How to build mileage safely

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What you want to do is increase your mileage one week from 35 to like 40 or something, then the next week try like 42 or something and then the 3rd week go down a little bit like back to 35 so you can let your bones and muscles recover. After that you can go back to like 40 to 45 and try to maintain that and repeat this whole process.

You gotta go run 20 miles in one day so your body can get used to it. Keep up running the rest of the week to get to 40-45. Then, repeat the next week but run 25 instead.

Jayordon wrote:

You gotta go run 20 miles in one day so your body can get used to it. Keep up running the rest of the week to get to 40-45. Then, repeat the next week but run 25 instead.

Absolutely don't do this^^

Hands down the safest method is heart rate training by Phil Maffetone. You will likely have to slow down all of your runs, but your legs will thank you by this summer. I have been doing 50-60 miles consistently all winter whereas I couldn't sustain 40 before. Fiends get sick and injured and I have not a niggle. You will have to forgo workouts and faster runs for a while, but striders are OK. Increase one parameter at a time, in this case your training volume.

Work on perfecting your running form, then no mileage bumps will be an issue for injury. I have been able to do a 20 mile weekly bump (60 to 80) with no problems.

Pro Magnon wrote:

Jayordon wrote:

You gotta go run 20 miles in one day so your body can get used to it. Keep up running the rest of the week to get to 40-45. Then, repeat the next week but run 25 instead.

Absolutely don't do this^^

Hands down the safest method is heart rate training by Phil Maffetone. You will likely have to slow down all of your runs, but your legs will thank you by this summer. I have been doing 50-60 miles consistently all winter whereas I couldn't sustain 40 before. Fiends get sick and injured and I have not a niggle. You will have to forgo workouts and faster runs for a while, but striders are OK. Increase one parameter at a time, in this case your training volume.

Don't do this either. Maffetone's method is stupid. You will become a very good jogger if you follow this ridiculous method.

Instead, listen to you body and adjust your efforts accordingly. Since you are inexperienced, I would suggest running by time, i.e. try running at least 30 minutes each day and build up to a 60 minute run to round off the week. Incorporate strides after easy runs. The ability to tolerate volume comes with experience. Don't rush the process. You could try two doubles and one fartlek session a week if you feel you can handle it.

Well Fred, it took you over 15 minutes to jump on this with your uninformed, knee-jerk opinion. Good to see you are slowing down. Eventually you will slow all the way..to zero. Meanwhile I will be running pain-free, and competitive beyond your capacity to fathom.

I was completely trolling. Please don't do what I said. Do what Uriel says. He's spot on. Listen to your body

Pro Magnon wrote:

Hands down the safest method is heart rate training by Phil Maffetone. You will likely have to slow down all of your runs, but your legs will thank you by this summer. I have been doing 50-60 miles consistently all winter whereas I couldn't sustain 40 before. Fiends get sick and injured and I have not a niggle. You will have to forgo workouts and faster runs for a while, but striders are OK. Increase one parameter at a time, in this case your training volume.

You don't need programs or gimmicks. Just wake up in the morning and go for a short run. Then run again in the afternoon. You'll be tired for a bit, but will get used to it.

Best advice I ever got was from Grete Waitz at a camp. She said, "If you want to be good, run twice a day. 6 miles isn't a workout, it's a warmup."

Started running twice a day and crushed all my PRs within that year.

The problem with "listen to your body" is that most runners are hard of hearing, especially under the influence of cortisol, adrenaline and endorphins. With Maff training you can use simple, effective and objective guidelines to ensure that you are building up and not tearing down. Once you get to the mileage level that you are satisfied with, you then have the capital to roll the dice a bit with whatever sharpening program you prefer. Or you can just enjoy running healthy, indefinitely. The OP indicated she just wants to run consistently and safely, I steered her in the direction that I have extensively FIELD TESTED.

silence maffturbator!

0/10

So you are steering somebody who wants to run towards becoming a hobby-jogger plodding along at 12min pace.

Slow the pace of your runs as you gradually increase volume. Be a lot more gradual than you think you can handle.

In my experience it is best to stay at a mileage you feel comfortable for 6 weeks plus before moving it up at all. Your muscles and tendons and bones need to get used to the load. They take a long time to adapt.

Some old rules of thumb such as the 10% rule will get you injured.

If I had to offer any crude rule of thumb for an athlete looking to increase their mileage it would be to add one single mile a week.

If the longest run you do now is 7, make it 9 next week. Then add 2 every week to that run till you are satisfied with it. Then add a mile to each easy run you do. Keep adding small miles weekly, no more than 10% a week.

Well, in fairness to the Maff suggestion, the OP said her main goal was to extend her runs up to 10 miles in length (rather than speed improvement). The Maff method suggestion was to get her there 'safely' (with hopes of avoiding injury, illness). Achieving consistent higher volume over an extended period will likely result eventually in time-duration drops when running over a distance at the same heart rate. As mentioned earlier in the thread, physical structural-development does take a lot more time to develop than aerobic fitness.

Pro Magnon wrote:

Well Fred, it took you over 15 minutes to jump on this with your uninformed, knee-jerk opinion. Good to see you are slowing down. Eventually you will slow all the way..to zero. Meanwhile I will be running pain-free, and competitive beyond your capacity to fathom.

Uriel. wrote:

Don't do this either. Maffetone's method is stupid. You will become a very good jogger if you follow this ridiculous method.

Instead, listen to you body and adjust your efforts accordingly. Since you are inexperienced, I would suggest running by time, i.e. try running at least 30 minutes each day and build up to a 60 minute run to round off the week. Incorporate strides after easy runs. The ability to tolerate volume comes with experience. Don't rush the process. You could try two doubles and one fartlek session a week if you feel you can handle it.

Wrong, bud, that's not me. I don't care. How many races have you WON so far, Mr. 40 to 55 Cromagnon?

Zero. Oh yeah, that's right. McMaffleburger CroMagnon Moron. Big Zero.

At least Jamin can run 15:29, Maffleburger. That will win some races.

Again, the OP's goal is to get out on 10-milers (singles) this summer.