Running Endurance Question!

2

Replies

  • picassoadagio
    picassoadagio Posts: 407 Member
    When I trained for a recent 1/2 marathon, I ran most of my miles at a slow pace intermixing intervals. At the race I ended up averaging a 9:41 min/mile which was a good pace saying when I ran a 1/2 marathon last fall, I averaged 12:00 min/mile.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    Read the article here http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/articles and use the pace calculator at that site to calculate your various training paces.

    To build endurance run lots of miles. What is likely to happen is that after a few months training to build your endurance you will be able to run a faster mile when you want to.

    To really train for a 5k you should be running a minimum of around 30 miles per week. If your body can handle it, more is better up to around 70 miles per week.
    I run 70 at my peek in the run in to marathon, will be doing similar for an ultra.

    Advising someone to try to get to 70 miles a week for their first 5k? What planet you on brah?
    I said 30. Beyond that, more is better up to around 70 as your body can handle it.
    30 miles a week will still have them running 140% of the race distance every single day.
  • MinnesotaManimal
    MinnesotaManimal Posts: 642 Member
    I began my running in July of 2011 at which point I could only jog for about a minute tops before I was so out of breath I couldn't do more than stumble. I pushed through the Couch to 5k program using an app on my phone for guidance. a few weeks in it got easier and I started doing each running section twice back to back. I did this all the way through the first 20 minute run which at the time was brutal. I finished the program and started the "bridge to 10k" then got a cold and laid off running between november and late january running just a few miles a week at the gym on the treadmill.

    In february I set up a marathon training schedule for an endurance run I am doing in May, and yesterday I ran 18 miles non stop.

    just find a schedule that gradually increases your distance/ time on your feet and find a way to mentally push through. endurance running is a true test of mental strength ( and stability...haha)
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Definitely slow the pace down. I look at it this way - If I'm in danger I want to be able to run far more than I want to be able to run fast. ;)

    Most 5k's are run/walks, so no need to worry about where you'll be in the pack. There are always people who just go to walk so as long as you even barely trot, you won't be at the end. And even if you are, so what? Most people don't even have the guts to enter a 5k.

    +1

    Most 5k's are about fun. So have fun.

    Yep, this.

    I've won a couple medals running 5ks, so I think I'm pretty good at it for a non-professional runner, and I've never run much more than 50 miles per MONTH.

    And there's no shame in walking a little if you need it. I walked some of my 5k on Saturday, and still finished in 26 minutes, and in the top third of all runners.... 5th out of 17 in my age group. I had a stress fracture in December/January, so I've only been running again for two months and don't want to kill myself pushing too hard.
  • I have to agree with others. I think you will scare the crap out of people who are training to run their first 5K with 'advice' like that.
    I've been running for a year, have run two 5Ks and a 10K and plan to train for a 1/2 marathon this year. I average about 12-18 miles a week. That's 3-4 runs a week (I don't run back to back days). I can walk out the door at any given moment and run a 5K at at least a 9:30 pace. Faster on a good day. I can also pretty easily run 6+ miles at least once a week. All without running 30 miles a WEEK. I really don't think anyone needs to run that much to train for a 5K.

    To the poster, slow down and set smaller goals along your run. If you normally run on a time basis, push yourself just a little more each run. For example, if you run for 20 minutes normally, push yourself to run just 2 more minutes, then 3 more minutes the next time, then 5 more minutes and so on. For me, it is easier to accomplish smaller time goals than distance goals. And that should help build your endurance.
  • msbanana
    msbanana Posts: 793 Member
    To really train for a 5k you should be running a minimum of around 30 miles per week. If your body can handle it, more is better up to around 70 miles per week.

    Umm, dude. That's just nuts. And wrong.

    NO Joke.

    When I trained for my first 5K it was more like 15 miles a week, It was 25 for my first 12K and now for my first "half" (Which is slightly less than half but has 25 obstacles TOUGH MUDDER) I'm going for 35 miles a week. 3-4 short runs (HIIT training) and 1 or 2 long runs (8+ miles) a week.

    Not saying what I have done will work for everyone but there is such a think as over training and 70 miles a week for a 5K is WAAAAAYYYY over training.
  • 51powerski
    51powerski Posts: 66 Member
    I said 30. Beyond that, more is better up to around 70 as your body can handle it.

    She's asking for advice on how to get past 2 miles. Your advice is for her to run 30 and work on 70 if she can handle it.

    Makes perfect sense.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Use a heart rate monitor and stay below 80% of your max heart rate.

    Why below 80%? Would perceived effort not be better as HRMs tend to calculate zones based on 22-age?

    I have to agree. It is really hard to predict your actual max heart rate. I can run 2-3 miles at 90% of my "apparent" max heart rate. I don't feel as if I'm working that hard either.

    Anyways, what I have found that helps me is I slowed down my pace. I'm a glutton for pain so pushing myself past that "I HAVE TO STOP" point is typically easy for me, so I wish I could help with that.

    Overall, what helped me what increasing my time. Before I even started I would tell myself "I will run for 30 min and not stop until then end. No matter how slow I run, I will not walk" Sooner or later you find yourself getting over that hump.
  • scott091501
    scott091501 Posts: 1,260 Member
    Maybe I missed it but how many days a week are you running? How far each day? At what pace? Kinda hard to offer advice w/o this info. Run slow. Run a lot. Your pace will start to pick up naturally. At some point go in for LT testing and accurately set your HR zones in something like a Garmin 305 and then train by HR. Once you have the necessary base then you can work in speed training and extend your endurance and push pace at the same time. The other thing you need to learn as a newb runner is the differnece between being done and needing to HTFU and push through a barrier.
  • gdunn55
    gdunn55 Posts: 363
    Something I've done and it may or may not be right. I don't look at the mileage when I run, I just start my stop watch and run for x number of minutes. If I have it set in my head I want to run for 50 minutes, I run for 50 minutes. I'll worry about how far it is later like on a rest day, I'll take a drive and figure out my mileage.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    Read the article here http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/articles and use the pace calculator at that site to calculate your various training paces.

    To build endurance run lots of miles. What is likely to happen is that after a few months training to build your endurance you will be able to run a faster mile when you want to.

    To really train for a 5k you should be running a minimum of around 30 miles per week. If your body can handle it, more is better up to around 70 miles per week.
    I run 70 at my peek in the run in to marathon, will be doing similar for an ultra.

    Advising someone to try to get to 70 miles a week for their first 5k? What planet you on brah?
    I said 30. Beyond that, more is better up to around 70 as your body can handle it.
    30 miles a week will still have them running 140% of the race distance every single day.
    Yes. Building endurance requires miles and endurance is required to run a fast race. All the speed in the world means nothing if the endurance isn't there to maintain the pace. Also, even a race as short as a 5k is around 90% aerobic and the aerobic system is built on miles.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    To really train for a 5k you should be running a minimum of around 30 miles per week. If your body can handle it, more is better up to around 70 miles per week.

    Would like to know where you get this....:laugh: :noway: I'm training for a half, and mine"s around 25-30 a week.....
    Where do you find the time for 70 miles a week for just 5km??
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    I said 30. Beyond that, more is better up to around 70 as your body can handle it.

    She's asking for advice on how to get past 2 miles. Your advice is for her to run 30 and work on 70 if she can handle it.

    Makes perfect sense.
    She said she wanted to train for a 5k. She also said she has been running for a few years so its not like going from zero fitness. And anyone without some sort of physical disability can build up to 30 miles in a couple of months if they want to.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    I said 30. Beyond that, more is better up to around 70 as your body can handle it.

    She's asking for advice on how to get past 2 miles. Your advice is for her to run 30 and work on 70 if she can handle it.

    Makes perfect sense.
    :laugh: :laugh: brilliant!
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    Funny I have similar issues, and this is how I deal with it...

    Option 1)Plan a longer route say 3 miles, start your timer, take off the watch and leave it in the car/locker and go for a run stop it when you get back.

    Option 2) Run an unfamiliar route where you don't know the mile markers, but plan to run for 10 minutes longer than your last run. When you get back map it or drive it to get the distance.

    I jokingly call it Zen running because I just let myself run and enjoy it without the pressure of the pace. I do still check out my pace, I just do it after not during, and if I am training for a certain pace in a race I will use the watch once I am comfortable with the new distance. In my crazy mind this keeps me happy. Good luck
  • gdunn55
    gdunn55 Posts: 363
    I'm assuming he's saying running 5 days a week at 6 miles a day. Rule of thumb I was told was run double the race on your running days leading up to the event.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    To really train for a 5k you should be running a minimum of around 30 miles per week. If your body can handle it, more is better up to around 70 miles per week.
    I'm training to finish a half marathon and my peak week is only 25 miles...

    ^^^ Yeah, there's no way you need any where near 30 miles a week for a 5k!!! That's what I did for my marathon. (Probably not as much as I should have done, but I finished fine.) :laugh:
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
    When I trained for my first 5K it was more like 15 miles a week, It was 25 for my first 12K and now for my first "half" (Which is slightly less than half but has 25 obstacles TOUGH MUDDER) I'm going for 35 miles a week. 3-4 short runs (HIIT training) and 1 or 2 long runs (8+ miles) a week.

    Not saying what I have done will work for everyone but there is such a think as over training and 70 miles a week for a 5K is WAAAAAYYYY over training.

    My training for my first 5k was about 3 miles a week ... for only 5 weeks prior to the event. I hadn't run before that in 20 years! And I completed it in 31min and change. lol
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
    She said she wanted to train for a 5k. She also said she has been running for a few years so its not like going from zero fitness. And anyone without some sort of physical disability can build up to 30 miles in a couple of months if they want to.

    Yeah, but if she could do 30 miles a week, she wouldn't need to train for a 5k. She'd be there already.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    She said she wanted to train for a 5k. She also said she has been running for a few years so its not like going from zero fitness. And anyone without some sort of physical disability can build up to 30 miles in a couple of months if they want to.

    Yeah, but if she could do 30 miles a week, she wouldn't need to train for a 5k. She'd be there already.


    AMEN!!!
  • scott091501
    scott091501 Posts: 1,260 Member
    Funny y'all are arguing about different things. One person is talking about training volume to put up your best possible time in a 5k and the others are talking about completeing a 5k.

    I don't think the OP is talking about dropping a sub 20 minute 5k.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    It is still too much! WAAAAY to much...
    You need one longer slow run a week, and maybe two to three shorter ones - where you can do tempo, interval or hills...WHEN you have built the foundation - which in her case is completing a 5km...No matter what pace....

    To the OP - keep is slow like others said....sing, talk or just keep the pace really slow on your GPS if you have one...Add one km to your long SLOW run ONCE a week.... DO NOT attempt to go nuts and run for hours if you are not already training for a half or full marathon....You will injure yourself and give up....
    PM me if you want to know more - I started running at 223lbs doing 1 min run 1 min walk....and train for a half now....We can't all be Kenyan wonder long distance superheroes, but we can all run for longer and further!
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    She said she wanted to train for a 5k. She also said she has been running for a few years so its not like going from zero fitness. And anyone without some sort of physical disability can build up to 30 miles in a couple of months if they want to.

    Yeah, but if she could do 30 miles a week, she wouldn't need to train for a 5k. She'd be there already.

    He's saying work up to 30 miles a week, he never said to go out and do it this week.

    If you want to fun farther, run slower and run more often.
    If you want to run faster, run slower, and run more often.

    Endurance is free speed..
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
    She said she wanted to train for a 5k. She also said she has been running for a few years so its not like going from zero fitness. And anyone without some sort of physical disability can build up to 30 miles in a couple of months if they want to.

    Yeah, but if she could do 30 miles a week, she wouldn't need to train for a 5k. She'd be there already.

    He's saying work up to 30 miles a week, he never said to go out and do it this week.

    If you want to fun farther, run slower and run more often.
    If you want to run faster, run slower, and run more often.

    Endurance is free speed..


    yes, but his advice is misleading. It gives the impression that one should or couldn't do a 5k unless one can do 30 miles a week in training. Makes people think that only folks with a huge running schedule and who are uber runners can do a 5k. Which is just crap. His advices DISCOURAGES people (most people ...) from trying a 5k. Shouldn't we be encouraging people?
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    Use a heart rate monitor and stay below 80% of your max heart rate.

    Why below 80%? Would perceived effort not be better as HRMs tend to calculate zones based on 22-age?

    I have to agree. It is really hard to predict your actual max heart rate. I can run 2-3 miles at 90% of my "apparent" max heart rate. I don't feel as if I'm working that hard either.

    Anyways, what I have found that helps me is I slowed down my pace. I'm a glutton for pain so pushing myself past that "I HAVE TO STOP" point is typically easy for me, so I wish I could help with that.

    Overall, what helped me what increasing my time. Before I even started I would tell myself "I will run for 30 min and not stop until then end. No matter how slow I run, I will not walk" Sooner or later you find yourself getting over that hump.
    I actually answered that question upthread. Being that I said "80% of your max HR" and not "80% of your predicted max HR". You can test yourself and find your max HR. 220-age gives me 190. My max HR from a treadmill incline test is 201. And I ran 9 miles yesterday at 89% of my max, because I've built up aerobic endurance through running slower.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    OK. I'll rephrase what I said. If you want to run 5k and already have been running for a few years and often run 1 mile fast then you can run 5k today. Just run slower and you can finish.

    If you are interested in improving your fitness and running faster in races then run more miles.

    http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=10719
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
    OK. I'll rephrase what I said. If you want to run 5k and already have been running for a few years and often run 1 mile fast then you can run 5k today. Just run slower and you can finish.

    If you are interested in improving your fitness and running faster in races then run more miles.

    http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=10719


    Aha. There is a reasonable man under there somewhere ...
  • katiezi
    katiezi Posts: 44 Member
    Thanks for all the suggestions! I've been running for about 2-2 1/2 years. I've been running more seriously for almost a year and a half so as to help with weight loss. Now that most of my weight is down I just want to be able to do something with my running. My average pace thus far is about 9.30 a mile. I'll probably slow it down a little to about 10:30 and try to run for a longer amount of time. Right now I exercise about 20-25 minutes and at least 15 of that is running if not more. As a teacher I can usually only fit in about 3 runs a week. So I'll try to up my workout to running for at least 20 minutes at a slower pace and add about a minute to each run.
  • vick9180
    vick9180 Posts: 144 Member
    One thing we all need to keep in mind when it comes to training for a goal is that it's not an exact science. When prescribing exercise programs, it's important to consider the fitness level of the person who is trying to reach a goal. At this point, the OP is looking for ways to push beyond a 2 miler, in which case, those who've suggested slowing down a bit to cover the longer distance would, in my opinion, be giving the best advice.

    As a former competitive runner, I know how hard it is to take this advice. I like seeing faster numbers on my GPS watch. But since I'm training for a half marathon, I know that I've gotta find a way to get in the longer runs. One thing I truly focus on for those runs is relaxation. As another person said, going by the RPE scale helps. If you're trying to to get in some more distance, shoot for like a 6-7 (on a scale of 1-10) rather than 8-9. Eventually, as your fitness level increases, so will your ability to do those runs at a faster pace.

    At this point, increasing mileage just to finish a 5K to 30 miles a week, isn't really necessary. However, when I was at my peak fitness level, I was running 50-60 miles a week and focusing on 5Ks. Running that kind of mileage made racing a 5K a cakewalk.

    So, again to the OP, considering your fitness level, you've gotten some great advice. As others have suggested, map out your run beforehand, and if you don't make it the whole way the first time, don't beat yourself up. Just strive to increase that distance a little bit each time until you're able to make the whole distance...then rinse and repeat for a further distance. Best of luck to you in your endurance mission! :smile:
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    She said she wanted to train for a 5k. She also said she has been running for a few years so its not like going from zero fitness. And anyone without some sort of physical disability can build up to 30 miles in a couple of months if they want to.

    Yeah, but if she could do 30 miles a week, she wouldn't need to train for a 5k. She'd be there already.

    He's saying work up to 30 miles a week, he never said to go out and do it this week.

    If you want to fun farther, run slower and run more often.
    If you want to run faster, run slower, and run more often.

    Endurance is free speed..


    yes, but his advice is misleading. It gives the impression that one should or couldn't do a 5k unless one can do 30 miles a week in training. Makes people think that only folks with a huge running schedule and who are uber runners can do a 5k. Which is just crap. His advices DISCOURAGES people (most people ...) from trying a 5k. Shouldn't we be encouraging people?

    The way it was worded could of been confusing. I understood what he was saying though.

    People can fun a 5k to get through it and only run 3-5 miles/week.

    Want to get faster? Run more.
    I never ever believed it, until I did it.