distance running vs sprints

What results? It would depend entirely on your fitness goals. If you're talking about losing weight, that's just a bi-product of consuming less energy (calories) than you expend...it really doesn't have much to do with what exercise you are doing. Regular exercise in general makes weight management easier in that you expend more energy than you otherwise would...and of course, you will look more fit...but a lot of people lose weight with no exercise at all (wouldn't recommend).

Crisseyda wrote: »

@cwolfman13 No, at this point, I have no weight to lose. 5'7 130 lbs. I want to use my time wisely and cultivate a body that lasts through the decades.

Why not both?

I'm not a runner, I'm a cyclist and I train in a variety of ways. Right now I'm getting ready for this summer's time trial series so I'm doing a lot of short distance but high intensity threshold intervals, hill repeats, and flat out rides...as fall approaches I will switch gears and do more long distance endurance work to get ready for my tours in the fall. In the winter I usually do a combination of things.

I'd also recommend doing some resistance training...it will make you a better runner on all fronts and it will sculpt your body...it's also important for women in the fight against osteoporosis.

Crisseyda wrote: »

_Waffle_ wrote: »

Crisseyda wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Crisseyda wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Crisseyda wrote: »

@cwolfman13 No, at this point, I have no weight to lose. 5'7 130 lbs. I want to use my time wisely and cultivate a body that lasts through the decades.

Why not both?

I'm not a runner, I'm a cyclist and I train in a variety of ways. Right now I'm getting ready for this summer's time trial series so I'm doing a lot of short distance but high intensity threshold intervals, hill repeats, and flat out rides...as fall approaches I will switch gears and do more long distance endurance work to get ready for my tours in the fall. In the winter I usually do a combination of things.

I'd also recommend doing some resistance training...it will make you a better runner on all fronts and it will sculpt your body...it's also important for women in the fight against osteoporosis.

Yeah, my little sister is into lifting. She's been helping me with my technique. She had me deadlifting 100 lbs. I really don't want to bulk up. I just want have a strong, capable body into my old age.

I just love the feeling of long runs, but if, well, I'm just wasting my time, then that makes me sad.

Bulking up is a very deliberate act...it doesn't happen by accident. My wife lifts like a boss...she looks healthy and fit, not bulky. Bulking up requires spot on programming and diet to include a calorie surplus. It's also much more difficult typically for women because they don't have the testosterone production that men have...and it's hard for men.

I'm still not understanding this notion that running distance is a waste of time...whatever you're reading is bull crap.

Obviously, sprint training takes less time to do than endurance training. But did you know it’s just as effective in many regards in a fraction of the time? Sprinting three times a week (4-6 times per session) was just as good as spending five days a week cycling for 40-60 minutes at improving whole body insulin sensitivity, arterial elasticity, and muscle microvascular density.

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/15-reasons-to-sprint-more-this-year/#ixzz4DAjJTx6M

Again, here's the unspecific comments about how it's just as good, sort of, in some ways, etc.

What are your goals? If you give up long runs and just do sprint workouts you can be in really good shape but you won't be good at long runs. If that's okay with you then by all means do this. There's no right or wrong answer here.

Really? I just joined a local running group, and the other runner moms recommended that sprints will improve my distance times better than just doing distance. Maybe I need to set myself a "time" goal to shoot for. I've really fallen away from exercise since adding child #4 to the mix. Life is so busy.

I wonder what distance these other runner moms are talking about. 5k, 10k, half, full marathon?

Yes, sprints are the icing on the cake and can improve your distance times. You can't just sprint and expect to do well on distance running however. Go look at pretty much any distance running plan and you'll find that it has 1 or 2 days with some interval work and the majority of the work being easy medium - long distance runs that could have some strides at the end.

Add sprints to your training plan but don't throw out your distance runs and only do sprints.

ETA: Example plan that incorporates sprints with longer easy runs.
https://runkeeper.com/fitness-class/running-marathon/10

_Waffle_ wrote: »

Crisseyda wrote: »

_Waffle_ wrote: »

Crisseyda wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Crisseyda wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Crisseyda wrote: »

@cwolfman13 No, at this point, I have no weight to lose. 5'7 130 lbs. I want to use my time wisely and cultivate a body that lasts through the decades.

Why not both?

I'm not a runner, I'm a cyclist and I train in a variety of ways. Right now I'm getting ready for this summer's time trial series so I'm doing a lot of short distance but high intensity threshold intervals, hill repeats, and flat out rides...as fall approaches I will switch gears and do more long distance endurance work to get ready for my tours in the fall. In the winter I usually do a combination of things.

I'd also recommend doing some resistance training...it will make you a better runner on all fronts and it will sculpt your body...it's also important for women in the fight against osteoporosis.

Yeah, my little sister is into lifting. She's been helping me with my technique. She had me deadlifting 100 lbs. I really don't want to bulk up. I just want have a strong, capable body into my old age.

I just love the feeling of long runs, but if, well, I'm just wasting my time, then that makes me sad.

Bulking up is a very deliberate act...it doesn't happen by accident. My wife lifts like a boss...she looks healthy and fit, not bulky. Bulking up requires spot on programming and diet to include a calorie surplus. It's also much more difficult typically for women because they don't have the testosterone production that men have...and it's hard for men.

I'm still not understanding this notion that running distance is a waste of time...whatever you're reading is bull crap.

Obviously, sprint training takes less time to do than endurance training. But did you know it’s just as effective in many regards in a fraction of the time? Sprinting three times a week (4-6 times per session) was just as good as spending five days a week cycling for 40-60 minutes at improving whole body insulin sensitivity, arterial elasticity, and muscle microvascular density.

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/15-reasons-to-sprint-more-this-year/#ixzz4DAjJTx6M

Again, here's the unspecific comments about how it's just as good, sort of, in some ways, etc.

What are your goals? If you give up long runs and just do sprint workouts you can be in really good shape but you won't be good at long runs. If that's okay with you then by all means do this. There's no right or wrong answer here.

Really? I just joined a local running group, and the other runner moms recommended that sprints will improve my distance times better than just doing distance. Maybe I need to set myself a "time" goal to shoot for. I've really fallen away from exercise since adding child #4 to the mix. Life is so busy.

I wonder what distance these other runner moms are talking about. 5k, 10k, half, full marathon?

Yes, sprints are the icing on the cake and can improve your distance times. You can't just sprint and expect to do well on distance running however. Go look at pretty much any distance running plan and you'll find that it has 1 or 2 days with some interval work and the majority of the work being easy medium - long distance runs that could have some strides at the end.

Add sprints to your training plan but don't throw out your distance runs and only do sprints.

ETA: Example plan that incorporates sprints with longer easy runs.
https://runkeeper.com/fitness-class/running-marathon/10

Exactly this...

Doing sprint work will generally make you a better overall runner...I think it should be part of any runners programming just as I think doing threshold type of work on the bike is important to a cyclists programming.

And I think you're reading too much into the link above...I didn't interpret that to mean distance running was a waste of time...it would only be a waste of time if you didn't want to be a distance runner...all it's saying is that you can get a similar health benefit in less time...so that's great if you don't have the time from a health standpoint...but from a fitness standpoint, if you want to run distance you have to do more than sprint...a full time sprinter would be hard press to do a 1/2 marathon or marathon because they wouldn't have the endurance part of the equation.

From a cyclists POV, doing threshold work makes me a better and faster cyclist overall...but if I want to ride 100 miles, I need to put in the training miles too...if all I did was threshold work I could go really fast, but I wouldn't have the endurance to go for hours.

Although HIIT helped me improve my running pace, the most helpful thing has been adding strength training. I now have more powerful muscles, which appears to have magically made me a faster runner.

Villae81 wrote: »

I thought sprints are better for muscle definition?

HIIT or sprinters will work anearobic threshold vice aerobic but because of the impact it can help maintain during weight loss.


Crisseyda, i would agree with wolf and waffle. Your program should align to your goals. If its to be strong and fit, then you want to address all apsects. Meaning you want to hit both your cardiovascular and skeletal systems. Getting a good mix of weight training (full body) and running will address those goals. If you want to be good at long distance then you should still do long runs but add weights or even sprints to increase muscle power.

If its just a time management thing because you have 4 kids, the HIIT or sprint style can be effective and will burn more calories in a shorter period of time. But if you dont practice long distance, you will lose it. If anything, sprints and weight training are complimentary to running.