is it better to work on pace or mileage?

pearshapedmum

As the question suggests really. I have been easing into running over the past couple of months in my lovely new 4mm drop trainers. I have had a couple of foot tendon issues which are now resolved. I am aiming to complete a half marathon in April 2016. I am currently running about 4/5 miles a time, 3 times per week. Is it better for me to keep a slower pace and increase distance, or increase my pace at this distance?!

Stoshew71

@pearshapedmum

I am a big proponent of building up your miles to improve endurance and speed. You need to build up an aerobic base. This means you should slowly increase mileage. The following video from Dr. Jack Daniels (regarded as the best running coach in America by Runner's World and other sources) cites the reason why more easy miles is better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veAQ73OJdwY

The benefits you get from running in building up your aerobic base happens as a function of time running (more distance) and not speed (or pace). Currently it appears you are doing 3 even runs (each run is 4-5 miles). You may want to consider a 4 day week if your schedule allows with one of those runs being a long run. Again, all easy conversational pace for now.

Your long run should make up 25-33% of your weekly mileage.

Eventually you will get to a point where your weekly mileage reaches a maximum. Then you can add some what I call beginner's speed workouts. Things like lactate threshold or tempo workouts. Strides and fartleks in your easy runs. When you improve, then you can then add hill repeats and intervals or VO2max repeats. Usually it takes about a year maybe a little longer before you worry about throwing in speed workouts.

LittlePinkShotgun

I would suggest you work on both... your weekend long slow run builds up endurance while your mid week tempo run develops speed. Throw in some intervals and a recovery run (or two) and there you have it!

pearshapedmum

thanks for the replies. as adivsed sunday will be my 'long' run day as its the only day that I can fit this in. I did 6 easy miles yesterday at about 6.5 mph. hope to build slowly to about 10 miles by Christmas. the other two runs are kept short as they are done during my lunch time. When my mileage has increased I may have to drop a run, and do one at about 7 miles midweek evening and a longer one on sundays. I have had 10 years with almost constant ITB issues. I seem to cope better with 2/3 runs per week. I have been strength training as well as doing recommended exercises and stretches. The ITB is actually my limiting factor, rather than my fitness. I think that perhaps years of wearing stability shoes actually created the problem rather than helping me. Now I am in more flexible shoes, switched to a forefoot landing/short stride, so am trying to build up slowly to avoid knee pain.

midweek will then become my tempo run I guess. I will google this but I thought it just meant a shorter distance at a faster pace?!

ps - signed up today for my half marathon. April 17th next year, and want to do it in under 2hrs completely pain free :-)

Stoshew71

@pearshapedmum Check out my post in the September's Challenge on Sept 4 (2:15 central time) regarding ITBS.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10244219/september-2015-running-challenge/p9

^^^^ 10th post from the top.

Stoshew71

And here are links about tempo running and lactate threshold (which is a related term)

The Three Energy Systems Used in Running
http://runnersconnect.net/running-nutrition-articles/energy-systems-running/

How lactic acid really works: The science of fatigue and lactate
http://runnersconnect.net/running-training-articles/science-of-lactic-acid/

What is lactate clearance and how can it help you run faster
http://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/lactate-clearance/

What is Lactate Threshold
http://runnersconnect.net/running-training-articles/what-is-lactate-threshold/

velocity at Lactate Threshold
http://www.dubbostampede.com.au/training-1/lactate-threshold-lt-and-velocity-at-lactate-threshold-vlt

Jack Daniels on Threshold Training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxJVtPT6rHo



Sage Canaday at VO2Max Productions
(Part 1 - LT Training/Tempo Runs Correct Pace/Intensity)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j3XWp5fjx0


(Part 2 - Examples of Workouts)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYewLhJMex8


The 20 minute Tempo Run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg28i_IikGM

pearshapedmum

stoshew71 - thanks for all of that useful info. cant wait to have a look (im at work at the minute!). im doing lots of glute and hamstring work at the minute (strong curves strength training 3x per week) so im hoping it helps :-)

thanks again for the great info,

jameseylefebure

As a running newbie myself thanks for this! Loads of great advice!

sthoma13

I read somewhere that running hills also helps increase speed. Any thoughts on this? Or anybody regularly do it? I'm looking to vary my workouts by adding inclines as well as tempo runs (I primarily train on the treadmill) and I live in Texas so most of my races are actually flat.

k80flec

sthoma13 wrote: »

I read somewhere that running hills also helps increase speed. Any thoughts on this? Or anybody regularly do it? I'm looking to vary my workouts by adding inclines as well as tempo runs (I primarily train on the treadmill) and I live in Texas so most of my races are actually flat.

I've recently started to run again and I've joined a running club. The club has a training cycle that includes:

*hill training (20 mins up and down a defined 0.5 mile incline)
*speed training (wk 1: 0.25 m loops, wk 2 0.5, wk 3 1 m - total distance each time between 2 and 3 mile and direction of travel reversed with each loop)
*Predicted mile and two mile loops ( you predict your time for a distance)
*Fartlek training (speed between lamp posts and recovery)
*Pyramid runs( running at speed for 30 sec, 1 min etc)

Hope this helps

ETA where I run is mostly flat too, inclines tend to be about 10 metres

Orphia

pearshapedmum wrote: »

thanks for the replies. as adivsed sunday will be my 'long' run day as its the only day that I can fit this in. I did 6 easy miles yesterday at about 6.5 mph. hope to build slowly to about 10 miles by Christmas. the other two runs are kept short as they are done during my lunch time. When my mileage has increased I may have to drop a run, and do one at about 7 miles midweek evening and a longer one on sundays. I have had 10 years with almost constant ITB issues. I seem to cope better with 2/3 runs per week. I have been strength training as well as doing recommended exercises and stretches. The ITB is actually my limiting factor, rather than my fitness. I think that perhaps years of wearing stability shoes actually created the problem rather than helping me. Now I am in more flexible shoes, switched to a forefoot landing/short stride, so am trying to build up slowly to avoid knee pain.

midweek will then become my tempo run I guess. I will google this but I thought it just meant a shorter distance at a faster pace?!

ps - signed up today for my half marathon. April 17th next year, and want to do it in under 2hrs completely pain free :-)

@pearshapedmum Did you do the HM?