Running frequency

You could try switching it up with another type of endurance exercise such as swimming or cycling. From my personal experiance, I was running about 20 miles/week then I got an injury to my foot and I didn't run for about a year so I started swimming instead. A few weeks ago I decided to start running again and went for a 6 mile run.

So I've tried to search around the forum in regards to deconditioning and running. I've been running 3x a week for several months now and it's done wonders for me. During this time I've also been doing bodyweight exercises on the days I don't run and give myself a day of complete rest. It's worked great and I've avoided injury. The last month to month and a half I've changed it up and have been going to the gym instead of doing pure bodyweight and tried changing up my running with sprints 2x a week and 1 long run (instead of 3 long runs like I used to do).

But...I'm kinda burning out on running. However I don't wanna stop and I sure as heck don't want to lose the endurance I've built up from it. So in your experience, would running 2x a week instead of 3x a week still be enough for me to continue building endurance? I only ask because I know how fast you can start to decondition the running endurance.

Define what your long run is. Essentially you need to run 3x for approximately 30 minutes to keep what endurance you have.

This in itself won't be hard but you should switch things up to make them challenging and to overcome your boredom. You can change the intensity, pace, terrain, incorporate hills, trails, and try tempo running, in which you run segments at various paces. For example, the first 10 min are run at a 10 min/mi pace and the following 10 min are run at an 9 min/mi pace. Tempo Runs are very good for endurance, I run at least 1 tempo workout a week with shorter runs and weights during the week and my long runs on Saturday or Sunday. I usually run 25+ miles a week and if I can feel myself getting bored I usually just run a different route. I also have a running group and they keep it lively as well.

From what I've read, you can maintain your endurance most effectively when cutting back mileage by doing high-intensity intervals. Take a look at Alex Hutchinson, "Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?" (with references), and Gretchen Reynolds, "The First Twenty Minutes" (without references).

I would maintain one long run a week, to maintain musculoskeletal adaptation to the demands of running, and then do one short run with a warmup, Tabata intervals or fartlek, and then a cool-down, to maintain cardiovascular fitness. But I'm not a professional kinesiologist or coach. I do indoor cycling on rollers in the winter, though, when conditions don't permit riding outside. My workouts usually include 2 30-60 minute rides with intervals during the week, and then one 75-90 minute ride on the weekends (so no more than the equivalent of 25-28 miles), and that lets me hit the road at distances over 40 miles when the weather gets better.