Running - best training pattern

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HavocXphere

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Trying to get back into running regularly.

Fitness level is pretty embarassing though. :o

What's a better approach - longer run (say 6k) every 3 days (and sore muscles in between) or short runs daily (say 2k)?

Not aiming for speed or distance in particular...just "better". Would be nice to manage 10k without dying though.
 
I run 3km, 4 times a week. I will increase distance with improving fitness (yeah, fitness levels embarassing at the moment). I started about a month ago and progress is satisfactory (my own unscientific opinion). Would also like to know if this is adequate.

I used to play football/tennis regularly thus, was in a fairly good shape (3 years ago).
 
I'm in a similar boat, started exercising again 2 weeks ago. From past experience going slow is better as soon you start pushing too hard the recovery period is long and you battle to keep up with the training.

By slow I mean jogging even walking slow and keeping your heart rate low for most of the runs and try and do an hour or so no matter the distance. One of the days it's good to do a shorter timewise HIT style routine.
 
Emjay said:
What is your goal? Just to increase your general fitness?

http://www.active.com/running/articles/a-10-week-plan-to-run-5k-for-beginning-runners

Careful to not add too much distance at the start, as you could injure yourself. I have an issue with my hip flexor and this is under supervision of a coach. Listen to your body, and take rest days.

Remember to do pre and post stretches!
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hmm...well I can already run 5K, but found this on the site you posted:
http://www.active.com/running/articles/5-signs-of-overtraining

Seems like longer distance every 3 days is perhaps on the high side.
 
I used to run 8-10km every day, but despite warm ups, strength training, I just could not physically maintain it and legs were constantly tired. I now do 4-5km every day at a 5:45-6:10min/km and am now on a 940 day streak. I use smashrun.com to stay motivated and not miss a day and after a few weeks this becomes routine (i.e. wake up at 4:50am and then do a 25min run and walk the dog afterwards). It's a lifestyle I can consistently maintain (the rainy days are always hell, as shoes do not dry fast enough).

I have given up on longer races (21km) as those seriously broke me despite being properly prepared for them. If you start running, do yourself a favor and go to a running shop and have your pronation / running evaluated and get yourself a decent pair of shoes (they might cost you >1.5K a pair, but are totally worth it).
 
My running shoes were R2.5k... I have a thing about my feet, so I will always make sure they have the best shoes so I don't have issues with toe nails and other lovely problems.

8 to 10km a day and you can't do a 21km? What issues do you have? I hate running. I am a new triathlete, and running really my worst sport. Ironman next year, and when I read stuff like this I wonder how the hell I am going to run 42km... I'll swim for 5km and bike for 180km no problems, but the run is going to kill me.
 
MagicDude4Eva said:
I used to run 8-10km every day, but despite warm ups, strength training, I just could not physically maintain it and legs were constantly tired. I now do 4-5km every day at a 5:45-6:10min/km and am now on a 940 day streak. I use smashrun.com to stay motivated and not miss a day and after a few weeks this becomes routine (i.e. wake up at 4:50am and then do a 25min run and walk the dog afterwards). It's a lifestyle I can consistently maintain (the rainy days are always hell, as shoes do not dry fast enough).

I have given up on longer races (21km) as those seriously broke me despite being properly prepared for them. If you start running, do yourself a favor and go to a running shop and have your pronation / running evaluated and get yourself a decent pair of shoes (they might cost you >1.5K a pair, but are totally worth it).
Click to expand...

I was always a sprinter. 10km is too long for me too... 5km if just fine
 
Emjay said:
My running shoes were R2.5k... I have a thing about my feet, so I will always make sure they have the best shoes so I don't have issues with toe nails and other lovely problems.

8 to 10km a day and you can't do a 21km? What issues do you have? I hate running. I am a new triathlete, and running really my worst sport. Ironman next year, and when I read stuff like this I wonder how the hell I am going to run 42km... I'll swim for 5km and bike for 180km no problems, but the run is going to kill me.
Click to expand...

Dumped my personal trainer and giving running a go. Do the Mouille Point to Biskop Steps run, do two rounds of going up Biskop Stairs before heading back...comes to about 12km in 80min...pretty impressed with myself, being the first time that I am doing any sort of real running. Thought my old trainers would do the job, till my left soleus muscle started letting me know...time to get some proper shoes and cheap they are not! Yesterday was the first run with no discomfort since my soleus issue, will continue to treadmill...sure in no time, will be back on the road.
 
Emjay said:
My running shoes were R2.5k... I have a thing about my feet, so I will always make sure they have the best shoes so I don't have issues with toe nails and other lovely problems.

8 to 10km a day and you can't do a 21km? What issues do you have? I hate running. I am a new triathlete, and running really my worst sport. Ironman next year, and when I read stuff like this I wonder how the hell I am going to run 42km... I'll swim for 5km and bike for 180km no problems, but the run is going to kill me.
Click to expand...

I did the Soweto 21km in 2015 and finished at 1:59. I did really well up to about 19km then started cramping and should have really stopped. I pushed through and did proper recovery walks/jogs for the next 2 weeks. Two months later I developed plantar fasciitis, switched down to a few kms every other day, visited biokineticist for a good 2 months and did extra stretching/strength training etc and could never really shake it. I do think that the 21km caused the issue and from the looks of it, once it becomes semi-chronic, there is no really way to completely get rid of it - other than stopping altogether.

I still want to do a full marathon at some point in time. Right now it sounds a far away goal (the same a 10km and a 21km sounded when I started).
 
MagicDude4Eva said:
I did the Soweto 21km in 2015 and finished at 1:59. I did really well up to about 19km then started cramping and should have really stopped. I pushed through and did proper recovery walks/jogs for the next 2 weeks. Two months later I developed plantar fasciitis, switched down to a few kms every other day, visited biokineticist for a good 2 months and did extra stretching/strength training etc and could never really shake it. I do think that the 21km caused the issue and from the looks of it, once it becomes semi-chronic, there is no really way to completely get rid of it - other than stopping altogether.

I still want to do a full marathon at some point in time. Right now it sounds a far away goal (the same a 10km and a 21km sounded when I started).
Click to expand...

That sucks - sorry to hear. I have numbness and some pain in my left hip flexor, and I am stressing it becomes chronic. Have stopped my program, and now on my second rest day. Hopefully it will come right in the next day or two.
 
I think it definitely hinges on what you want to achieve. For me, I have the Two Oceans Ultra (56km) looming in a month and a half, so my schedules are quite intense. I am doing a half marathon almost every weekend, including the full Peninsula Marathon 8 days ago. During the week, I don't do much as having previously suffered from ITB, I don't want a relapse.

In the next month, I'm going to have to step it up to about 30 - 35km on the weekend (1 run, not split over two days) and then 1 or 2 15km runs during the week. Rest is important though. You simply can't be running every day otherwise you will break down.
 
Emjay said:
That sucks - sorry to hear. I have numbness and some pain in my left hip flexor, and I am stressing it becomes chronic. Have stopped my program, and now on my second rest day. Hopefully it will come right in the next day or two.
Click to expand...

Best purchase I made for recovery is one of those GoFit extreme massage bars - found this more effective than those foam-rollers. Works wonders on deep tissue and I have not stretched since (I also think that overstretching caused most of the issues for me in the first place).
 
Well a good typical training pattern could be as follows:
Hill repeats once a week
Interval or track session once a week
Long run on the weekend
Can fill in the other days with short easy paced runs or cross training.
 
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