I did 38 miles since July 28th due to a running injury. I did a lot of aquajogging instead.

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http://trainingoferic.blogspot.com/

total miles? on the road? or per week?

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Total miles so I averaged about 3 miles per week since July 23rd.

Looking back at my blog, here's what I ran:

July 23rd - 8.2 miles and the run that made me decide to see someone about my foot
Aug 28th - 2.5 miles
Aug 31th - 3 miles
Sep 2nd - 2.5 mile brick
Sep 4th - 3 mile in a sprint triathlon where I averaged 7:45/mile. All the above miles were about 9:30-10:00/mile. My foot started to hurt again and I think it was a combination of running barefoot on asphalt in transition and running so fast in the race. Decided that I would take a couple of weeks off from running
Sep 16th - 2.5 miles, foot still hurt slightly
Oct 10th - 1.5 miles
Oct 12th - 1.5 miles
Oct 18th - 2 miles
Oct 20th - 1.5 miles
Oct 22nd - 1.5 miles
Oct 26th - 3 miles
Oct 28th - 2 miles
Oct 29th - 6 miles
Nov 3rd - 1.5 miles

Those are the road miles that I ran. I did a lot of aquajogging in there as well with a 3hr session at one point.

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http://trainingoferic.blogspot.com/

Great Challenge

I actually started my run focus about 5 weeks ago The build has been very slow and on a high diet of holding perfect form. You need to know your limits in order to run this sort of challenge if you don't you will surely break down with an over use injury. This is something that has plagued me for years and it wasn't until I set down some clear guidelines, and stick with them that I was actually able to build up a decent run program.

These include

1. keep the hr down and right down. This will force you to really concentrate on holding perfect form. Once you hr starts to drift, initially it will probably be a result of you losing your form and not fatigue

2. Even though I know I could run 1.5hrs I would limit it too 1 hr. Running fresh with perfect form is a sure way of keeping those injuries away. Know you limits and extend them gradually.

3. Even before fatigue sets in, you will lose your running form. Don't get to the point where you feel you are getting too tired. If you do you probably have already been running for some time reonforcing bad habits.

4. To summarise, Run fresh, run often and experience the good fatigue. its a great way to get fit.

paul

Did anyone actually do this "challenge" and #1 - survive without career-ending injury OR #2 - live to testify to the benefits of it?

Curious.

Just one person but...

1. I've tried a couple times and come up somewhat short (not due to injury, just general lack of training time and/or laziness), I averaged 115 miles/month from Nov06-Feb07 and currently averaging 157 miles/month from Nov07-Jan08, despite coming up short both times it has been a substantial increase from my usual running mileage.

2. I've dropped 8 mins off of my standalone half marathon and last season my run splits were consistently better than the year before.

I actually meant to drag this thread up earlier to thank DD for posting this.

Technically, I did not stick to the challenge per say, but it inspired me to run over 500 miles from Nov-Jan, which was more than normal for me, and 2007 ended up being my best year ever. I did stay injury free for the first time in 3 years and got PRs at all distances I raced (4 miles, 10k, 1/2 mary, sprint, Olympic and 1/2 IM). While I did expect the running improvements, the triathlon PRs were more of a surprise as my bike and swim training was very minimal. This year, I am training more like a triathlete, running less and swimming/biking more and we will see if I can keep on improving my times.

REAL challenges have spreadsheets ;-)

Reading this has increased my motivation to go train this morning :)

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

I hit 256 miles run in Jan.. Feb is not going as well with sickness, dog bite and knee injury.. I should just barely scrape over 200.

This is really funny that this thread came up this morning. I was going to reply to it last night after someone linked to it in a post, but I figured it was way too old... go figure.

So the original post motivated me to the full ass challenge, wow almost 12 months ago! I hit my 200 miles in December - March that winter. I experienced some mild plantar fascitis in the middle but I ran through it and it only resurfaced this winter during some 80-100 mile weeks.

So how did I fare? I run a lot of 5k's. My PB before the challenge was 20:14. In April after the challenge I ran 18:02.

I turned into a runner. I run people down in tri's. I age group place in local road races. Obviously I had some latent ability, but the mileage definately brought it out. I have since done another 4 month block of even higher miles, in the range of 300-370/month and I am poised to go sub 17 before the tri season gets rolling.

Soft surfaces, treadmills, and ice and recovery help. Lose weight. Newtons worked for me. Seiko portable metronome. 90 footstrikes/minute. Hill repeats. VO2 max intervals on treadmill, later some 400's on the track. Race a bunch. 2 5k's a month.
Love it. 2 a days. Love em. Don't get hurt...cross your fingers? Be careful and smart. Where do you want to be in your running?

Thanks for the OP it helped me immensely. As did Slowmans's How to kill your 10k PR article.

I didn't do the challenge but my coach did have me focus on running from October-current and enter a spring marathon as my running sucked. I came from a swim/bike background but until 2006 had never run more than 3 miles at once in my life, and last year training for IMWI I never ran more than 15 miles at once and or never ran more than 33 miles per week.

Doing a slow but steady buildup by January 1st I was up to 45-50 miles per week (3 weeks on, 1 recovery week) or about 150+ miles per month. Most of it was steady 'base' running with a weekly hill workout thrown in. Still swimming 2-3x per week and riding 2x per week (trainer strength progression ride and then long ride on Saturday). Recently I've started doing more tempo/faster runs in preparation for next months marathon and here is what I've found so far:

Long runs: With a low zone 2 heart rate average I am down to 8 minute miles up to 20 miles on a hilly/rolling course without digging too deep. This is about a 1 minute or more per mile improvement from last year with longer runs by 5 miles. Also, recovery from a 20 mile run is now a day or two max whereas last year it took me 2-3 days to recover from a slower/shorter run.

Half marathon speed: Last year my pb was about a 1:45. Two weeks ago my workout called for me to run at race pace for 13 miles or until I blow up, whichever came first. I was told not to get discouraged if I didn't make it more than 5-6 miles as it was at the end of a solid week and the legs would be tired. Made it the full half marathon distance in 1:30:08, or sub 7 minute miles and a 15 minute pb at that distance. I have the same workout this sunday and I will break 1:30.

Intervals: Last year I could maybe scrape together one 6 minute or so mile at best. Last week the interval workout was a 1/4 mile, then 1/2, 3/4, 1 mile, then back down to 1/4 where the rest was 1/2 the time it took to complete the previous distance. I ran it all at a sub 6 pace including the mile in about 5:45, or faster than I've ever done a mile in my life. Last night's workout was a 2 mile warm up then 7 1-mile repeats with 1 minute rest in between. Fastest was 6:00 even, slowest was 6:15 and this was just two days after a 20 miler. While this isn't blazing it's faster than I ever thought I could run in my life as I simply believed I was not a runner and suffered through it all last year thinking I never would be a runner. Hell, I thought sub 8 minute miles were flying when I first started racing.

My pb's in triathlon runs in 2006 and 2007 were 24:00 for 5k, 46:30 for 10k, 2:02 for half and a 4:35 at IMWI (although my achilles was partially injured for most of 2007). I can't wait to see what I can do in the runs this upcoming year as I no longer fear/dread the run.

So while I didn't take any challenges directly, my coach did challenge me to try to become more of a runner this winter and from what I've seen after just 4-1/2 months is a huge improvement in my running. So DD is definitely spot on with his challenge and the rewards you will reap (as long as you do it safe and with some common sense to avoid injury and overdoing it).

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[reply]You're out of your freakin' mind!!!

I mean, these type of posts are ridiculous and totally out of control.

Who the hell puts mustard on a turkey sandwich???

It's mayo, man. [b]MAYO!!![/b][/reply]

MAYO? Seriously? Maybe some deMaio.

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

Like I said on another thread - any post with "Full on Ass" in the subject is going to get my undivided attention.

Your previous 5k pr was 20:14...what kind of running were you doing at that point? Were you just starting out, or a veteran?

Looks like you've dropped your 5k pr 3+ minutes, which is what I'd love to do, but I've been running about 8 years. However, I run very few miles (15-30 per week), so I'm wondering if a large bump in mileage is what I need.

Been thinking of doing this. My "A" races are later in the year. When it comes to miles, would something like a run 9 / walk 1 min (essentially a 10 min mile) count for the miles? Or does walking negate the potential for more significant gains?

fyi - jack daniels easy is 8:57.

200 miles is like a peak build for an IM. One month that is. Four? Breakdown city for most.

What about the run/walk approach? Does it still 'count' as miles or does the walking negate the concept?

I can't speak to if the timing is appropriate for you, but it fucking works.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...ew_flat;post=3659793

Summary:
50 mpw x16 was to much for me - so I went for a lessor version that was still a large jump over my historic average.

Result:
3 minute Half Mary PR
Blew shit up on the run of a recent sprint tri - ran over a minute faster than the previous fastest time on the course.


Advice:
Just run.
Pick a mileage that is appropriate for you. For me it was starting at 40 miles and ramping to 50 towards the end - for you that might be 20 ramping to 30, or 30 ramping to 40. My advice - pick a number that it roughly 50% larger than your historical long term average.

If you do this right, your bike will suffer because:
A> if you do it right - you won't be biking much
B> If you do it like I did - you won't be able to bike hard enough to make any real progress and will get frustrated

Be prepared to see it through - I did a 10k 2 weeks in and blew chunks, I did a 5k 8 weeks in and embarrassed myself - I did a HM at week 18 and got a surprise.

So long as your A races fall far enough away that you can properly rebuild your bike after this - go for it.

This thread is about 6 years old, but the advice is sage and timeless. If you really want to improve your triathlon running, forget about swimming and biking for awhile and focus on running. 50 miles per week is enough to challenge a reasonably fit person around here and way more than enough to improve......which is the point. The only thing I would add is to seriously focus on nutrition and recovery (for the average person) once you are north of 40 miles running per week.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

I'd argue running 200 miles per month for 4 months straight is bad advice. Run more, yes, run careless, no. Forget bike and swimming? I'm not sure I follow the logic.

My logic is intensity over extensity. Choose to become a better runner and focus intensely on that goal rather than spreading yourself too thin and only reaching mediocrity in all 3 events: extensity. It is like digging for precious jewels: you can move from one heap of dirt to the next heap dirt to the next heap of dirt and get frustrated because there is nothing of value just beneath the surface. Or you can settle on one heap of dirt and dig deep.......everyone knows the most precious jewels lie very deep under the surface.

So seeking to become a better runner is like this ^^^^^ it is not dangerous as long as you have good shoes and a good nutrition/recovery plan, and it is most certainly worth the effort.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Unless you are plodding along 50 miles a week should take you less than 8 hours a week. I'm really being loose with my definition of plodding also. Now lets take Florida Ironman as an example only 400 people actually broke 4 hours on the run. In other words over 80 percent of the field was running over 9 minute miles. Arizona had almost this same percentage.

Lets see here... hmmm you're running a marathon but 50 miles a week is too much, it seems some people should drop the biking and pick up the running. That explains the times at least, I guess.

You'll be amazed at how little time it takes to get bike fitness back if you are in shape running the same can be said about swimming. If you are already have reasonable form you can drop swimming and be back to normal after one hard month.

I saw a quote on twitter yesterday, it was something like....

Both swimmers and triathletes say they need to improve their swim. In the end one group does it, the other doesn't.

Same can be said for triathletes vs. bikers/runners

Next someone will repost his diet plan.