Runners-what is your comfort distance?

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  • SpringFever19
    SpringFever19 Posts: 180 Member
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    Im a beginner, so I feel comfortable at 3 miles. Hope to increase this as the year goes on.
    Me too! I'm trying to increase my mileage by a little each week to build up more endurance.


    Same here! 2 is good, some days 3. I'm hoping for 5?
  • cpldjski
    cpldjski Posts: 64 Member
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    This is an interesting topic. I by no means consider myself a runner. I am still trying to finish Week 8 of C25k. I have done day one, but for some reason the thought of getting out of bed at 5 in the morning to run 2.75 miles terrifies me. I mentally talk myself out of it. It's horrible.
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    I'm not running anywhere near the distance that you all are, I generally run 3 -3 1/2 miles right now. I've just become a runner recently. But I still get very nervous on the days I am going to run. I am afraid I am going to fail myself and not make the distance. I think I will put off running a 5K for a while because I'm afraid I will psych myself out beforehand.

    You won't fail simply because you haven't so far, so there is no reason why you would just opt out now :)

    If though, one day, you go out for your run and find it damn hard going, just slow down and then slow down even more, until you find your pace comfortable. When you get back home, the time you took to do the run is irrelevant, ESPECIALLY if you did not stop to walk - you have, at this point, already succeeded.

    You will always make the distance, provided you go at the pace you can manage and don't try to go too fast x
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    When I am fit (I have had 6 weeks of only running once a week due to injury and illness) it's about 7 miles. I know I can run that fine, but I start worrying about doing more. Partly because of time constraints. I ran 6 miles this morning and felt grim, but I am not at my peak fitness right now with a lingering cold and a foot injury.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    I have been in a base building phase since about mid November, all in preparation for a Boston Qualifying attempt this fall. I am comfortable at all the distances on my schedule right now, which range from 6 to 16 miles. Over 16, I'm not intimidated or concerned, but as another poster said, there are just so many things that can go wrong, it takes a lot more planning. Will I have enough water? Did I eat enough before? Do I have enough gels to get through? Do I need them for this run? Where are the bathrooms on the route in the event that gastric distress sets in?

    My favorite distance is probably 8 to 10 miles.
  • nwhitley
    nwhitley Posts: 619
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    Between 6 and 8 miles is super comfortable. I am getting to where 9 miles is not too bad, but not quite there. I know it's all mental though because physically there's usually nothing hurting.
  • DaveC29
    DaveC29 Posts: 232 Member
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    I know what you mean and it's mostly a mental game.

    This is it... I look at the time to complete, then it is only another 10 minutes of running. I also focus on things that are immediate, how my pace is going, how I'm breathing, how relaxed I am. This gets my mind off the mileage and into the now!

    My longest was 15 miles. Around 7-8 is comfortable, start the mental hurting bad around 14. Training for a full Marathon in October! Got a few longer runs in my future!
  • Thisprincesswearsrunningshoes
    Thisprincesswearsrunningshoes Posts: 51
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    2-4 miles is my comfort distance.
  • gmpearson
    gmpearson Posts: 138 Member
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    Currently, I like the 5-6 mile distance; but I am not training for a 1/2 or full. I tend to run slightly faster than I probably should, which causes me to top out at shorter distances. I run 5-6 miles about 2 times a week, and the rest are 3-4 miles. My weekly totals are around 23-26 miles. In the last couple of weeks I have pushed into the 7 mile range, and no issues there.

    As one poster stated, I could probably go out and handle a half now (although I would have to slow my pace a little) without much more training.

    Completely agree on the mental aspect of it. I sat at 4 miles as a max for nearly a year thinking that a 5 mile run was just TOO far. Now I find that distance great. Also, I am sitting at a mental block now similar to CarsonRuns - do I have to worry about food and water (I don't run with either)??? I stay under an hour to avoid this.

    For those posters that are in the C25K or running 2-3 miles as their comfort distance - GOOD JOB and keep it up! I was there too, and I would have LAUGHED at the thought of me going 5, 6, 7 or more miles. It comes in time and with building the endurance. I don't think twice about a 6 mile run now. Just keep running!!!

    Greg

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