Runners, what's your limit? How many miles/day, rest days...

teamAmelia
teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Runners, what's your limit? How many miles/day can you do and how many days in a row can you go before needing a break because your running is slowing down bc you're doing too much? Please also let me know how long you've been running and what your average speed and distance is. Thanks. :smile:
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Replies

  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    I've been running for over 5 years now, so my stamina is quite good. I used to run 1.5- 2 hours a day and stop before I feel like I need to. Since I started incorporating weight training, I run .5 - 1 hour a day for weight training days and 1.5- 2 for non- weight training days for the most part.
  • AstroRocket
    AstroRocket Posts: 119 Member
    I don't run I cycle, once I get going it can be all day. As this IS about running, my sister in law runs 5k everyday.
  • mommy_03
    mommy_03 Posts: 54 Member
    I run 3-4 miles 2-3 times a week
  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
    I've been running for a little over a year. I run 6 days a week, between 4 to 6 miles everyday, with a longer run of over 10 miles on the weekend. Going to to start training for a marathon next month so my mileage is going to go up. My pace is between 8:30 and 11 depending on the length and type of run I'm doing.
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    Thanks for all of the responses. :smile: I'm hoping that I can have the endurance to run for miles at a time at least 4 days a wk soon!
    I've been running for a little over a year. I run 6 days a week, between 4 to 6 miles everyday, with a longer run of over 10 miles on the weekend. Going to to start training for a marathon next month so my mileage is going to go up. My pace is between 8:30 and 11 depending on the length and type of run I'm doing.

    Before you started running, could you only run short amts of time, like a minute or so? How long could you run? Thanks.
  • jardin12
    jardin12 Posts: 62 Member
    Took me months to work up to 30 minutes running but once you've done it once you can do it again.
  • jarednuzzi
    jarednuzzi Posts: 18
    I would loosely interpret it as running. I went from doing none about 5 months ago. Now I'm good for 2 miles a day 6 days a week. I can push to three a day but then my dog can't keep up so we comprimise with a few 2.5 mile days.
  • HealthyVitamins
    HealthyVitamins Posts: 432 Member
    been running for about month, currently do a 5K 5 times a week, building up to a 12K trail run I have in September. I LOVE it!

    I do my 5K in 38 minutes - not that fast I know but I am currently trying to get that time down :)

    *edited to say that I don't RUN the whole way, I alternate between fast jogging and walking when out of breath!
  • Ale99138
    Ale99138 Posts: 6
    I started trying to accomplish 1 mile run without stopping (felt like I couldn't breath) and worked up to 2 mi/day 6 days/week. I did that for about 1 month before running 5k every day and 10k on weekends. After 3 months I try switching it up with weight training some days. It will just come natural, your body will tell you when you can keep pushing. The time will just keep getting better and better as you go along, the important thing is to keep at it!! You can do it!!!
  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
    Thanks for all of the responses. :smile: I'm hoping that I can have the endurance to run for miles at a time at least 4 days a wk soon!
    I've been running for a little over a year. I run 6 days a week, between 4 to 6 miles everyday, with a longer run of over 10 miles on the weekend. Going to to start training for a marathon next month so my mileage is going to go up. My pace is between 8:30 and 11 depending on the length and type of run I'm doing.

    Before you started running, could you only run short amts of time, like a minute or so? How long could you run? Thanks.
    When I started last June I couldn't run at all!! Had never run a day in my life. I did the couch to 5K program and just worked my way up from there. Once I hit the 20 minute run in the program, I think it's week 5 day 3, I stopped following it and just started increasing from 20 minutes to 25 to 30. When I was just getting started I ran/walked 3 days a week and after about 3 months of that I started going everyday. And just gradually kept increasing my distance. To date I have done a half marathon race and my longest run so far is 14 miles.
  • Keebler1976
    Keebler1976 Posts: 70 Member
    I started committing to running in January 2013, Started slow but I made it to 3 mi three days a week and 5mi to 6mi on Saturdays by mid-June. Slowed down in August (vacation time) and now back at it, I am doing my first half marathon in February 2014 (25 weeks away) I’ve got some work to do but I’m pumped !!!
  • LearnFromTheRed
    LearnFromTheRed Posts: 294 Member
    I started pretty much unable to do anything. I worked out that a run round the block was exactly a kilometre and started out trying to run that without stopping. It took three or four attempts and then on 1st July I did it - before going out later that evening and doing it again! I had real trouble breathing and didn't expect to get much further.

    The weather here got stupidly hot in July so I spent the month doing intervals on a stationary bike and some light weights. On 31st July I managed to string the two kilometres together and was thrilled to bits.

    That was Wednesday. The following Sunday I ran three, and then did it again the next evening. Two days later, five. Three days after that, seven. Two days after that, ten! I went from 2km to 10km in two and a half weeks.

    My breathing is far less of an issue now - my lesson has been completely a mental thing, not to give up before I've reached my actual limit. I have all kinds of psychological tricks to keep me going and the physical aspect of it seems to be far less of a problem. Don't get me wrong, the 10km was tough and has taken some recovery afterwards, but I went out and did 3km three days later and was fine.

    Next challenges are 15km, and getting faster at shorter distances.
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    I run 5 days a week. 3 regular runs 1 speed day (intervals or tempo run) and a long run (10 - 15. Miles). My speed day is what I can cram into 30 mins, currently 3.5 miles. My regular runs are generally my commute home from the office, 5 miles (3 flat, 2 steep hills) pushing my 3 yearold in the stroller. Hard! Depending on heat and number of stops, I may average 13 min miles for those runs. So my pace varies between an 8 min mile to a 13 min mile depending on what I'm doing. Got my average down to 10 min miles for a half marathon now working on 9.

    I've been running consistently since June 2012.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    Runners, what's your limit? How many miles/day can you do and how many days in a row can you go before needing a break because your running is slowing down bc you're doing too much? Please also let me know how long you've been running and what your average speed and distance is. Thanks. :smile:

    I run every other day and after the third training session I have two days off, during that two days I will go to the gym for weights.

    I am building up my mileage now, I run between six and nine miles around 9:20 to 10 mins mile pace, all depending how I feel on the day.

    I measure all of my routes on Gmapspedometer and store them all so I can refer to them at any time.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    I'm surprised how many people run consecutive days. Guess I'm afraid of injury. I run about every other day (sometimes take two days off, I never run two days in a row). I run 3-4 miles and since I'm training for a 10 mile run I do one long run a week. I'm up to 8 miles on my long run, increasing a mile each week. My pace is 9-10 min miles. I do strength DVDs twice a week on my off days. Usually 1-2 rest days.
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    I started pretty much unable to do anything. I worked out that a run round the block was exactly a kilometre and started out trying to run that without stopping. It took three or four attempts and then on 1st July I did it - before going out later that evening and doing it again! I had real trouble breathing and didn't expect to get much further.

    The weather here got stupidly hot in July so I spent the month doing intervals on a stationary bike and some light weights. On 31st July I managed to string the two kilometres together and was thrilled to bits.

    That was Wednesday. The following Sunday I ran three, and then did it again the next evening. Two days later, five. Three days after that, seven. Two days after that, ten! I went from 2km to 10km in two and a half weeks.

    My breathing is far less of an issue now - my lesson has been completely a mental thing, not to give up before I've reached my actual limit. I have all kinds of psychological tricks to keep me going and the physical aspect of it seems to be far less of a problem. Don't get me wrong, the 10km was tough and has taken some recovery afterwards, but I went out and did 3km three days later and was fine.

    Next challenges are 15km, and getting faster at shorter distances.

    Wow. That's impressive. This is going to help me get through the stage of C25K that I'm on. Just gotta keep going, even when it's hard, I guess. Thanks.
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
    3-4 consecutive days 7-8 miles usually up to 10, unless I'm feeling really motivated. And then I have a proper long run on the weekend.
  • guessrs
    guessrs Posts: 358 Member
    I always take a rest/recovery day after my runs, it protects my legs from injuries and muscles are rebuilt. I'm training for a marathon so my runs are from fast 5 miles to slow 20 miles. I'm big on stretching.

    I started out walking because I was too heavy, then I added short runs at the end of my walks. Then I slowly ran for 20 min, 30 min and increased time each week. Listen to your body. I took my time. It took me two months to run 40 min slowly. Then I lost weight and it got much better.
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  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    3-4 consecutive days 7-8 miles usually up to 10, unless I'm feeling really motivated. And then I have a proper long run on the weekend.

    Am I just hungry or is there a pancake on your bunny's head? :laugh:
    I run for an hour and 10 minutes,
    The last ten minutes are for breathing purposes
    I am an awful lazy runner.
    7 days in and 3 days off.

    I am unfortunately the laziest person.


    I run by time though.
    I often thought of running by mileage but am too lazy.
    I do a 7 minutes a mile
    I could improve but then I would have to let go of the time
    and I guess somewhere in me the timing is more valuable
    I never focused on mileage
    and I really don't tend to focus on focus much

    I have been running for a while if that's important
    :laugh: You're clearly not lazy. If I ran over an hr a day for 7 straight days, I'd need a break, too. It averages out; over 30 days, you run for 21 of those days. Nice job.
  • i_am_asparagus
    i_am_asparagus Posts: 336 Member
    I'm a runner who doesn't run all that much. I love running, but I'd rather mix it with other training.

    I started running with C25K and carried on running 3 times a week after finishing the program. I wanted to do a long run, a tempo run and some interval training every week, so I started stretching one of my runs 5-10 minutes every week until I could run an hour and used the C25K program to do intervals (jog, run fast) on my other run. My third run would be a timed 5K and I would go all out and try to beat my PB, which happened quite frequently - I went from 33ish mins to under 24 mins in about 6 months.

    Now I run 15-20 miles per week and I'm trying to get back in the habit of doing circuit training and weights as that is when I was at my fittest and fastest.

    IME, if you train smart a little goes a long way.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    I'm in marathon training now, so I run 5 days a week, no more than 3 days in a row. Total run mileage is in the 50s right now. The other 2 days are active recovery or light strength training (bodyweight, planks, pushups, squats and lunges).

    Even at the highest level I don't spend more than 8 hours a week on it. Some runs are 30 minutes, some are over 2 hours.
  • spaceyplum
    spaceyplum Posts: 54 Member
    I started with C25K back in March and those first few weeks were hell! I could barely run 5 minutes without hyperventilating and now I can run 10K in a little over an hour which I still find amazing. I try to run 5-6 days a week before work because it's the only time I can fit it in. I try to do a minimum of 2 miles which I can generally knock out in 20 minutes on a good day but I alternate between 20-60 minutes a day depending on how much time I have. Mypage rage pace is a little over 10 min so far although on good days it can go under 9.

    I suggest you download RunKeeper or Runtastic when you're done with C25K, it helps to keep me motivated. I need to start adding strength training but I'm really lazy about that, I prefer to run outside in the fresh air.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I try for at least 50 miles a month. How that plays out from month to month varies, but that's my basic goal.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    Up to 14 days in a row.
    UP to 80+ miles per week.
    UP to 10 sessions in a week.

    Pace ranges from 11:00 miles down to 6:30s depending on the workout.

    Been running for 10 years.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    Last week was the most I ever ran. Total was 130 kilometers over 6 days (I take one rest day each week). From now until October (my first marathon) I plan to run an average of about 100 kilometers a week.

    I have been running less than one year.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    bumping. I ran my longest distance yesterday of 7.11 miles (I brisked walked when I needed to due to my asthma, less then half a mile). I have ran 10 5ks, one of which was an obstacle course mud run. I have 3 more 5ks next month and then after that not sure, hoping to run my first half next April.

    I try to run at least 3 days a week, 3-4 miles with a long distance run included. When I started running in March 2012, I couldn't run more then maybe 30 seconds before i would stop and give up. I ran my first 5k in June of last year. I tried to do C25k but got really bored, so I went through and would run a song/walk a song and started increasing my mileage from .5 up to 2.5 (when I ran my first 5k, i had not gotten to where i could run 3 miles all at once). I have had injury and illness and life in general catch up but once I got back into it there was no stopping me (I had taken from Sept to Oct of last year off).

    When I am not running, i do weight lifting (2 times a week) and I dance (I am a dance minor at the university I attend).

    Pace avg anywhere from 10.22 to 14. I am still working on speed when it comes to shorter distances, but with my asthma and the med I am for it, I am still going to be slow until i get adjusted to the new meds (the doctor and I talked about putting me on new ones to manage it but we are waiting for the results to come in. She thinks I may have some underlying regular asthma issues that haven't been looked at yet that aren't weight related).
  • litatura
    litatura Posts: 569 Member
    I've been back at running for about year and a half now and set a goal of a minimum of 100kms/month. I typically run 4X/week for anywhere from 5 to 8 kms.
  • emsoquena
    emsoquena Posts: 127 Member
    Been running for a little more than a year now. I do it 3-4 times a week and I don't go less than 5km for each run. When I need to, I slow down or brisk walk because I have asthma.
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
    i started last year, took a few months break and started again this february. now i am up to about 35km a week, typically 5k, 8k, 5k and 18k. i am working on adding one more day, but i also want to increase the time i am running (5k barely feels like a warmup anymore).
    it all depends on how you eat, sleep and work. some weeks i am fine doing an extra run, but last week for example, i barely managed 8k instead of 18. all because i didn't eat enough the day before....

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