get lots of rest, too!
2012-04-23 9:49 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
I went from about 15 miles a week to 30 miles a week and reduced by 5K from 23 min to 18.5 min.  That was with one year's training and the increased mileage as stated.
2012-04-23 10:05 PM
in reply to: #4167717

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week

I agree with the above (minus the predictions to the third decimal place Wink .  You will see a lot of gains.  Of course, the crucial thing is to get to that mileage and sustain it, without injury.

The one caution I'd throw out there is that you have to be patient.  The gains come when they come.  I did high mileage last summer and for some reason I think I'm seeing the benefits of it only now.

I also suggest that while thinking of a specific goal (such as 30 mpw) can be very motivating, it can also be limiting.  If you get to 30 mpw and think "Hey, I can do more", what's to stop you?

2012-04-24 8:28 AM
in reply to: #4168729

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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
Experior - 2012-04-23 10:05 PM

I also suggest that while thinking of a specific goal (such as 30 mpw) can be very motivating, it can also be limiting.  If you get to 30 mpw and think "Hey, I can do more", what's to stop you?

your wife?



2012-04-24 9:00 AM
in reply to: #4167717

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Master
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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
When I switched to running everyday it became easier to maintain 25-35 mpw and even hit 50 once this spring. Initially my times improved across the board to a point. I've reached a point where I probably need to really push past some plateaus. BUT-my recovery time for a given effort has reduced dramatically and I rarely have any kind of real pain beyond some soreness or heavy legs after a hard or long effort.  For 2012 I am about 550 miles, peanuts to some but pretty good for me with no injuries beyond some gastroc pain for a few days when I changed shoes, oh-you will go through shoes faster
2012-04-24 9:33 AM
in reply to: #4167717


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Subject: RE: How much would I improve on 30 miles per week
Miles per week is a nice metric, but it is not the be-all-end-all.  Don't sacrifice quality for quantity.  To run high quality races you need to run some high quality miles.  My times have dropped across the board over the last several years, even though I've dropped my average MPW from 30-35 to about 20.
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