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Is there any value in this type of run?
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I have been off running for a while, and decided to throw my hat in the ring of a local 13.1. The only problem is I really don't have much time to train. I can do a long run on the weekends, and one weeknight tempo run. In addition to that, I would like to squeeze in 2, maybe 3, 25-30 minute runs at 4:30 am. I am thinking these will primarily be recovery runs or just steady efforts to get some extra mileage in the legs.

Is it worth doing runs of that length and intensity, or is that generally thought of as junk mileage? I can't really see myself getting all fired up to do speed work in that short a time frame, and at that hour.

Long Chile was a silly place.
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Re: Is there any value in this type of run? [BCtriguy1] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, they are absolutely worth it. Those 30 minute recovery/easy runs are my bread and butter for keeping my mileage up when I don't have a lot of time.

I consider them base miles, not junk miles. I would consider junk miles the ones at a middle effort -- run easy (a lot), run hard (a little), and do as little as you can in between.
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Re: Is there any value in this type of run? [BCtriguy1] [ In reply to ]
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BCtriguy1 wrote:
I have been off running for a while, and decided to throw my hat in the ring of a local 13.1. The only problem is I really don't have much time to train. I can do a long run on the weekends, and one weeknight tempo run. In addition to that, I would like to squeeze in 2, maybe 3, 25-30 minute runs at 4:30 am. I am thinking these will primarily be recovery runs or just steady efforts to get some extra mileage in the legs.

Is it worth doing runs of that length and intensity, or is that generally thought of as junk mileage? I can't really see myself getting all fired up to do speed work in that short a time frame, and at that hour.

In addition to being a way to increase volume, if you have "been off of running for a while," you're going to need as many short runs as you can to build up your running-specific strength and overall general durability so that as your weekend runs get progressively longer, you aren't injured constantly.
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Re: Is there any value in this type of run? [BCtriguy1] [ In reply to ]
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You could also consider hill work if that's an option. Personally I have a treadmill at home and my body HATES early AM running. But, I can tolerate hill repeats on the mill decently.

Could you mix up the tempo run to have tempo + speed? Then the other runs can be laid back.

If you had a long run + 1 speed/tempo + 3 thirty minute runs, around 4 hours a week running, a 13.1 isn't out of reach.

But... if you want to do it with speed, different story.

Ryan
http://www.SetThePaceTriathlon.com
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Re: Is there any value in this type of run? [BCtriguy1] [ In reply to ]
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BCtriguy1 wrote:
I have been off running for a while, and decided to throw my hat in the ring of a local 13.1. The only problem is I really don't have much time to train. I can do a long run on the weekends, and one weeknight tempo run. In addition to that, I would like to squeeze in 2, maybe 3, 25-30 minute runs at 4:30 am. I am thinking these will primarily be recovery runs or just steady efforts to get some extra mileage in the legs.

Those are almost exclusively the types of runs that I do. But, I do 9-10 per week for 40-45 miles. They've stretched out a little bit since the start of the 100/100 thing. I'm more in the 35 minute (each) range now.
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Re: Is there any value in this type of run? [BCtriguy1] [ In reply to ]
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Those short runs are definitely worthwhile. I've raced up to marathon distance on one long run, one speedwork session, and one 60-minute run per week (with some biking for extra cardio and no impact).

Lately I've been trying to run a little every day, sometimes just a mile, for the benefit of the slightly higher weekly total. So far so good. If nothing else, it provides a little active recovery.


<The Dew Abides>
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