From 0 to lydiard base

at that level, just run and pick it up towards the middle of runs sometimes

Combine it with a lot of walking. Initially there will be more walking than running, but over time that will evolve into more running than walking. This is the best way to build volume and avoid injury.

I'd go for time on his/her feet and have them run/walk for an hour to hour and a half as often as possible gradually increasing the amount of running time.

currently running is no issue. able to run 60min+ (i've pretty much always been able to get off the couch and run), just wondering where to go from here.

Then one principle still applies: take it easy with the increased mileage. If you add 2 miles one week, then you are running those miles very easy. Always err on the side of easy. Work on achieving distance before speed.

I think there's actually some writing by him that says a man can go from the couch to 100mpw in 4 weeks or something

Go up. More miles, then more quality. Basically you want to shoot for a schedule something like this:Day1-60min + stridesDay2-90min (eventually with 60min steady state or moderate pace)Day3-60min + stridesDay4-90min (eventually with 60min steady state or moderate pace)Day5-60min + stridesDay6-60minDay7-120min (eventually picking up pace last 30min)But at 25mi/wk, you are probably running 4-5 days right now and not much more than 50min for your longest run. So do a gradual ramp. Start with 6 days a week of your current running, then add 5min/day for a few weeks. Back off 1 week every 4 weeks to let your body recover, then keep adding 5min/day. It will probably take you 4mo to get to the above schedule safely.Good luck.

genuinelycurious wrote:

currently running is no issue. able to run 60min+ (i've pretty much always been able to get off the couch and run), just wondering where to go from here.

sorry it was 9 weeks as per the bunnhill website (http://www.bunnhill.com/bobhodge/Special/LydiardInterpreted.htm):

3, 11, 22, 34, 45, 56, 66, 78, 90, 100

These walking posts are ridiculous. Just increase mileage incrementally. You are at least a couple of years away from even contemplating 100. You need to be able to do daily 10s and longer once a week to consider stepping up.

Yeah, i'm just trying to build a strong base - not necessarily rush to 100mpw. My question to people who have experience building a runner from the ground up is what increments to increase by to avoid injury.

OK - a progression like that makes sense to me. thank you!

Up wrote:

at 25mi/wk, you are probably running 4-5 days right now and not much more than 50min for your longest run. So do a gradual ramp. Start with 6 days a week of your current running, then add 5min/day for a few weeks. Back off 1 week every 4 weeks to let your body recover, then keep adding 5min/day. It will probably take you 4mo to get to the above schedule safely.

Good luck.

genuinelycurious wrote:

currently running is no issue. able to run 60min+ (i've pretty much always been able to get off the couch and run), just wondering where to go from here.

Generally, you want to increase your frequency to 6-7 days/week. Then, you want to increase the distance of your runs each day. Apply the "hard, easy" principal with a longer day followed by a shorter day. Try to get in a long run on the weekends. When you get a "baseline" of weekly mileage in, start adding in quality workouts, and still apply the "hard, easy" principal. If you aren't recovering from the daily/weekly workload, then you'll need to back off and rest.

Read "Run to the Top" or another one of his classic books. You aren't at 0 if you are running 25 miles a week. You're Lydiard base will be individual based on your running history and the event you are training for (marathon vs. shorter), the time you have to train each day and the races you are training for (Fall XC season?).

best to in crease frequency before duration?

Carl Spackler wrote:

Generally, you want to increase your frequency to 6-7 days/week. Then, you want to increase the distance of your runs each day. Apply the "hard, easy" principal with a longer day followed by a shorter day. Try to get in a long run on the weekends. When you get a "baseline" of weekly mileage in, start adding in quality workouts, and still apply the "hard, easy" principal. If you aren't recovering from the daily/weekly workload, then you'll need to back off and rest.

Read "Run to the Top" or another one of his classic books. You aren't at 0 if you are running 25 miles a week. You're Lydiard base will be individual based on your running history and the event you are training for (marathon vs. shorter), the time you have to train each day and the races you are training for (Fall XC season?).

Yes, and the above suggestion is very good advice.

An example of building up, given in Lydiard's Running to the Top, was to start at 15 minutes every day. Then progress to 30 min followed by 2 days of 15 min, another 30, another 2 15s, and so on.

Then go out to 45 minutes, with two 15-minute days in between, and then on to an hour plus two 15s when you can handle it.

Then, start to bring up the intermediate days - alternating an hour, two half-hours, and hour, and so on.

He says now you can extend that long run as you feel. This is the most effective way to do it. Some people try to start at 15 minutes every day, then 30 a day, then 45 a day. It seems the faster way to achieve fitness but it will take them three times as long to achieve the goals they would get if they used patience. You cannot neglect those vital recovery days.

If you're already comfortable with 20-25 mpw, I'd start somewhere

Has anyone done this?

how long did/would it take?

What is "this?" Do you mean o miles to 100 a week? If that, obviously everyone who's done 100 mile weeks has done it.

Don't be in a hurry to increase your mileage. If you added just one mile per week to your average, you would be doing more than 70 mpw this time next year.

Yo, I coach a guy (mid-40s) who was running 20-25 mpw and running 22 min 5Ks, and half marathon PR in the high 1:30s. We took a long term approach, not to do everything in one year. Got him into the 40 mpw range pretty quickly, he just ran more often like 5-6 days a week instead of 3-4, and more consistently. 49-50 weeks of the year instead of sporadic and sometimes extended breaks.

By the end of first year he was doing 20 min 5Ks, and about 1:30 for the half marathon and he was up to 50 mpw, with peaks in the high 50s.

Year 2, 50-70 mpw, into the 19s, and debut marathon at 3:35 or so.

Years 3 and 4, 60-80 mpw, then about 65-90 mpw for peak marathon training phases. Currently low 19 5Ks, mid-1:20s HM, and 3:10 marathon.

thats pretty good