Why do Millennials use "workout" to refer only to structured tempos/intervals?

Workout has the word work in it. Easy runs aren't really seen as "work"

I see it completely differently. If they didn't see the easy runs as important, they wouldn't do them, and everything would be a 'workout'.

As they are doing lots of easy runs, with some fast runs, they differentiate between the two by calling the fast stuff 'workouts'

I can explain this. When we use the word workout, we mean we are actually going to do hard work. If we used the word workout for an easy run, we would be no different than Mr. and Mrs. Hobbyjogger.

Easy/ regular runs = a run or __ miler

Tempo or intervals = workout

weights = lift

drills = drills

core = core.

mid-run dump = mid-run dump

If you're right maybe it has to do with general decline in volume that serious runners have done over the years. If you were doing a couple 8-10 mile runs on days between interval sessions you'd certainly still be distinct from Mr. and Mrs. Hobby Jogger. Maybe it's because there are so many Mr. and Mrs. Hobby Joggers turning up at races now that create a feeling that distinctions should be drawn.

It makes sense to have one word to categorize all hard efforts of certain types. "Workout" just happens to be the word that has been chosen for that purpose.

I think you're reading too much into the word choice. You claim that runners today are neglecting the importance of easy runs. In reality, it seems to me that high school and college runners are doing more mileage than ever.

You go to a race, start talking to people and they start talking about training and they say they "workout" 3-4 times a week. In reality they go for 3-4 mile jogs 3-4 days a week.

You say you workout 2-3 times a week.

Distinctions need to be made.

not even that old wrote:

When I was younger we called anything a "workout." I have noticed that when someone from Millennial generation says "we're going to do a workout on Wednesday," they mean they will still do easy runs on the other days. They seem to have neglected the importance of many easy runs and are also tempted to hammer every tempo or interval very hard, usually with optimistic paces decided beforehand rather than training by feel.

You are probably just a sad butthurt hobbyjogger. Please go home. Almost everyone on this board refers to workouts and runs this way. Most people who say different are just trolling

It's because a coach prescribes and typically attends workouts whereas you do your easy runs on your own. It's practical to have distinct words for these sessions.

let's blame everything on the millennials!

i would say there are some VERY successful runners/programs that refer only to "structured tempos/intervals" as "workouts" and aren't neglecting the importance of aerobic/recovery/easy runs

sir

not even that old wrote:

When I was younger we called anything a "workout." I have noticed that when someone from Millennial generation says "we're going to do a workout on Wednesday," they mean they will still do easy runs on the other days. They seem to have neglected the importance of many easy runs and are also tempted to hammer every tempo or interval very hard, usually with optimistic paces decided beforehand rather than training by feel.

Millennials weren't the ones to start referring to workouts as workouts. We used that terminology in college, well before any millennials would have been able to coin the phrasing.

br0ski wrote:

Easy/ regular runs = 'a run', or 'an X miler', or 'an easy X', or maybe most commonly '[name of route]'. Sometimes 'shakeout' or 'morning run' if those apply.

Tempo or intervals = workout

weights = lift

drills = drills

core = core.

Pretty much exactly the same for me. Nobody I know refers to easy runs as workouts. I modified the quote above to add a couple other common names for easy runs, especially that it is pretty common to just refer to your run by the name of the route that you ran, like 'I did a bridge loop this morning'. This is efficient because the fact that you are talking about running is implied by context, and it is nice to convey the extra information about what route you ran.

br0ski, did you run in college? I was d3.

Yeah, a lower level D1 team.

Millenials aren't as into self-aggrandizement as older generations.

That kind of makes sense, well, sort of. The thing is, for those people, that's their workout. Maybe their workout was a comfortable four mile run and yours was 4 x 1 mile at 4:50 pace with a couple miles warm up and cool down. But each of you did a workout in the terminology we used. We'd have drawn the distinction by describing the workout, e.g."Today's workout was a 12 mile run. Tomorrow's will be a session of 12-15 quarters." It doesn't really matter but I also have wondered about when the terminology changed and why.

I am 48 and have always referred to structured days as workouts to include; track, tempo, fartlek, hills.

FWIW, I am almost 40 and in college we only referred to speed work and other structured practices (i.e. hill repeats, track work, major tempos, etc.) as "workouts."

I am not a millennial.

br0ski wrote:

You go to a race, start talking to people and they start talking about training and they say they "workout" 3-4 times a week. In reality they go for 3-4 mile jogs 3-4 days a week.

You say you workout 2-3 times a week.

Distinctions need to be made.

I totally agree with you It makes it seem like the everyday hobbyjogger is working just as hard, if not harder than a competitive runner when they say they "workout" 3-4 times a week.

I am just proud of you for getting the White-Out finally removed from your computer screen, old timer :-)