Fast Running Blog

People should read my blog because I am the classic example of what not to do.  If you want to know how not to train, it's simple, just read my blog.  Monday I ran 10 miles.  I had not run in two weeks, but I did ride my bike 37 miles during that time.  So I thought I would be fine doing a mere 10 miles.  Now I'm so sore, I can hardly walk.  It probably had a lot to do with the 5.36% average grade downhill.  So, I'm really looking to hear from the experts.  Was running downhill that steep for that long the reason I'm so sore, or was it just too much time in between running?  Please give me an honest answer so that other people can learn from my mistakes.

Hey, Burt! Welcome to the Blog! I posted a note on your site, but I'll repeat a little here. I'm not an expert, but I'm having the same experience of "coming back" to the sport. I missed a whole year and have been frustrated because I remember how I used to run, so I'm always wanting to push more than I should. It's easy to want to run 10 miles because you used to run 10 miles, but you shouldn't do it if you don't have a good base. It's hard to be patient, but it will pay dividends as your training begins to accelerate. Mileage compounds just like interest, so a few pennies today can become millions in a short period of time. 

Burt:

Fred had some good thoughts. Running is not a college exam or a marketing presentation. You cannot bluff your way through it, strict God-given laws have to be obeyed. You cannot set deadlines or expect results just because the investors want it.  It is like a farm. If you do not plant you do not reap. You must train consistently and increase the load gradually. Here is what I would suggest for your training from where you are for the next three weeks:

* run 6 days a week WITHOUT SKIPPING (extra emphasis on WITHOUT SKIPPING)
* on each run go 3 miles very easy except on Saturday go 5, easy again
* If you have run a marathon, but your pace in your "easy" run is faster than what you raced in your best marathon, your run is not easy, you need to back off. There are some exceptions to this, e.g if you've run only one marathon and  lost half an hour due to some health issues, but I would say if you start running faster than the pace of your first half marathon split, it is definitely too fast.

After three weeks if you feel good, make your 3 miles 4, and make the long run 8 miles. Do not do the long run or increase the mileage if you've been skipping days. Yes, that's right. You need to qualify for your long run by consistent training throughout the week, otherwise it will not have the desired training effect. Do not rest before your long run trying to save up the energy. You only do that when you've been training a lot and are about to run a key race.

Adding to what Sasha said the aerobic base is the key and it doesn't matter at what pace.  Also make sure your eating properly to refuel your body.

Yeah, that wasn't too smart, but we've all done similar things. It's all part of the learning process.

Just look at it as a good lesson learned. As Dallen said we've all done similar things. Sometimes we take our fitness for granted and what it took to get us there. I've for sure been guilty of thinking what would an extra 10-miles this week hurt. Last time I asked myself that I was out for 3-months... Sasha has some great points. Consistant low mileage EASY days will get you back in shape to focus on mileage and then speed. The key to this part is EASY. I run between 1.5-3 minutes per mile slower than my marathon pace on my easy days. However, if your body starts acting up don't be afraid to switch around your off days. Some weeks I may need two days off. Especially when coming back from time off or from an injury.