Building a Running Base

demoiselle2014

I finished C25k at the end of June, had a two week break due to a minor injury, and returned to running 3 days per week (30 minutes per run at an easy 12 min/mi pace) two weeks ago.

My plan had been to start the One Hour Runner program this week, which would get me up to doing one 30, one 40, and 60 minute run per week. It would have me running 3 days per week and lasts 10 weeks.

However, I really like running, and my body is telling me it wants to run more. Maybe one more day per week? Or a bit longer than 30 minutes?

I don't want an injury, and I don't want to overtrain. When can I safely add another day or time to my runs? Or should I just stick to a program for now?

scottb81

It really is an idividual thing depending on a lot of diffeent factors. But, it's probably safe to begin by adding another 30 to 40 min run right now. Just pay attention to how you are feeling and back off for a week if its overloading you. Signs to look for are runs beginnning to feel a lot more difficult, elevated resting heart rate for several days in a row, unexplained sickness, and something beginning to hurt.

lporter229

scottb81 wrote: »

It really is an idividual thing depending on a lot of diffeent factors. But, it's probably safe to begin by adding another 30 to 40 min run right now. Just pay attention to how you are feeling and back off for a week if its overloading you. Signs to look for are runs beginnning to feel a lot more difficult, elevated resting heart rate for several days in a row, unexplained sickness, and something beginning to hurt.

I agree with everything said here. Also, the best way to avoid injury or over training is to stick to a slow, comfortable pace, which it sounds like you are doing. It's when you try to increase your mileage AND intensity too quickly that you are more susceptible to these kinds of problems. Good luck!

demoiselle2014

Do you have any suggestions on how to safely add a fourth running day to my week while also doing a program like One Hour Runner (which gradually adds time)?

lporter229

Can you give a specific example of what a week of that program would look like? Maybe week one and week 5 so we can see how it progresses.

scottb81

One way is to structure it like this to still give a lot of recovery before and after your long run day. Later, you may find you don't need this much recovery around that day but in the beginning, as you run longer distances for the first time, it will ensure you are fresh and mentally strong for it. If the extra day (Thu) is too hard in the beginning at 30 min then start off with something shorter or start off with a run/walk scheme until your body adapts to two days in a row. Either way will help in building your base.

..........Week 1. . . Week 10
Mon...30 min.......30 min
Tue....Rest............Rest
Wed...30 min.........40 min
Thu....30 min........30 to 40 min
Fri......Rest............Rest
Sat.....30 min.........60 min
Sun....Rest.............Rest

In my opinion, adding a 4th day is the best thing someone can do to improve their running. You get a big fitness boost over three days without a big increase in injury risk. I got that from Lore of Running by Timothy Noakes. The other best thing is getting your weekly volume up to a minimum of around 2000 calories burned, so around 20 miles. However, that last part should wait until you have the 60 min program completed. :-)

cheshirecatastrophe

Why not take a couple more weeks before starting One Hour Runner? This week, add a fourth run of 1 mile. Next week it's two miles. Then three miles. Then you're ready to start One Hour Runner with an extra ~30 min run in there.

lporter229

I think Scott's plan is a good one. Right in line with what I was thinking. I like to make one day a week (likely Thursday according to this plan) where I just do whatever I feel like doing. It's just my free run day. Sometimes I leave my Garmin at home and don't even monitor my mileage. It's very liberating and reminds me why I run in the first place. You could use this day to do something similar. Run 30 minutes if you feel like it. Run 10 minutes, run/ walk. Do whatever your body feels like doing. I think the two most important things when increasing your mileage are to listen to your body and don't obsess over the numbers or this can easily lead to burn out.

demoiselle2014

Here is a link to the plan: One Hour Runner. The first three weeks has you continuing at 30 minutes, 3 days per week. Weeks 4-10 gradually build by a few minutes per week to having one 30, one 40, and one 60 minute run per week.

I picked it because I liked the approach better than c210k, which increases rather abruptly in the first week after you complete your first 30 minute run.

Spyer116

One way that might help you would be your runners. To get a good pair made for running or longer distances. And possibly with extra padding too, depending on your preferences.

For years i've stuck with a normal/general pair of runners, the same kind, would buy a new pair of it every year.
But I recently upgraded to some sketchers that cost €95 made for really high activity, and extra padding/cushioning.
It feels amazing when i'm running now while before it would sort hurt(? not painwise, but runnres were flat and almost no padding, so the impact was alot more than it should be witch each stride) , and the padding/cushionning means the impact on joints (ankles/knees/etc), is minimized by alot, and alleviates any discomfort for that.
Personally, it lets me run either faster or for longer, just because its more comfortable.

So if you're going to try to increase your runs or run more often, then investing in some better runners is always a good option.

Also, listen to your body. It could drastically make your runs improve quicker or feel better.
If you feel like it(you) want to run more often. Then just go out that extra day or two each week. If some weeks/days you really REALLY don't feel up to it, then skip it for that day or few days.
When I first started, I could only run for like 5 minutes (about 0.7 of a mile), over the course of 2 weeks, got it up to 1.2 miles. Had a very bad morning then on one run and couldn't even hit 1 mile before stopping.
But then the next night (so the bad run was monday morning, next was tuesday night), i got in a random urge to run. Like an intense urge. And i never ran at night, was always the mornings before work.
But for whatever reason, I just had this feeling i had to go out. I did, and ran. But slower than usual. And just kept running and running until I ran for like 28 minutes and did a 3.1mile / 5k. (while the previous morning I couldn't even do 1 mile), I couldn't have been more elated. I sat for like 30 seconds thinking I should rest and enjoy the achievement. But got back up and ran home then which was another 0.65 miles too.
So the point of that story is, to just listen to your body and urges, and try not to stick too much to a steady routine / amount each week. Sometimes run 4 or 5 times in the one week if you really feel like doing it. Other times, just run the once or twice, or even skip it completely if your body doesn't feel up for it.
My best runs were on sudden urges/impulses, rather than set schedules that I made ahead of time (those sometimes even feel so tedious/arduous and I hate them sometimes, haha)

DYELB

When can you add an extra day of running?

...on a day you're not already running?

Spyer116

DYELB wrote: »

When can you add an extra day of running?

...on a day you're not already running?

Indeed. Running doesn't always need rest days. At least not every time.
It depends on the duration, distance, and intensity of the run.
And your general fitness or motivation. If you're doing sprints and/or Higher intensity runs, then you might need rest days between them as regardless of distance, they are taxing on your body.
If you're running for 30-60+ minutes in your runs, then rest days might be good too (not between every run, but at least one or two rest days each week), or if you still want to run the next day, do an easier pace or shorter run.

Also your general fitness/stamina. If you can run half or full marathons. Then between your training days, I think running something as 'short' as a 5k or maybe even a 10k, at an easy pace for you would be ok.
But if you could barely run over 5k at your most. Then on your rest days if you wanna run, doing like just a 1 mile jog or something would be better.

but like i said in my previous reply. Listen to your body. If you feel good and have an urge to run, then run even if its supposed to be a rest day. Intensity/duration/distance, use a bit of common sense and how your body is feeling.
If you're training intensely or for long runs on your training days, just take easy/shorter ones on the rest days you do feel like running on

Mr_Knight

demoiselle2014 wrote: »

Do you have any suggestions on how to safely add a fourth running day to my week while also doing a program like One Hour Runner (which gradually adds time)?

Just do it. Add a short 30 minute relaxed run day, and on the other three running days, do the One Hour Runner bit. The only time you really need a rest day from running is if you're doing really high intensity intervals. And even then, 30 minutes at easy pace will probably help more than it hurts.

You're nowhere any kind of physical limit - as long as you build slow you're years from being in danger of over-training.

Good luck! :drinker:

demoiselle2014

DYELB wrote: »

When can you add an extra day of running?

...on a day you're not already running?

I was not asking in terms of my personal schedule, of course, but so as not to risk injury from increasing too fast...

demoiselle2014

Thank you for all the tips!

demoiselle2014

Thank you again, everyone. This morning, I added a 20 minute run of about a mile and a half. It felt great, and I could have kept on going. It's my first time running back to back days, and it took me a bit longer to warm up.

I'll build this run up to 30 minutes, too, and get started on One Hour Runner the other three days of the week.

cheshirecatastrophe

Congratulations! That's so awesome!

A good benchmark is to increase one at a time: frequency (days per week), distance, intensity. Sounds like you're right on track, and rocking it, too.