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

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  • i_am_asparagus
    i_am_asparagus Posts: 336 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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....
  • cwsikes
    cwsikes Posts: 86
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    Started out 3 years ago not being able to run a single block without feeling like I was going to die. I completed the C25K program and now I can run! I now run at least a mile everyday (running streak of 455 days) with my regular run being 3 miles. I try to keep my normal weekly mileage around 20-25 miles a week in addition to cycling. My pace ranges from 8 min/mile to 15 min/mile depending on the type of race (5k versus 50k ultra trail runs). My 5k pace started at 11:30 min/mile and is now around 8:00 min/mile. I take rest days whenever I feel like it but I always run my mile.
  • ambiedawnz
    ambiedawnz Posts: 108 Member
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    To the OP, I'm a beginner and love reading posts like this and seeing how long it has taken for someone to start running and any problems or training techniques they've come across during. Thank you for posting this topic! I can't wait to be able to accomplish a 5k without stopping to walk! I can't even begin to imagine EVER being able to do a half marathon.
    Right now I can only jog, and can make it 10 minutes before I need to stop and walk for a bit. I'm about to start the c25k program and hope I have a lot of success with it.
    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.

    Would you mind sharing some of your psychological tricks? I seem to have trouble keeping mentally focused during my jogging and finding it difficult to keep myself from thinking about how much time I have left or how much I just want to stop or how my legs feel etc.
  • boosieswoozie
    boosieswoozie Posts: 5
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    I'm pretty overweight atm and just started to get back to a exercise routine. I started a week ago and was only able to jog about 1.3 miles now I can jog/run from 2.5-3 miles a day. I rest at least once a week, two if i have shin split pains or something. My BPM has significantly lowered during streneous exercise and I am now scared to up the intensity of my jog because I always feel dead after I run those 3 miles. The biggest motivation you can get from jogging is to know how significantly easier it gets to jog after you setup a routine.
    Keep at it and you'll feel great and happier.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
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    I'm pretty overweight atm and just started to get back to a exercise routine. I started a week ago and was only able to jog about 1.3 miles now I can jog/run from 2.5-3 miles a day. I rest at least once a week, two if i have shin split pains or something. My BPM has significantly lowered during streneous exercise and I am now scared to up the intensity of my jog because I always feel dead after I run those 3 miles. The biggest motivation you can get from jogging is to know how significantly easier it gets to jog after you setup a routine.
    Keep at it and you'll feel great and happier.
    Splints are horrible :frown:

    Try Sorbothane Insoles for those splints, they absorb 80-90% of the shock. Also, have you had your running gait analysed and correct shoes fitted? It can make a hell of a difference and possibly stop the damned splints.

    WTG on your running by the way and you are 100% correct in that it definitely gets easier :flowerforyou:

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