how did you start running on more days?

froeschli

I ran 3-4 days a week last year. took a break because of pneumonia, then started again this February. now i am about 3-4 weeks away from running 10k (according to my training plan).

i'm not really all that concerned with the 10k, but i want to add more days of running and increase my weekly distance. right now i average anywhere between 20 and 30k a week. (3-4 runs a week ranging from 45-70 minutes). my goal is to run 1 hour 4 days a week and 2 hours on the 5th - just to see if i can do it, go figure...

of course, i've read about the 10% rule. then i read about how it doesn't always have to apply, then i wonder why i've only heard that from one source...

anyhow, i figured i could just add an extra 30 minute run a week, see how i do with that, then add another 30 minute run a couple weeks down the road. once i am up to 5 days a week, i can add more time to those short runs.

what do you guys think? how did you start running more?

timeasterday

4 runs a week is plenty for now. When you add mileage, add it to your weekly long run. When you eventually get to more advanced training you may be running more often, but follow a plan.

bwogilvie

I didn't. I found that running 3-4 days a week was fine for me, but 5 days a week, even at the same total weekly mileage, led to injuries. That was an important thing to learn about my legs! Instead, I added other exercises into the mix; now I mostly cycle (at my present weight, running is too hard on my knees), but I also use a rowing machine and take walks, and from time to time use a NordicTrack my mother didn't want anymore. (In the winter, I XC ski if there's enough snow.)

I trust the 10% rule; it's based on a lot of experience. Running stresses your joints, which experience forces up to five times your body weight. You need time to adapt. If you add a 5th run, I would advise starting by cutting back on the other runs, so that your total mileage is the same. If you find you can handle that OK, then slowly increase distance.

bwogilvie

Oh, I forgot to mention a couple of very useful books: Joseph Ellis, Running Injury Free, and Tim Noakes, M.D., Lore of Running (now in its 4th edition, I think), which includes an extensive discussion of running injuries and how to avoid and treat them.

froeschli

thanks for the replies :-)

i'll stick to the training plan then, at least until it's finished, then i'll look at something more advanced. as for cycling on off days - i tried, but with my history of bicycling accidents, it's a bit more stressful than i'd like :-p

LoosingMyLast15

while training for my first half i added time to 1 of my days (i was running 4 days; 3 shortish runs and 1 long one on the weekends). i added extra time to one during the week run (my wednesday night runs) and it helped me build up my miles. so on wednesdays i weight trained in the afternoon and then when i got home from work i went for an hour to 1.5 run. on the weekends i started at 1.5 hours building up to 2 hours.

scottb81

I thought your scheme was good. 5 is always better than 4 AS LONG AS you can handle it without injury. You seem to have a good idea about how to go about adding those days while minimizing injury risk.

According to Dr. Noakes in "Lore of Running" the minimum number of days to run and have a net positive effect on running ability is 3. Adding a 4th day gives a large marginal benefit in fitness gain with a small marginal increase in injury risk.

Adding a 5th day gives a smaller marginal gain in fitness with a slightly larger injury risk.

Adding a 6th and 7th day gives correspondingly smaller fitness gains with increasing injury risk.

So, adding a 4th day is an excellent idea and it will pay off. Adding a 5th day will pay off also as long as you don't get hurt in the process.

SteadyEdina

I have always increased my long run gradually and if I have been training for a specific event I have followed a plan but I don't do all my runs at the same pace. Long runs I do at an easy conversational pace and after a hard run I would do an easy/recovery run on the next session.

RunnerElizabeth

I've been trying to add a 5th running day and can't seem to get it to take. I can even do increased mileage in 4 days but if I add a 5th at lower mileage, I end up constantly fatigued and with left calf pain. Granted, I just added strength to my regimen about a month ago, so that might be part of it.

But anyway, my plan was to decrease the mileage of all my runs to accommodate the extra day and then add more than 10% per week but it just hasn't worked for me.