Running experts - 50 miles/month

What if you ran 2-3 miles per day.....every day.  Your frequency and volume would go up, but you wouldn't be stressing your feet near as much as you do whhen you run longer.

I had a streak of over 300 days last fall/summer and I never felt better.  My daily runs were shorter and I ran injury free for the first time in a few years......I ended up with knee sugery so it doesn't have a happy ending....but that knee was needing repair for awhile.  I'm back to a run/walk rehab program but I'll run every day as soon as I get back.

Totally OT and I apologize --- where did you find that graph?

to answer one of your questions- No.  50mi/mo isn't much of a running base.  Well, guess that depends on your goal distances, but I think you can do better.

for running- more than anything else.  Consistency and Volume.   don't worry about speed.  

Everyone is different, but I find that 25mpw is a nice running 'base'.  get there slowly.  10% increase in mileage per week- for 3 weeks, then ratchet back a week and take stock of your injuries along the way.  There aren't many running injuries that backing off and rest won't fix.  And there aren't many running injuries that therapy will fix if you keep on pounding on them.

Go to your Training Log.

Then click on "My Training Reports" button near the top.

You can run a bunch of different things, including run distance per month like that.

I want to just comment on the statement of not being good at running that many days/week.

I TOTALLY get the hesitation, I thought the same thing... until I tried it.

For you to start with BarryP you'd be looking at short runs as small as 1.5 miles three times a week.  You won't even break a sweat, hardly.  I did the BarryP last fall to get in some consistency and pretty quickly got into the habit.  Maybe you could just try it.   Even if you skipped one short run a week (I gave myself permission to do that), you'd be surprised how easy it becomes.

From your training log you select: "My Training Reports" at the top of your log.  From there you can select any number of categories to see volume, distance, etc.  However, I believe this is one of the features of a paying membership.

Although I don't know if I could handle running everyday like LB, I did see some signifcant improvement over the last year when I went from running 3 days/week to a consistent 4 days/week.  I did do a build-up prior to doing a HM in March, but most of my runs during the year were in the 2-4 mile range.  I also have had fewer injury issues since I've gone to a higher frequency.  

Although I haven't seen any significant improvement in my triathlon running off the bike yet, I did set several stand-alone 5K PR's during the year, so I am encouraged by that.  Obviously one of the main areas of focus for me in the off-season will be working on running off the bike

I probably should add the caveat that I primarily race sprint tri's and stand-alone 5K's.  I also have been using the Galloway run/walk since I tore my left Achilles in 2010, with most of my training runs done at a 3:1 ratio (usually with no walk breaks during the last mile of a run).

For me increasing frequency was an "easy" way to increase my total volume.  The key was being consistent.

Good luck.

Mark

^^^^^

This..................

......But then you knew I would say this anyway (at least if I chimed in here).  You know the Junkie philosophy has been frequent short runs for as long as you've been there.  But, knowing your injury history,  virtually no speedwork for a long time and probably not until you've been at 50 MPW for at least a couple of months.  Your perspective is the right one, take your time and be consistent AND persistent.

Agree with this.  While I didn't get up to 300 days like LB, I had a streak of about 120 days a couple of years ago.  That was the beginning of the end of run injuries for me.  All easy runs (other than a couple of races) and lots of short 15 minute ones to get going.  I don't think I ever ran more than 10k during that time and it put me in the mindset that I could run that often.  I also set 5k and 10k PRs during that streak.

Yup.

Well rats, I stopped by your logs but didn't leave an inspire!

Yes, I have read the whole thread ... and looked at your logs ... you've gotten great advice. These are just my random additional thoughts.

1) You might not be running slowly enough, often enough. I realize that training at 10-10:30min/mi may seem very pedestrian, but you'd be surprised how many good marathoners still do some runs in that pace range. That's just to say that you don't have tons of base yet, you've still got running goals--it just looks to me there might be a fair amount of room to slow down in some of that running.

2) You look pretty skinny to me, but I am a TERRIBLE judge of that kind of thing. Running, and building running up--and being a slightly built female like you look to be (again, horrible judge)--a few pounds makes a huge difference in the cumulative forces you're putting on your body.

Ha ha, I'm not trying to run a HM on 50 miles a month. I'm trying to find something consistent in my running so I have a base to build from to be able to manage building to a HM at some point in the future.

It's a pretty big jump go from 50 MPM ot 50 MPW.   Although speed work on the track probably wouldn't be a good idea at this point, adding in a tempo run once a week wouldn't hurt even at 50 MPM.

Mark 

I'm not as big on the gigantic streak, but a series of smaller ones is tremendously helpful. Only missing 1-3 days a month for several months in a row (or longer) can be quite helpful.

Thanks for the replies all. I am not opposed to running more frequently, running still hurts a lot of days and mentally sometimes I just break and can't do it day after day. But I will try harder. There, are you happy now?!

One weakness I have always had a hard time with is not being able to filter the "good feelings" , endorphins I guess, during a run. So I will start out saying I am going to stop at 3 miles then on a day I feel good I will just keep going and then the next day I may or may not feel so good. Or maybe I should run/walk if I want to go longer (longer only being 5 miles or 6 miles right now) but I won't stop. So that is for sure an area I could improve on too.

Yanti no worries about weight - my weight does not fluctuate. I have been the same same same forever - like over 20 years. 5'5" 117 -120. Only drop below 117 when I'm sick or something. And I eat all the time, maybe I need more poptarts though . 

If someone is having constant injury problems I wouldn't even do that. Literally start with 10 min running, run 6 days a week, BarryP style. Build 10% a week.

Week 1: 10, 20, 10, 20, 10, 30, rest day

Week 2: 11, 22, 11, 22, 11 ,33, rest day

and have a cutback week whenever it feels necessary, maybe ever 4 weeks. the short runs seem silly, but they are a big part of the program. You cause physiological adaptations, albeit small ones, without much recovery cost or injury risk. All of the running should be EASY. Zone 1-2.

Additionally you should try and find out if there are muscle weaknesses or imbalances causing these injuries. If you can correct those things it might make your running much easier.

What shoes do you run in? Are you an overstrider? Do you tend to have a lot of vertical "bouncing" motion when you run?

 ETA: Just read your post about continuing runs beyond your original goal when it feels good. This is BAD. Espeically battling injuries you need to have the discipline to perform your workout as planned. More is not better. Never do something in your workout today that will negatively impact your workout tomorrow, they are all equally important.

I know he did not mean that - typo for sure. He knows me way better than that ha ha!

What do mean by the "still hurts"? Pain like your foot problem? Mentally going through with it? Etc ...

Especially with injury trouble, keep the runs down so that it's a more pleasant experience. Should not be hurting to get through, should feel like you left a lot out there actually. If that means cutting down to 10-15 minutes to run more often, then that's what you do. I don't know if that much reduction is necessary, but it's not out of the question.

Why does it hurt?  Are we talking pain or just burning legs/lungs?