Time Vs Distance?
Options
Replies
-
Distance, just because it's easier to plan. Even when the plan calls for a certain time, I calculate about how far I'd go and pick a route accordingly.
Used to do time in the very beginning (pre-first 5k) when I wanted to be running/walking for about 40 minutes. Then I'd go as an out and back, 20 minutes in one direction, and then I'd have no choice but leg it somehow all the way home.4 -
Definitely distance for me since I aim to hit a certain amount of miles per week.
How I get there depends on the day, how I feel and the other workouts I'm doing for that day.
Some days I do intervals, other days I go at a brisk, steady pace or I go slower on my active rest days.
5 -
I usually do distance. I like to finish on the mile, so if I have say, 30 minutes, I would rather do 3 miles even than 3.37 or whatever.1
-
Distance, as roughly determined by time. I plot a course for the approximate time I want to run considering the pace I anticipate and do it. If you run by time only, how do you get yourself back home? I mean if the time is over and you're still a mile, or so, from your home, car or other convenient place to stop?1
-
travelerscode wrote: »Who trains running time and who dies distance? For me, because I do so much of my training by heart rate rather than pace, time us the determining factor. For instance, today I'm supposed to run for 2 hours IN zone 2. But I also do distance. Thursday I'm doing 4M at my LT pace. Who prefers what method and why?
It really depends on the run.
My long run is by distance, as is my recovery run and my hill run.
I do an 30min interval run once a week at the mo (I Jeff anything over 10k, because I am more consistent that way) and I'm currently trying to transition from long run to race pace.
And I do a 30min sprint/speedwork session with my pt once a week.
The other 2 days I just run 1-2 miles either to the gym or to bootcamp neither to time or distance just to get me there and warm up0 -
Both sort of. This time of year, I have a running window between 4:30 and 6pm while my son is at soccer practice, so that's when I get my mid-week shorter runs done. My weekends I do a long run, which are based on distance.1
-
If you run by time only, how do you get yourself back home? I mean if the time is over and you're still a mile, or so, from your home, car or other convenient place to stop?
Since I commented on doing it by time, we have option besides the out & back method.
Mid-west here - main mile and half mile streets that usually cut through.
So by time does require a rough estimate of distance expected to go, but it does allow an out and back to be almost totally different route, and yes the desired time may float by 5 min.2 -
since you mentioned ultras, i was talking to a friend/cc coach and i mentioned i have limited time for training. and he said make the time count. try not to have a lot of garbage miles.
so while i have long slow runs, i also do a lot of fartleks, speedwork, trails, etc during the rest of my runs.
sometimes, i'll do 2 long runs in a weekend, one easy, one fartlek.0 -
If you run by time only, how do you get yourself back home? I mean if the time is over and you're still a mile, or so, from your home, car or other convenient place to stop?
Since I commented on doing it by time, we have option besides the out & back method.
Mid-west here - main mile and half mile streets that usually cut through.
So by time does require a rough estimate of distance expected to go, but it does allow an out and back to be almost totally different route, and yes the desired time may float by 5 min.
So, outside you run by distance estimating the time you want to run in choosing your course. The distance you cover is exact, you go from here to there and back or you run a loop of an exact distance. The time it takes you varies.
i.e. You want to run an hour at a 10 minute mile pace. You plan a course of about 6 miles. That course is actually 6.5 miles. You don't stop running at one hour you do the extra 5 minutes. Are you running by time or distance?0 -
I go by distance, but I choose the distance based on how much time I have available. If I run faster than I estimated, I usually tack on an extra mile or half-mile to fill the extra time.1
-
If you run by time only, how do you get yourself back home? I mean if the time is over and you're still a mile, or so, from your home, car or other convenient place to stop?
Since I commented on doing it by time, we have option besides the out & back method.
Mid-west here - main mile and half mile streets that usually cut through.
So by time does require a rough estimate of distance expected to go, but it does allow an out and back to be almost totally different route, and yes the desired time may float by 5 min.
So, outside you run by distance estimating the time you want to run in choosing your course. The distance you cover is exact, you go from here to there and back or you run a loop of an exact distance. The time it takes you varies.
i.e. You want to run an hour at a 10 minute mile pace. You plan a course of about 6 miles. That course is actually 6.5 miles. You don't stop running at one hour you do the extra 5 minutes. Are you running by time or distance?
I do a little of both. And for your question-whether you’re running for time or distance, both play into planning a route. So using your example, whether I’m running for time or for distance, I’m planning to run for about an hour that will cover about 6 miles.
Let’s say I run closer to a 9:00 pace (instead of 10) that day. If I’m aiming for a 6 mile run, my run is 54 minutes. If I’m aiming for 60 minutes, then I’m running more than 6 miles.
I don’t think anyone is that granular. There are certain benefits to running 60 minutes (vs less) and certain adaptations that occur in runs over 90 minutes. When not training for a particular distance, running by time maximizes those benefits. When training for a particular distance, distance is more important.
I don’t think anyone is so granular with a time based plan that they are going to stop moving 1/2 mile from the start point because they hit the required time. Perhaps there are some who do so-maybe similar to people who run back and forth in front of their house until their Garmin clicks off those last .02 miles.
I
1 -
If you run by time only, how do you get yourself back home? I mean if the time is over and you're still a mile, or so, from your home, car or other convenient place to stop?
Since I commented on doing it by time, we have option besides the out & back method.
Mid-west here - main mile and half mile streets that usually cut through.
So by time does require a rough estimate of distance expected to go, but it does allow an out and back to be almost totally different route, and yes the desired time may float by 5 min.
So, outside you run by distance estimating the time you want to run in choosing your course. The distance you cover is exact, you go from here to there and back or you run a loop of an exact distance. The time it takes you varies.
i.e. You want to run an hour at a 10 minute mile pace. You plan a course of about 6 miles. That course is actually 6.5 miles. You don't stop running at one hour you do the extra 5 minutes. Are you running by time or distance?
I'll plan the course to hit the rough miles (this is many times done during warmup if I didn't think about it much), and plan to add on a tail of extra minutes off the planned route if things are going well.
I'll look at watch at rough turn-around or the max distance out, and if I see I'm at 25 min, I'll go out an extra 5 min and back.
If by the end I'm not doing as well and will be going over the time, I float over anyway until I get to end of street off the main-mile street. The walk back home is my 5 min cool-down.
It is basically a rectangle, or polygon, with a tail for extra time.
If I'm really doing well or I made route to follow the main mile roads and knew I'd need more for some amount of time, I'll make another little jut off closer to the end.
While all the straight streets can be boring in some ways - it makes this whole routine very easy. And that way if I have 75 min of available time, I can plan on 60 min plus 5 min warmup/cooldown time, and 5 min stretching.
If only 60 min - plan on 45 run time. If I'm late, stretching suffers right then.
I know not all have that ease, I recall many describing bike rides that started with 3-5 miles in only 2 possible directions before they got options, and then those options were basically very big loops or out-and-back.
My reason for such timeliness is I may be off work tad early and have so much time before getting kiddo from day care, and this is run day. Or I did lifting workout, and want to squeeze in time for run before shower and a work conference call.0 -
Time Vs Distance? Two ways of saying the same thing. If you run at a consistent pace you will cover x distance in x time. Whether you want to count it as x time or x distance, what real difference does it make?0
-
Time Vs Distance? Two ways of saying the same thing. If you run at a consistent pace you will cover x distance in x time. Whether you want to count it as x time or x distance, what real difference does it make?
during the week i run for time. ex:i have an hour
during the weekend i run for distance more. ex: i want to run 18 miles0 -
You can manage your volume and intensity either way. I've always liked using distance. For instance, I'm going to run 4 miles in zone 2 today or I'm going to run 4 miles in zone 2 and do 4 hill repeats in zone 4.0
-
Time Vs Distance? Two ways of saying the same thing. If you run at a consistent pace you will cover x distance in x time. Whether you want to count it as x time or x distance, what real difference does it make?
For me, it depends on what the training focus is for the workout. For example, when building volume for an open half marathon race, my long runs are often done based on distance, increasing weekly. On the other hand, if the run is part of a build for a half marathon run split during a 70.3 triathlon, then I run for time. The reason is that I'm getting plenty of aerobic training and volume built as part of my overall weekly plan, so the "long run" is often just aimed at getting time on my feet that day, such as after a swim.
In general, just running for a prescribed time is an easy way for me to maintain fitness. If race training, then I am more focused on distance.0 -
Pretty much this. Only exception is running a 5k outside as I'm trying to improve on my time. Anything above that while running outside though and I focus on distance.0 -
I bet any runner on here that did a time run that ended up around 12.5 miles wouldn't be able to stop until they'd turned it into a half marathon.0
-
I bet any runner on here that did a time run that ended up around 12.5 miles wouldn't be able to stop until they'd turned it into a half marathon.
Nope, I am quite happy to go to 0.1 of a mile so 12.5 is absolutely fine.
Plus I only do half marathon distance in a half marathon :laugh:4
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.5K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 392 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 926 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions