High-mileage runners

[Deleted User]

Hi folks. I'm currently thinking of upping my weekly mileage from the current 25 or so, but am curious to know how all the other high-mileage (40-50+) runners here fit their miles in around the rest of their lives. Do you do lots of long runs in the week? Or mega-long runs at weekends? Train twice a day? Would be interested to hear how you manage it. Cheers, SW.

[Deleted User]

I run home from work a lot and can extend my runs to suit. I can, for example, do a 14 mile run and still be in the house for 7.00 (I can finish at 4.00 btw!).

I have to make sure I drink a lot during the day and running through the centre of Leeds can be an experience(Do I look like I want a Big Issue?) but it doesnt half help clock up the miles!

[Deleted User]

Im just starting to push the 40miles a week marker as part of marathon training. It's the long weekend run that seems to get the milelage up around that figure.

Really wish work had a shower as I feel the hour at lunch is just going to waste!!

[Deleted User]

I tend to do around 45-50 miles a week. I am lucky enough to live close to where I work and can run in/out. During busy periods I am usually only 15 mins slower by running the 6 odd miles then getting the bus and sitting in traffic for 'ages'. I find it easier to run 6 miles twice a day for a couple of days than running 12 miles in one go twice....I can't see why that would be the case but it certainly feels like that. A typical week would be something like this...

Mon 6
tue 6 + 6
Wed 6
Thurs 4
Fri 10
Sat 6
Sun 10-15

[Deleted User]

Sorry I miss a day out each week which is usually the monday or the saturday...

[Deleted User]

Hi Sw,

Like you, I am trying to up my mileage so, Iam doing longer runs during the week. Instead of the 4M runs, I am doing now 6M. I also do longer runs on the weekends. You have to be careful with overtraining and start to increase mileage really slow. Good luck!

[Deleted User]

I guess I am lucky in that I work offshore so when I am at home I cn go out running any time of day.

Just before my last marathon my schedule was something like

Mon: rest
Tues: 7-8 miles (speed sesh)
Wed: 10-12 miles easy
Thurs: 6 miles (steady)
Fri: rest
Sat: 6 miles steady
Sun: 22 miles

This was my peak week, the sessions were the same the rest of the time but the long runs were slightly shorter.

I would like to get a couple of double sessions in next time around though.

[Deleted User]

When I was training for the 1999 FLM I was working ten hour days, and commuting 100 miles every day (so, that took another two hours or so). I still managed to clock up 40-50 miles each week, with a long run and a medium length run at weekends and a few 8-13 mile runs during the week.

The only way to fit it in was that <something> had to go out of my life to make room. In my case, it was TV, which was banished to an unused room of the house, and has barely been watched since. I still managed to have a social life and buy a house during this time! Not saying life was easy though, in fact this whole period of my life was quite stressful! but I knew that I had to get the miles in to stand a chance of doing a half-decent time at FLM.

I'm now doing 40-50 miles per week again but work freelance, so tend to get up, work for a bit, and do my runs while Mr LizzyB is still at work. Still don't have a TV though.

[Deleted User]

When training for FLM, I increased my mileage to just over 40 for a few weeks, and found that with the extended weekend long runs and longer midweek intermediate runs, the additional distance fitted in quite naturally. I can't deny that it was time-consuming, though, and don't expect to run more than 25 miles in a week until the next time I have a half or full marathon on the agenda.

Which, come to think of it, is now - Keswick Half on 4th May, Moonwalk marathon on 10th May. But they're just for fun :-)

[Deleted User]

I generally run 60 to 80 miles a week. I do between 3 and 6 every morning before work (I live within walking distance so don't waste time communting).

I then get the kids in bed by about 6.45 and do say

5 Mon
8 Tues (club session)
6 to 12 Weds (high if marathon training)
8 Thurs (club)
6 Fri

Saturday is the new concept of a rest day.

Sunday does not feel complete unless I've done at least 15 miles.

[Deleted User]

He's a hard man that barnsleyrunner you know.

15 and 17, thats how old his kids are!

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all the feedback folks. Think I will try and build up to 40-ish soon, which is enough for a soft southern git like me.
Just wish I could run to work - but it's about 16 miles each way!

[Deleted User]

Well why dont you just run home to get a long run in, once you've built up to the distance (if you havent already)?

Take your running clobber in a bag, get changed in the toilets then run home. It's a nice experience running past people stuck in their car in a traffic jam.

Unless of course you have to travel on a motorway in which case plan B.

Oops sorry, no plan B.

[Deleted User]

It does kinda make sense Chimp, I'll have to check if there's a decent route for running tho' - will cycle in next week maybe and do a recce...

[Deleted User]

... or if you drive home though a 'good for running' area, stop the car, do a run, and then drive on home. I used to drive home past part of the 'undulating' Ashby 20 course and would sometimes park up and do my hill reps there!

Probaly best to get changed at work first though. I did once suprise a dog walker who wasn't expecting to see a lone, naked woman in a car ...

[Deleted User]

Some people have all the luck...