30 replies to this topic

[Runner500]

I'm into my third week of 130/140ks a week. So far so good. I was running 100/week prior to this. Wanted to hear from other runners if they had any useful advice. Also the doubles are a real pain. Double showers, more laundry etc. How do you manage?

My typical week.
Mon 6am 15pm
Tues 6am Tempo/interval Pm
Wed 15am
Thurs 6am 12 pm
Fri 20 km
Sat 6am tempo/interval
Sunday 25-30 k

Thanks.

[Unlikelyrunner]

I have a wife, she takes care of the 5-6 sets of running gear that needs washing each week.  Pretty easy though, quick dry, no ironing!

Edited by Unlikelyrunner, 20 August 2012 - 10:15 AM.

[UnfitnessFanatic]

Runner500, on 20 August 2012 - 06:48 AM, said:

I'm into my third week of 130/140ks a week. So far so good. I was running 100/week prior to this. Wanted to hear from other runners if they had any useful advice. Also the doubles are a real pain. Double showers, more laundry etc. How do you manage?

My typical week.
Mon 6am 15pm
Tues 6am Tempo/interval Pm
Wed 15am
Thurs 6am 12 pm
Fri 20 km
Sat 6am tempo/interval
Sunday 25-30 k

Thanks.

I have been running on a program now for the past few months that is including 2 runs on the same day like yours.  I have bought a couple of running tops with that silverescent material which means it kills the bacteria in sweat and you don't actually have to wash it after every run.  If you owned a few of these it is going to cut down on your washing as you could really just rotate through a few shirts during the week.  Having 2 showers on the other hand I am yet to find a way around...

[Tapatia32]

I'm doing 120km weeks but with no doubles.

Even so my trick is I don't wash my shorts after every run (just let them dry out)and if I know I want the same running top the next day I just give it a quick hand wash while I'm in the shower and then pop it infront of the heater. They dry quick.

Edited by Tapatia32, 20 August 2012 - 11:24 AM.

[run2work]

Wash?

[Runner500]

Thanks so far for the replies. Did anybody suffer Injuries during the initial period? I got a tendentious in my right foot which is minor but doesn't heal. Lastly, did running more pay off its dividends? I would like to hear personal stories rather than scientific research for once :-)

[Easy Tiger]

Persist, every step counts. Without question the more volume I do the better my long distance race results. Some people say don't do junk miles, it's only junk if you don't persist. Eventually the junk turns to base and you're able to do good quality even within big blocks of quantity. I have a 'change' week every 4 weeks to absorb the work and rest the body from constantly working the same energy system. During Winter (long distance season) I'll top up with a harder more intense week with less volume, in Summer (short distance season) I'll to up with an easier week with more volume.

Any increase in volume and/or intensity of any activity will come with aches and pains. Make strength, ice baths and massage as much a priority as the volume and you can get away with just about anything.

Doubling eventually becomes easy, I run much better for my key afternoon sessions after a morning run. I'm out the door at 4:30am most mornings and surprisingly there are always plenty of others out and about on The Bay where I train which is nice, training hard always feels more like privilege than a burden.

[lactatehead]

Every morning except Sunday I start with a jog for 25-35 minutes. I find this loosens up the body and better prepares it for the evening run. However, I like to remain comfortable on the second run when I am increasing the mileage or there is a high risk of injury. I would not do any interval work until my body had got used to at least 3 months of 140kms. All of that endurance work you can store away whereas the fast training is only of any use when you want to peak.

[Runner500]

Easy Tiger, on 20 August 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

Persist, every step counts. Without question the more volume I do the better my long distance race results. Some people say don't do junk miles, it's only junk if you don't persist. Eventually the junk turns to base and you're able to do good quality even within big blocks of quantity. I have a 'change' week every 4 weeks to absorb the work and rest the body from constantly working the same energy system. During Winter (long distance season) I'll top up with a harder more intense week with less volume, in Summer (short distance season) I'll to up with an easier week with more volume.

Any increase in volume and/or intensity of any activity will come with aches and pains. Make strength, ice baths and massage as much a priority as the volume and you can get away with just about anything.

Doubling eventually becomes easy, I run much better for my key afternoon sessions after a morning run. I'm out the door at 4:30am most mornings and surprisingly there are always plenty of others out and about on The Bay where I train which is nice, training hard always feels more like privilege than a burden.

Great reply. You see that's exactly what I need when I don't see the reason for running in 104 degrees, I did exactly that after reading the post. It's only the beginning for me but I think if you do something, you've got to give your utmost regardless of what the final results might turn out to be.
Cheers

[UnfitnessFanatic]

I went from running 40-50km a week to 100+ including doubles.  I expected results straight away but like easy tiger said, you need to persist.  The results will come and when they do it will be worth it.  If there is any mistake I made which I could give advice on it is to see a sports dieticien, show them your training and racing schedule and get on a nutrition plan.  If you don't it can be very easy to under eat or not eat properly to help your body to get through and recover from the harder sessions.  

Good luck.

[Runner500]

Thanks unfitness. How long did it take for you to see improvements? And how big for example in terms of 10k times before you increased mileage and after? Just curious. Cheers.

[Colin]

I am curious as to why a 19:45 5km runner needs to do as much as 140km/wk to break 3hrs. What sort of quality are you doing?

[Caterpillar]

Colin, on 21 August 2012 - 09:23 AM, said:

I am curious as to why a 19:45 5km runner needs to do as much as 140km/wk to break 3hrs. What sort of quality are you doing?

That makes 2. I don't see much in the way of recovery sessions in the mix. If you're working full time (as most of us are), there's a big risk of developing an overtraining syndrome with all that mileage.

[Paul Every]

Runner500, on 20 August 2012 - 06:48 AM, said:

I'm into my third week of 130/140ks a week. So far so good. I was running 100/week prior to this. Wanted to hear from other runners if they had any useful advice. Also the doubles are a real pain. Double showers, more laundry etc. How do you manage?

My typical week.
Mon 6am 15pm
Tues 6am Tempo/interval Pm
Wed 15am
Thurs 6am 12 pm
Fri 20 km
Sat 6am tempo/interval
Sunday 25-30 k

Thanks.

That's only 4 double run days and only 4 extra singlets, shorts and pair of socks to go into the washing machine each week. Alternatively, just rinse the shorts and singlets out when you have a shower.

An extra shower takes a comfortable 10 minutes.

I have never found double run days a hassle.

Nothing wrong with 130-140 km/week if you want to get results. My best results have come from similar or more.

Edited by Paul Every, 21 August 2012 - 11:03 AM.

[Runner500]

Colin/Caterpillar I think it's to do with having a big base. I'm being trained by a coach and he believes in aerobic development(mitochondria, blood vessels and supply to muscles etc). The recovery sessions are the easy running days. They pop my legs right up after a hard wo,which usually are
12x1k
6x2k with 60 secs rest
3x4k with 3min rest
4x3k with 3 min rest
5x2 or 3 with 3 min rest
10 or 12k  tempo
12k alternating tempo (slightly above LT then slightly slower)
Long runs with faster finish

Yes I work and it's not easy to get everything done but I run early mornings to make up. Cheers.

[chrizz84]

I admire your hard work and to be honest i couldnt do a workload like that i know i tried last year and it ended bad.but why so many kms to achive a 3 hour marathon.I know miles make champions but those champions i would assume spend years building those miles eg 80 km a week in the first year to achive 3 hr 100km a week in the 2nd year to achive 2 50 etc etc .so the base is built up over years

[Runner500]

I couldnt say why so many miles. During first year of running I averaged 30-40 a week with long spells of inactivity. Second year 70-90 but consistent. This is the third year and I'm hoping to nail 130-150. My coach agrees so we are giving it a go.

[Shahanga]

Unlikelyrunner, on 20 August 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

I have a wife, she takes care of the 5-6 sets of running gear that needs washing each week.  Pretty easy though, quick dry, no ironing!

That's not a wife. that's a saint!

[rohan]

Quote

My typical week.
Mon 6am 15pm
Tues 6am Tempo/interval Pm
Wed 15am
Thurs 6am 12 pm
Fri 20 km
Sat 6am tempo/interval
Sunday 25-30 k

umm.. I get 116km-123km when I add up that schedule.  Is my arithmetic going astray? I'm having to guess the Tues pm session distance.

Colin, on 21 August 2012 - 09:23 AM, said:

I am curious as to why a 19:45 5km runner needs to do as much as 140km/wk to break 3hrs. What sort of quality are you doing?

Where was the 3hr goal stated? Am I missing something?

Anyway it looks like a half marathon program with that short long run on the sunday.  If I had 130k-140k per week to play with then my long run would be 36 or so km.  I'm on 90km per week and I've just gotten back from a 36km run.

[Runner500]

You are right rohan. The quality sessions are always around 18k (wu 5k+ 10-12k workout cd2-3k). Anyway it's more like 135k right now.  The long runs are alternating. It's one week 30-35k and one week 20-25. I'm in the middle of base building. I'm off to a 35k today in 32C !!!

[Colin]

rohan, on 26 August 2012 - 12:54 PM, said:

Colin, on 21 August 2012 - 09:23 AM, said:

I am curious as to why a 19:45 5km runner needs to do as much as 140km/wk to break 3hrs. What sort of quality are you doing?

Where was the 3hr goal stated? Am I missing something

Yep, right in footer

Quote

Personal goal: sub 3 hour marathon, 38 min 10k

[rohan]

Colin, on 26 August 2012 - 05:13 PM, said:

Yep, right in footer

Quote

Personal goal: sub 3 hour marathon, 38 min 10k

umm well there you go.

Agree. Not many people need 130/140 to run sub 3.
I'd put the typical cases as peaking at 100km, and maybe doing a few weeks at that level.

My first one done at max 80km/week, but that was essentially Ironman training. Later ones were done around 90-95km/week. Maybe some 100km peak weeks.  2;52 mara maybe had a few weeks that went a smidge over 100km/week.

[Tony123]

rohan, on 26 August 2012 - 05:23 PM, said:

Colin, on 26 August 2012 - 05:13 PM, said:

Yep, right in footer

Quote

Personal goal: sub 3 hour marathon, 38 min 10k

umm well there you go.

Agree. Not many people need 130/140 to run sub 3.
I'd put the typical cases as peaking at 100km, and maybe doing a few weeks at that level.

My first one done at max 80km/week, but that was essentially Ironman training. Later ones were done around 90-95km/week. Maybe some 100km peak weeks.  2;52 mara maybe had a few weeks that went a smidge over 100km/week.

Imagine how fast you could have gone on 140km/week, 2:40-2:45?

[rohan]

Tony123, on 26 August 2012 - 05:44 PM, said:

Imagine how fast you could have gone on 140km/week, 2:40-2:45?

You have to get used to absorbing bigger miles.
If I did 140 I reckon I would've gone slower because average training paces would've slowed so much.

I know when I hit 120km/week for a few weeks leading into Trailwalker that my average pace is getting pretty cactus.

[Tony123]

rohan, on 26 August 2012 - 06:15 PM, said:

Tony123, on 26 August 2012 - 05:44 PM, said:

Imagine how fast you could have gone on 140km/week, 2:40-2:45?

You have to get used to absorbing bigger miles.
If I did 140 I reckon I would've gone slower because average training paces would've slowed so much.

I know when I hit 120km/week for a few weeks leading into Trailwalker that my average pace is getting pretty cactus.

I guess that is one of the things that separates the elite from us weekend warriors, the elite can run mega miles and absorb it.

[speedmeup]

. . what's that old saying? throw a dozen eggs against the wall, and keep the ones that don't crack !

I'm afraid if I ran 140km/ week instead of 65. . I would be one of the eggs that cracked.

[Runner500]

I get this a lot. 'Why are you doing so many miles ' so on and so forth. My coach laid it out straight. He said that it will tke some time but the aerobic development will happen quicker with 85-100 miles than 50-70. After the initial phase where my body eventually absorbs the heavier mileage, I'll be cranking up more pacey WOs. I couldn't do that now. So I've had to take a step back and work on my aerobic side to take two steps forward. You could argue that my coach's theory is flawed but it makes darn good sense to me, I'm beginning to see the results already.

Speedmeup, if I were to go from 130-140 ks to 180-200, I would crack too. It's a matter of not pulling the chord too much that it snaps and nor too loose that it doesn't play.

Edited by Runner500, 26 August 2012 - 10:53 PM.

[UnfitnessFanatic]

Runner500 I admire you for having a crack. Some people might be able to run a sub 3 marathon off 80km/week some might be able to do it off 40. Others need to put everything on the line.

[Caterpillar]

Tony123, on 26 August 2012 - 05:44 PM, said:

I guess that is one of the things that separates the elite from us weekend warriors, the elite can run mega miles and absorb it.

One reason the elites can do the mileage is that many of them don't do much else during their training week eg. no full time job, so there's more opportunity to recover from the high mileage beating. Their first run of the day is usually a few hours later than the rest of us, many have a midday nap of a few hours before their afternoon session, and they get plenty of sleep to boot, and probably a massage most days as well. Deena Kastor sleeps a total of 12 hours every day. http://running.compe...mfort-zone_6616

[Runner500]

UnfitnessFanatic, on 26 August 2012 - 11:22 PM, said:

Runner500 I admire you for having a crack. Some people might be able to run a sub 3 marathon off 80km/week some might be able to do it off 40. Others need to put everything on the line.

Yep that might be me. I ran a 3:12(my watch) marathon with negative splits off the back of 85k a week program. Admittedly I went in too tired as I hadn't recovered properly. At this very moment, my mileage is close to 90 BUT the paces are still conservative. The next step is to up the paces and keep the mileage there. Let's see how my body copes with that.

[lyricnz]

All this talk of "all those miles, you must be aiming sub-3" are a bit of a downer.  My physio even said the same thing!!, until he heard my crappy pace :/  Some of us, either new to running or just lacking talent, (feel like we) need to push the miles a bit, just to get to the starting line with a reasonable chance of success.  I'm currently doing 100-110/wk and am nowhere near 3h pace. Waah.