Possible to Gain Muscle as a distance runner?

To clarify, when I say distance running, I am referring to full marathon or longer. 5k - 21k are great achievements but these days not distance running.

Errrrm - if middle distance is 800-1500m in track, then I'm pretty sure 5-21k is distance running. If you look at elites in the 5,000 meter races...they are lean as hell and tiny. This discussion absolutely applies to shorter distances than the marathon.

Just saying.

Yeah, maybe 5k is not long distance in the world of marathons and ultramarathons, but for some people, this would be 40 min of running. Well in the realm of what counts as long, slow distance in the world of anabolic training. 21k is long by any standard. Ask any non-elite marathon runner whether 21k is something they could do without preparing for it.

just because it takes a long time for less trained and conditioned people, doesn't make it a long distance event.

i know a 5k is a great goal for a lot of people, but to call it a long distance run is just ignorant. i think that a half-marathon is a short/middle distance race, especially now with long endurance races like Iron Man's and 50 and 100 mile ultramarathons being out there in the competitive world.

The half marathon is not a short/middle distance race, it is 13.1 miles long, a person may be running for over two hours (sme lucky sods do it in less, many others are way over that two hours). It is endurance.

The 5k is endurance but a different sort, let me put it this way. Start running, get your heartrate to maximum and then continue running until you reach that 5k mark, all the time keeping your heartrate at max. THAT is what happens during a 5k race and it is bloody painful.

Endurance is more than just 100 mile ultraraces, which, I hasten to add, the vast majority of the world's population will NEVER attempt and those that do try such a distance, will be a minute amount that succeed.

Ironman, 50milers and 100milers are not the norm, they are for extreme athletes and people that have trained extensively to complete, that does not make the fact that 5k, 10k, 21k etc are distance races a lie.

They are all endurance and all to be commended.

To clarify, when I say distance running, I am referring to full marathon or longer. 5k - 21k are great achievements but these days not distance running.

Errrrm - if middle distance is 800-1500m in track, then I'm pretty sure 5-21k is distance running. If you look at elites in the 5,000 meter races...they are lean as hell and tiny. This discussion absolutely applies to shorter distances than the marathon.

Just saying.

Yeah, maybe 5k is not long distance in the world of marathons and ultramarathons, but for some people, this would be 40 min of running. Well in the realm of what counts as long, slow distance in the world of anabolic training. 21k is long by any standard. Ask any non-elite marathon runner whether 21k is something they could do without preparing for it.

just because it takes a long time for less trained and conditioned people, doesn't make it a long distance event.

i know a 5k is a great goal for a lot of people, but to call it a long distance run is just ignorant. i think that a half-marathon is a short/middle distance race, especially now with long endurance races like Iron Man's and 50 and 100 mile ultramarathons being out there in the competitive world.

Sorry Captain, you're wrong. 5K is a distance event. Daniels Running Formula has plans for 800m to the marathon, all based on the same distance running principles.

maybe. wouldn't be the first time i'm wrong.

but calling a 5k a distance run just seems odd.

To clarify, when I say distance running, I am referring to full marathon or longer. 5k - 21k are great achievements but these days not distance running.

Errrrm - if middle distance is 800-1500m in track, then I'm pretty sure 5-21k is distance running. If you look at elites in the 5,000 meter races...they are lean as hell and tiny. This discussion absolutely applies to shorter distances than the marathon.

Just saying.

Yeah, maybe 5k is not long distance in the world of marathons and ultramarathons, but for some people, this would be 40 min of running. Well in the realm of what counts as long, slow distance in the world of anabolic training. 21k is long by any standard. Ask any non-elite marathon runner whether 21k is something they could do without preparing for it.

just because it takes a long time for less trained and conditioned people, doesn't make it a long distance event.

i know a 5k is a great goal for a lot of people, but to call it a long distance run is just ignorant. i think that a half-marathon is a short/middle distance race, especially now with long endurance races like Iron Man's and 50 and 100 mile ultramarathons being out there in the competitive world.

Ignorant, eh? There is a categorical difference between sprinting and running aerobically. Some people cannot sprint 400 meters, sure, but 5k simply cannot be sprinted--by anybody. You could certainly use machismo and masochistic metrics of what counts as hard for *you*, and congratulations if 5k doesn't. But there is an objective distinction between what most people consider short distance running, which I would define as containing a significant anaerobic component, and long distance running, which is done at aerobic pace.

To clarify, when I say distance running, I am referring to full marathon or longer. 5k - 21k are great achievements but these days not distance running.

Errrrm - if middle distance is 800-1500m in track, then I'm pretty sure 5-21k is distance running. If you look at elites in the 5,000 meter races...they are lean as hell and tiny. This discussion absolutely applies to shorter distances than the marathon.

Just saying.

Yeah, maybe 5k is not long distance in the world of marathons and ultramarathons, but for some people, this would be 40 min of running. Well in the realm of what counts as long, slow distance in the world of anabolic training. 21k is long by any standard. Ask any non-elite marathon runner whether 21k is something they could do without preparing for it.

just because it takes a long time for less trained and conditioned people, doesn't make it a long distance event.

i know a 5k is a great goal for a lot of people, but to call it a long distance run is just ignorant. i think that a half-marathon is a short/middle distance race, especially now with long endurance races like Iron Man's and 50 and 100 mile ultramarathons being out there in the competitive world.

Ignorant, eh? There is a categorical difference between sprinting and running aerobically. Some people cannot sprint 400 meters, sure, but 5k simply cannot be sprinted--by anybody. You could certainly use machismo and masochistic metrics of what counts as hard for *you*, and congratulations if 5k doesn't. But there is an objective distinction between what most people consider short distance running, which I would define as containing a significant anaerobic component, and long distance running, which is done at aerobic pace.

why are you making it like it's some macho thing of mine?? i'm just going by distance. i personally don't think that anything under thirteen miles is a long distance race. not going by pace, time, perceived rate of exertion or anything. just distance.

and a 5k is hard for me too. i want to try and get my 5k time under 24 minutes. it take a lot of work.

lol a big runner?? come on now..where they do that at...

I think it would be best if you chose between the 2. I'm sure you already realize that a lifter is all bulk, meanwhile a long distance runner is usually very lean. If your looking to bulk up, you should cut from running since it tends to prevent you from gaining muscle. (I'm a long distance runner, and my leg muscles are very lean).

I believe I gained about 10 pounds of muscle from running steep rollercoaster hills instead of running on flat terrain.

When I started running hills, I dropped a size without losing a pound.

To lose a size, I have to lose 10 pounds, so I had to lose at least 10 pounds of fat which were then replaced by muscle gains (if not more than 10 pounds each).