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Miles per week - limitations?
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Currently running between 25-30 mpw, and all of my training is focused on 5 and 10ks
Is it essential to add more miles to improve, or will I hit a plateau? I find running more than 30 a week difficult with other commitments - which may be hard for some to comprehend as I have seen some on here who get in 80 per week!
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you can't hope to do yourself justice off that mileage. But you can definitely improve plenty by making that 25-30 you do as well thought out as you can.
What would you say is the optimum mileage Stevie considering my preferred race distance?
that's all about opinion.
We'll all know someone who betters us who does jack all mileage, and another who does almost double.
However, i'm sure a lot of the top runners would do 100mile weeks even for 10k!
A 25-30mile week would go quite quickly allowance wise i'd think, 10-14mile long run, and a couple of other 6-8?
At the moment it tends to be 8-10 mile long run, 7 mile tempo (incl warm up/down), 5-6 mile hill/speed and easy runs in between at varying distances
I see a lot of people doing 2 quality sessions from such little mileage, and it all just seems a bit squeezed in.
Quality needs a good warm up, a cool down and a substantial quantity. That can often come to 10miles on its own. So one of those type sessions, a long run, and one easy run would probably benefit you more than trying to squeeze it all in like you do.
I'd more favour a base period, upping the mileage, lowering the intensity right down, then adding in a tempo at steady/Marathon pace (tempo having a precise meaning, rather than just meaning "fast as I fancy", and then adding speedwork down the line.
That's just me though, and I don't allow anything to constrain my time
Would love to be around the 36-37 min mark... current PB 39.43
I'm interested in answers for this O.P.
I barely touch 30 miles in a week but still hitting some decent times.
Stevie, would that not sacrifice the progress I've made? Could I not just add easy mileage for the same effect?
You have to think about the bigger picture, get the base right the improvements will come
don't think either of those 2 approaches would exactly stop your improvement!
In the words of a top runner I used to know who heard I was running 25-30miles a week
"you've not even started training yet"
LSH88, you are in exactly the same boat as me - similar training mileage, sessions, PB and goals. It's tough to find more time though, if I get out 4 times a week I'm lucky
My plan to get better is focus on aspects other than mileage that I've never looked at before eg. improve technique, make my sessions even more specific by adjusting interval reps & intensitiy etc, and fit some core exercises in as well (I currently do none). Oh, and build a really solid base this winter.
I guess I'll not know how good this plan is until next year.
Hi Erc I agree, work, my dissertation year at uni and buying my first place don't leave much time!
Ran before work for the first time in ages today - can't really even remember it! Does anyone else feel really sloppy running at 6am?!