Why do most trianing programs list the workout by time rather than distance? For example, run 1 hour versus run 7 miles. I’d understand better if the workout was accompanied by a hr zone or perceived exertion guidline, but most seem to just list the time. I prefer training by mileage and pace based on race-day goals, but it’s difficult to find plans written this way. Guess I’m weird.
No, your not weird…I usually train by miles. However, I just started an 18 week olympic distance program and it lists all my runs by minutes and everything else by mileage.
I am not sure, but I think that we get too “psychological about miles” We think that if we do 5 miles or ten miles it is better. Plus, you can tell people I just ran 5mi or 6 mi or 20 mi and they look at you like your f****** crazy. And, I guess us triatletes are somewhat crazy. At least, I am.
Maybe just another way of looking at it??
If your plan simply gives time w/o any reference to exertion (whether HR, PE, or pwer), I would look for a more detailed plan. The body recognizes time, not mileage, so that’s the reason plans are written w/r/t time, but if there’s no guidance as to zones, I don’t know how effective such a plan would be. Telling you to run an hour w/o telling you what HR or PE zone you should be working in seems incomplete.
Most plans now are based on time not distance, but a good plan should reference HR or Power parameters to know how hard to go…doesn’t sound like the plans your using are thorough enough…
Yes, you are extremely weird, because you are posting on a forum about triathlon – automatically weird. We all are. Welcome.
If you are working with a coach (recommended), she can translate into miles. Otherwise there are just too many variables (topography, for one) for most plans to be written in mileage.
I felt the same way when I got started.
I never log mileage. Just time and effort. It’s an easy way to keep your body healthy and your head on straight.
A number of older running gurus, favored recording either time or distance, but not both, as that tended to have people, particularly the competitive, younger crowd, push to hard to set practivce PRs and what not, leading to injury.
Specifically for triathlon training, time allows a common denominator for tracking swim, bike and run volume. Volume is a key parameter in tracking training efforts. Swim yards correlated poorly with run miles or bike miles, but minutes are minutes.
As for training programs, it is pretty obvious that an elite (think Francois) will get a lot more miles in, in an hours time as compared to some old guy (think me). Thus, telling people “run 5 miles” might mean 28 minutes for some individuals, and … well let’s not go there. Suffice it to say, Francois would be well cooled off and already finished with his first coke by the time I finished. But, 60 minutes for both of us would result in the same volume of trainning, time wise.