Run short or run long

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RunningDizzy
RunningDizzy Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
General thoughts I know there is no set answer. I having been running for 3 years do people think its better to run 5km every day and then a long run on Saturday i.e 10 to 15 km with Sunday rest day or run between 7 and 8km every other day with a long run ever Saturday or Sunday??

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  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    That would depend on what your goals are.
  • RunningDizzy
    RunningDizzy Posts: 3 Member
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    I am weight maintaining?
  • JoshuaMcAllister
    JoshuaMcAllister Posts: 500 Member
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    There isn't a right or wrong answer to your question, over the years I've trained each way you've described but for specific running related goals. If you are maintaining weight, juts go with whats comfortable for you. Running every day except for Sunday isn't for everyone and time restraints don't really help. As long as you are eating back some or most of the calories you burn when your out you will maintain your current weight. This however may prove harder when you do a big run, half marathon distances used to kill me as I'd sometime have to eat almost double my standard daily intake.

    Play around and see how you feel.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Does depend on what you're trying to achieve, most race plans have at least two rest days per week and a combination of runs to deliver different training effects.

    If you're mainly interested in calorie expenditure then it doesn't really matter, although I'd probably be aiming to take more rest days than you are. There seems little point in a long run unless you're intentionally trying to develop your capacity, in which case one longer run per week isn't really enough.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    RunningDizzy wrote: »
    I am weight maintaining?

    Then run however you like. Do you race?
  • valskeete
    valskeete Posts: 53 Member
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    What has worked for me now that I'm maintaining is longer duration. What is longer for me is more than likely short for you. When losing, short sprints (5 min x4) and now I maintain an average speed (4.5 mph) for about 25 minutes. High energy when losing vs. more relaxed when maintaining, for me. I'm curious to see what others say.
  • erimethia_fekre
    erimethia_fekre Posts: 317 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Weight maintaining doesn't really factor in. You would merely consume more if you ran more.
    Depends on if you're training for something. For the joy of just running, i base it on how much time you have to run. Most days I only have an hour to run with warmup so I will rock out a 10k but other days I can go for 2-3 hours so I'll run 20k-30k (outside, couldn't do that on a tread. So boring). Not better or worse.
  • ironhajee
    ironhajee Posts: 384 Member
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    Hmm BOTH.

    Change it up my friend keep the body happy with new workouts.

    Shorter sprinting like
    10 x 100m Sprints or 8 x 200m Sprints

    Medium Runs such as
    3 4 or 5 miles

    Longer Runs such as
    10km straight with some periods of surging (faster pace)


    I am unable to do this yet but working on getting back to that level of fitness.

    Oh and definitely run hills! Short, Medium, long :)
  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
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    Before I started racing I used to just run for enjoyment and fitness and I would go out every day and run about 4 miles (sometimes 6 miles if it was the weekend and I had more time) at a nice easy pace just for fun. I don't see the point in sprinting or running up hills (unless you enjoy it) if you're not actually trying to train for anything in particular. I started taking rest days when I got more serious about training and needed to do longer and harder runs for some of my sessions. Still loved that no-pressure easy running though!
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Depends on your goals. I'm running 6-8K two or three times a week, with a long run of 12-20K on the weekend. On the other days I usually do a bike ride or a hike, so I'm not interested in running more often. I'm training (half-heartedly) for a 5K in April, so for one of my shorter runs each week, I'm alternating between intervals one week and a tempo run the other week. The rest of my running is at a pretty relaxed pace.
  • Aed0416
    Aed0416 Posts: 101 Member
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    "Run short or run long" I had hoped was the first line of an inspirational haiku. Alas, I mix it up I do a couple of short runs, a medium recovery and a long run each week. If I need to drop a workout it's usually one of the short ones. My shorter runs are timed runs and the other two are distance runs. Anything that gets you out the door and closer to your personal goals is a plus!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    i like to have a combination of short, medium and long. I do some racing but i use it to lose weight. (increasing my deficit so i can eat more and still lose weight)
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    RunningDizzy wrote: »
    General thoughts I know there is no set answer. I having been running for 3 years do people think its better to run 5km every day and then a long run on Saturday i.e 10 to 15 km with Sunday rest day or run between 7 and 8km every other day with a long run ever Saturday or Sunday??

    Run however you like. Personally I'd love to do 6 - 8 miles most days with a 13+ mile on the weekend.
  • RunningDizzy
    RunningDizzy Posts: 3 Member
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    Thanks for everyone's thoughts I think its going to be about running how and when I like ☺
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
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    I usually do 2-3 easy runs, 1 speed, and a weekend long run.

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