Runners! How much and how often?

SierraFatToSkinny · February 2017

I just finished my first week of C25K and maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but I really enjoyed today.

How far do you guys run? (Or how long?) How often?

ABabilonia · February 2017

I run 3 miles two days and then one day rest. I'm training for my first 5K in August. Hoping to increase distance and speed as time goes by.

jennybearlv · February 2017

I finished C25K a couple weeks ago and am doing Zombies Run now. I've been running 3 days a week for 30 minutes to an hour. At my 15 min/mile snail pace that's about 2-4 miles. I'm starring this one to see what others are doing. I'm feeling slightly lost since finishing the program.

festerw · February 2017

I try to run around 15 miles a week. Sometimes it's 6 days to do this week it was 3 days, just depends on how I feel.

ronocnikral · February 2017

I do about 12 hours of cardio a week. I'll do about 35-40 miles per week and about 500 flights of stairs. My long run is usually on trail and at least 10 miles with 2000' of vert. I'll also spend about an hour doing core work over the week. 97% of my cardio time is spent with my hr below 130 bpm.

spiriteagle99 · February 2017

My normal is 30-40 mpw, unless I'm marathon training. I usually run 5 days a week, sometimes 6. I enjoy running races, but can't afford to do it often, so mostly I just run for fun/stress relief.

msdemeanor70 · February 2017

I run for 60 minutes twice (sometimes three times) a week then for distance - 10 miles - once a week. I also cross train with elliptical and circuits three days a week.

apullum · February 2017

Congratulations on starting C25K! In all honesty, the first week of C25K was the hardest week of running I have ever had. I was at my highest weight and had not voluntarily run a step since high school gym class. That was in September 2013.

Get fitted for proper shoes if you haven't already. I didn't do that, and I injured my knee. I didn't run again for a year after that. I finally got up the nerve to restart C25K in January 2015, and haven't stopped since. That was 93 pounds and a lot of miles ago.

When I first started C25K, I ran three times a week. I always had a rest day in between runs. I no longer find that it's so important for me to have rest days between every run. I often have two, or sometimes three consecutive running days, and I do strength training on two of my non-running days. But I do think that avoiding back-to-back running days is a good strategy until your body becomes accustomed to running.

I run 10-28 miles per week depending on what I'm training for. The low end of that is if I'm not training for anything, and the high end is at the peak of half marathon training mileage. I run at least three miles per short run. On a good day I average about 11 min/mile over three miles. But in my first 5k, at the end of C25K (the first time around), I averaged about 15:30 min/mile and that was an amazingly fast pace for me. I couldn't believe I finished it in under 50 minutes. My friend ran with me and she decided to sprint to the finish line, so I sprinted with her. I remember crying when I found out my time because I did so much better than I thought I would. Then we had to walk uphill to the car and my legs were so sore, but I didn't really care. It was a Turkey Trot while I was in grad school, so I went home that afternoon and cooked dinner for a bunch of other grad students who weren't able to go home for the holiday.

Even more off topic, but because I'm wandering off down Memory Lane, Runkeeper says I burned 419 calories during that 5k. Running the same distance now burns about 290 for me. I've lost a lot of weight and gotten a lot fitter, but I never really thought about it in those terms.

Thanks for letting me reminisce a bit, OP. I hope C25K is as great for you as it has been for me.

apullum · February 2017

jennybearlv wrote: »

I finished C25K a couple weeks ago and am doing Zombies Run now. I've been running 3 days a week for 30 minutes to an hour. At my 15 min/mile snail pace that's about 2-4 miles. I'm starring this one to see what others are doing. I'm feeling slightly lost since finishing the program.

Would you like to focus on endurance? If so, you can train for a 10k. My first 10k seemed like a really daunting idea, but if you can run a 5k, you can train for a 10k. I just use the training plans on Runkeeper, but there are 5k-to-10k programs designed for C25K graduates.

Or you could focus on training for speed. There are various forms of interval training that help you become faster: http://running.competitor.com/2014/04/training/running-101-basic-speed-workouts-for-runners_8047

You can also incorporate more hills into your workouts. There are lots of benefits to hills. One of those benefits is that if you are like me, you never noticed just how steep that little street in your neighborhood is until you've run up it. But hills also help you build strength and speed.

jennypapage · February 2017

i run 3 times a week, about 25km in total.

webbydebby · February 2017

I did C25K a year and a half ago and then built up to 10k, lost 25 lbs and did a sprint triathlon. Then I got an injury, didn't run for three months, put on 14lbs and have just started again! Disappointing and I'm cross with myself. But at least when I restarted, it was on week 5 and not on week 1! The trick is keeping it up - something I'm determined to do this time.

twobirdperch · February 2017

I run 3 mi twice a week and 1 long run of 5-6 miles once a week. I'm trying to focus on increasing my distance instead of speed (I'm kinda slow). Congrats on starting C25K.. that's where I started as well. Best of luck!

MeanderingMammal · February 2017

SierraFatToSkinny wrote: »

I just finished my first week of C25K and maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but I really enjoyed today.

How far do you guys run? (Or how long?) How often?

Depends on whether I'm aiming for a race or not, although as I race from March to December there is only really a 3-4 week off season.

About 30 now in low mileage, up to 50-60 in peak load over 4-5 runs.

I run marathons and longer.

ICameToGetDown · February 2017

I am a beginner and have lost around 75 lbs and still have maybe another 25 to go.
I have a "longer" run that is 3-4 miles on the weekend and try to run two other days a week at night and that route is 2.25 miles. I am doing my first 5k on April 1. My pace right now is 12:30. I have to do walk Intervals.
I have one day a week with no exercise and the other three non run days I am doing Insanity Max 30.
Good luck!

ashcky · February 2017

I probably run at least 9 miles a week, sometimes more it just depends on my schedule. I run MWF anywhere from 30-60 minutes. I try to run at least 3 miles each time but depending on time I have available it could be a little less or a mile more.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld · February 2017

Bench mark yourself against yourself. Some people run ultra marathons but that will never be me.

Focus on your next run. I'm glad you enjoyed it C25K is a great start in to running.

Tacklewasher · February 2017

Also just finished C25K. Not sure if it can be read if you aren't part of the group, but I have more thoughts here http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/940565/you-have-finished-c25k-now-what#latest

I ran every weekday through the program, repeating day 1 and 2 of each week. I need the consistency of getting up at the same time, doing the same thing etc. so I just didn't do the rest days. So I'm going to continue that, working past the 30 minute mark and increasing my speed, but slowly over time. I'm focused on not letting my HR get above ~150, as higher than that just seems like a bad idea for me. Once it warms up, I'm going to start doing the local Park Run on Saturdays. it's timed but free. A couple of my co-workers are trying to get me to do 5 K runs, but they are not cheap

I looked at doing C210K next, but at 70 minutes, the runs don't fit my morning schedule and that's when I like running. Also, I run on a treadmill in the basement.

TavistockToad · February 2017

I'm up to about 15 miles per week, will get up to 20 odd before May for a half marathon.

eagle_74 · February 2017

I wanted my body used to running often so I ran 6 days a week..but my easy days were VERY easy. Very comfortable Walk/jogs at first. Not recommending it, that's just what I wanted.

lporter229 · February 2017

SierraFatToSkinny wrote: »

I just finished my first week of C25K and maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but I really enjoyed today.

How far do you guys run? (Or how long?) How often?

You are going to get lots of different answers to this question based on the experience of the runner. If you just finished C25K, I would say that you might want to be running 3 miles 3X per week for a few weeks before you start increasing your mileage. Conventional thought is to increase your mileage by no more than 10% (total miles) per week. You can increase it by adding additional miles to one or two of your runs until you can safely add an additional day of running in there. Every 3-4 weeks, have a "cut back" week where you do not increase or even run less miles. This will give your body some time to adapt and reduce the risk of injury. Some people can safely run 6-7 days per week, but you have to work your way up to that slowly. You also do not want to be putting in max effort every time you go out there.

Congrats on finishing C25K! You are soon to be hooked on running if you are not already!

girlinahat · February 2017

Well done on finishing the first week. Just to warn you - when you get to about week 5, where it's a 20minute straight run, go nice and slow and you'll get there.

I started c25k as something to get me exercising regularly. Now I'm training for a half marathon. But I'm more interested in trails and craggy runs than making a distance. In my head I'm a lean fellrunner, leaping and bounding over rocks. I run 3-4 days a week, mornings is around 40 minutes, and the weekend is when I'm building up mileage (my most recent long run was 9 miles)

If you enjoy it, keep at it, and see where it takes you. I am still surprising myself each time I tell people I run.

maddymama · February 2017

Congratulations on starting C25K! I did the program 6 years ago, and haven't stopped running since.
I still run 4-ish times a week, 3-5 miles per run. And I love it! Occasionally I train more when I sign up for a 10K or a half marathon, and then gradually up my mileage accordingly.
As other wise people have posted, please take your time building up your body for these runs. Running CAN be hard on the body, and if you go to fast or try to do too much too quickly, you could injure yourself. It's better to take it a bit slower, but be able to continually run rather than having to take time off to recover from injuries.
Make sure you have proper good shoes for how you step (over/under pronator, etc.) What's a good shoe for your best friend may not be a good one for you.

SierraFatToSkinny · February 2017

I finished week 2 today! I feel way more capable than I thought I would. I haven't yet hit a portion where I'm really struggling to keep going. (I'm running mostly around soccer fields. Today I ran laps around a series of tennis courts.)

I'm nervous about the 20 min run that's coming up in a couple weeks.... So we'll see.

(Edited to correct the week.)

girlinahat · February 2017

SierraFatToSkinny wrote: »

I finished week 2 today! I feel way more capable than I thought I would. I haven't yet hit a portion where I'm really struggling to keep going. (I'm running mostly around soccer fields. Today I ran laps around a series of tennis courts.)

I'm nervous about the 20 min run that's coming up in a couple weeks.... So we'll see.

(Edited to correct the week.)

well done!!!

seriously though, don't be afraid of the 20minute run. If you feel like you can't do it, slow down. If you STILL feel you are struggling, slow down some more. In fact you may even find your 'speed' running at this point is slower than if you are walking. Keep your steps short and under you and just keep going.

And there's nothing wrong with repeating a week or two if you find you need to, but try the slowing down technique first - there is a MASSIVE mental boost when you do that first 20 minute run.

Runners! How much and how often?

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