Running further, longer, or faster? What to work on?

vienna_h

So let's say a person has done a couch to 5k or similar type of program where they went from not running much, to running their first 5k in, let's say, 30 minutes.


If the ultimate goal is fitness, what should be their next goal?

a) to start a new program to go from 5k to 10k (increase distance, regardless of pace or time)

b) to start running longer than 30 minutes until they get tired (increase running time, at which ever pace or distance)

c) to keep running 5k maximum, but to accomplish it in less than 30 minutes (increase pace, maintain distance, decrease running time)


Which should one work on - distance, duration/time, or pace/speed?

SirDoctorofTARDIS

That's really up to the runner. Which do you want more? From there I would be better able to help you rather than create 3 individualized running programs. Message me if you like.

MoreBean13

What else is involved in your fitness program, besides running?

If running is the main focus, I would probably try to get to 10k base mileage distance, and start adding in interval/fartlek days and some sprints to work on speed as well. I like 10k as a weekly base distance.

It's totally up to you, though, depending on how much time you want to spend running.

ThickMcRunFast

Increase distance, and speed will come naturally

All the speed work in the world won't do much if you don't have a good base for it (speed work is called 'sharpening', you have to have a base in order to sharpen it).

Basically, if you want to run a faster 5k as a new runner, train for a 10k. Whether or not you actually run a 10k, or just increase your distance slowly is up to you, but it does sometimes help to have a tangible goal to work towards.

ElliottTN

I am pretty sure that if you go with option A then it will also accomplish option B and C while in the process of hitting a. I think after 10k distance is when then next steps get a bit tricky with where ya wanna go.

DavPul

Ultimate goal is "fitness"? What does that even mean? I know what it means to me but my extends only to me. You'll get better answers if you're less vague

MeanderingMammal

a) to start a new program to go from 5k to 10k (increase distance, regardless of pace or time)

Increase your base mileage, speed will come from that.

10K is a decent fitness runner distance, it's long enough to be a good workout, but it doesn't take over your life and leaves space for complementary training; resistance work helps with injury prevention and improving form.

_Waffle_

Which should one work on - distance, duration/time, or pace/speed?

Focus on distance and time on your feet and you'll have all of the above. If you can run for an hour instead of 30 minutes regardless of distance then obviously you'll be able to run faster when you're only running for 30 minutes. Once you are able to run for longer periods of time then you can run further. It all meshes together.

Generally you'll focus on a distance instead of a time since mentally that's easier on you. If you're just running for 30 minutes then you'll be tempted to stop at 28 minutes some days. If however you need to reach the end of a road to reach 5 miles then of course you'll have more mental drive to accomplish this since it's an actual physical goal.

arc918

More miles, more miles, more miles!

Fit4_Life

I'd rather get my endurance up first, then speed.

Stoshew71

try to increase your weekly milage. So if you run 3x a week. bump each day up by a little. If you run 5x a week, then you bump each day up by a little less.

Rule of thumb is you can safely increase your weekly milage by 1-2 miles each week. You can over time pick one day of the week and attempt to run a long run. That is a day where you run further than the other days. I used to run 3 miles 4 days a week (M,T,R,F). But then on a Sat run like 6 miles. Maybe break it up first. Run 3, rest for a half hour then run 3 more. Over time, I increased that so now I run 4 miles M-F, then on Saturday (for example the past 2 Saturdays I ran 13 miles). Another rule of thumb is that your long run should not be more than 35% of your weekly milage.

When you do all of that, your speed will come naturally.

vienna_h

It was intentionally vague and theoretical.

I've heard comments from people, bashing others who can barely finish a 5k, go on to attempt a 10k. They say you get more health benefits from running a 5k efficiently and quickly then if you struggle to finish a 10k.

But it seems when most people set up running goals it is usually a distance goal, not a performance one. Why?

Obviously, distance and duration are closely linked: if you run for a longer time, you'll cover more distance, and vice versa. But you could be doing either at a much slower pace.

So which is more beneficial to overall fitness? To keep increasing distance, duration, or speed? If you increase distance/duration, you're mostly working on endurance. If you increase speed, what are you improving? strength? more efficient weight loss?

DavPul

So we're all in agreement then. If my ultimate goal is fitness I should run more miles. Got it, thanks.

_Waffle_

So we're all in agreement then. If my ultimate goal is fitness I should run more miles. Got it, thanks.

No, less fruit.

ThickMcRunFast

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'fitness'...body fat %? Race time? I mean, an advanced 5k plan is going to be pretty similar (mileage wise) to a half marathon plan. If you're talking about just improving your overall running performance, then you need a combination of endurance runs, speed runs, and easy/recovery runs, as well as strength training.

MoreBean13

It was intentionally vague and theoretical.

I've heard comments from people, bashing others who can barely finish a 5k, go on to attempt a 10k. They say you get more health benefits from running a 5k efficiently and quickly then if you struggle to finish a 10k.

But it seems when most people set up running goals it is usually a distance goal, not a performance one. Why?

Obviously, distance and duration are closely linked: if you run for a longer time, you'll cover more distance, and vice versa. But you could be doing either at a much slower pace.

So which is more beneficial to overall fitness? To keep increasing distance, duration, or speed? If you increase distance/duration, you're mostly working on endurance. If you increase speed, what are you improving? strength? more efficient weight loss?

It's much easier to go on to a 10k and build your endurance than to try to run faster 5ks if you can't run a 10k. Adding distance makes you naturally faster. You can always add in speed training after you get your mileage base.

_Waffle_

Obviously, distance and duration are closely linked: if you run for a longer time, you'll cover more distance, and vice versa. But you could be doing either at a much slower pace.

Sure. Let's say you burn 100 calories a mile. What's the benefit of running those miles instead of walking them if they burn the same calories? The answer of course is time. You're trading time for calories. Which one is easier to replace? An hour of time or 600 calories? You should also remember that there's no such thing as a free lunch. You can't simply do the same thing at a quicker pace and burn the same calories over the same distance. It cost a bit more to do it more quickly.

So which is more beneficial to overall fitness? To keep increasing distance, duration, or speed? If you increase distance/duration, you're mostly working on endurance. If you increase speed, what are you improving? strength? more efficient weight loss?

Most efficient? Simply eat less calories. If you want to actually look better I'd recommend a nice strength conditioning plan along with a good cardio plan.

Don't overthink this. Just have fun running if you enjoy it.

Zurichman

This depends on how serious you want to be in your 5k or 10k run. Most people get it wrong on a couple of fronts in training for any type of race or run.

1. Just running more miles doesn't always make you a better runner. You need to get quality miles in every week.

2. Running fast every workout doesn't make you a better runner. The more time you spent out exercising the more calories you burn.

3. If you have a specific goal in mind I would recommend the following.

Most training plans have the following.

1. A 3-4 month training plan.
2. The 1st 2 months is usually a base built up phase.
3. The next phase is a speed work out or intensity built up phase which is usually a 2-3 week period.
4. The next phase is a LSD(long slow distance) phase where you normally run lets say a 22-24 mile workout if you are running a marathon 2 weeks before your race. You then pick your race and work the distances and training phases 2 weeks backwards from your race.
5. The last 2 weeks is tapering.

How this is accomplished is increase mileage 10% per week. Every 4 weeks is a light week. Runs during the week could include 1 night of speed, 1 night of interval training and 1 night of tempo which you concentrate on you running style. You could also include some hill training in your base workout phase.

You fitness can also be tested by measuring your resting pulse every morning and if it does a sudden jump you are over training.

My marathons runs included time of Marine Corps my 1st in 3:25 and my best time of 2:50. My running career ended competitively when I had an ankle injury which they botched the surgery.


Hope this helps.

essjay76

More miles, more miles, more miles!

^^ I'm in this camp.

MeanderingMammal

So which is more beneficial to overall fitness? To keep increasing distance, duration, or speed? If you increase distance/duration, you're mostly working on endurance. If you increase speed, what are you improving? strength? more efficient weight loss?

Not really getting the question, as there are so many variables. Running is beneficial, running short distances has a different effect than running long distances. It all depends what you want to achieve.

If your focus is on 5K then optimising speed will involve long runs, short intervals and tempos, resistance training focusing on explosive strength.

If your focus is on 10K then optimising speed will involve longer long runs, short intervals and tempos and resistance training focusing on injury prevention and core stablisation.

If your focus is on Half or full Marathons then long runs, for long periods of time, long runs including intervals and tempo periods, short runs with intervals and tempos, resistance training as previously.

They'll all have the effect of reduction in resting heart rate, blood pressure etc. There are also the psychological effects of exercise, generally seen as reducing stress and helping decision making capacity etc. That's not exclusive to running though.

As to your point about people setting objectives to distance isn't optimal. I'd agree, but it's an easy decision for a novice to pin down as an objective. Again entirely psychological, and if you look at many C25K plans they're actually time based, rather than distance, so frequently people can't run 5K by the end, but they can run for 30 minutes continuously.

Once they've got there they have the opporutnity to go further in that time, or move to a different distance.

From a personal perspective I tend to run for time periods, but as I understand my performance I can assess improvements against pace, distance etc. I'm working on improving my 10K time at the moment, and the entire plan is time based, rather than distance based. There are distance expectations, based on the paces that I run, but it's secondary.

eldamiano

This is sort of like asking what haircut is best. Is there a simple, generic answer to this?

Is Usain Bolt more fit than Mo Farah? Errr.... dont know. Usain Bolt could almost definitely run an impressive 5k, 10k, marathon for sure. Maybe not as good as Farah but so what?

But their training is tailored to their needs.