Should beginners be running mostly easy miles

80/20 is a model for those running high milage. Let us say 100 mpw is for a fast runner 11 hours of running. Then 20% of this is approx 2 hours of hard training time. A slower runner doing 50mpw in 6h training time can still manage at least 1.30-2h of hard running, but this might be 70/30 model. A runner doing 30mpw in 4h training time can do the same and can have a 60/40 and so on.

I don't know if you've ever been middle age, overweight and out of shape after a long layoff, but conditioning the legs and ligaments absolutely has to happen before any kind of workouts. Otherwise injury sets in and prevents further running - even low mileage, easy pace running - by 2-3 weeks. I can't recommend your plan to start with workouts before building up easy running over a period of several months.

I am 50. I have had many problems getting back. But if you are way out of shape just barely running is really hard. It is also easy to do hard intervals, just by jogging up a hill long enough. I mean it is possible to do intensive training that is easy on the legs. Research shows that the best way to get into shape when totally out of it is the to hard intervals.... I think therefore still, that just doing easy running is not the best.

Yes...possible. I DO get cadence lock once in a while, but it is crystal clear when that happens.

"Easy is a feeling, not a number"

Yes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n32j52K85YQ

Flagpole wrote:

knox harrington wrote:

There's always the possibility that the numbers on your watch are not actually reflective of your HR. Personally, I never had luck with wrist-based HR monitors. I would often get "cadence lock".

Yes...possible. I DO get cadence lock once in a while, but it is crystal clear when that happens.

That sounds painful. Is it as bad as butt lock?

This came out all to polarized... Of course how beginner is of interest and probably age too. I know that if I introduce something new, I should do it progressively. I would advice to progress into intervals at least a couple of weeks, but still advice intensity alternating quite hard with easy. This to boost the aerobic. I could also advice doing low impact but high intensity cross-training.

For a very beginner this could look like going out alternating running and walking. If totally out of shape or if overweight, running slowly will be like a quite hard effort and walking will be easy. This is an example of intervals for that person.

If the person is much better conditioned I could advice finding a hill and doing harder efforts there.

If following this quite hard program, the VO2 max will increase the fastest and make it possible to run more comfortably on an easy pace.

You're overthinking it.

You want to get faster? Run more...

Only start worrying about how you structure your running once you're doing 40-50 mpw.

Flagpole wrote:

I WISH I could have a heart rate in the 140s for an easy run. I had an easy run today, and once I got a half mile in, my heart rate range was 160-182. I regularly have it get above 190 if I run even moderately hard...never experience any chest or arm pain, and I don't have shortness of breath. All data comes from my Garmin watch.

I am 55, so these higher heart rates should are not typical for a guy my age. I assume you are younger than I am?

Before someone tells me to see my doctor, that is scheduled for next week. I will mention this to him again.

On my easy runs, my HR stays in the 150 range. It will peak at about 162, and then drop to an average of 149. This is nearly every run that is not a hard effort.

Flagpole wrote:

knox harrington wrote:

There's always the possibility that the numbers on your watch are not actually reflective of your HR. Personally, I never had luck with wrist-based HR monitors. I would often get "cadence lock".

Yes...possible. I DO get cadence lock once in a while, but it is crystal clear when that happens.

Cadence lock? What is that?

pr100 wrote:

You're overthinking it.

You want to get faster? Run more...

Only start worrying about how you structure your running once you're doing 40-50 mpw.

This depends on what untrained level you are at. If just jogging is a hard effort, then many many fail in "just run". For those that can jog comfortably they can choose to just run and will experience an improvement of course. For the first type a better approach is needed to get them into running.

The interval method adapted to the ability and of course with some progression is IMO better at succeding into making runners out of beginners.

BILL SLOWSKY wrote:

It could be the watch is off or it could be HR is unusually elevated from the adderall. The watch also says my cadence is around 170 for those 11 min miles and around 190-200 for 8 min mile.

Do you run in the mornings? Adderall is great and all but would it be possible to get your run in first?

Probably yes wrote:

BILL SLOWSKY wrote:

It could be the watch is off or it could be HR is unusually elevated from the adderall. The watch also says my cadence is around 170 for those 11 min miles and around 190-200 for 8 min mile.

Do you run in the mornings? Adderall is great and all but would it be possible to get your run in first?

Why is Adderall great? How are Amphetamines good for so called ADHD people?

I don't wear a watch wrote:

Probably yes wrote:

Do you run in the mornings? Adderall is great and all but would it be possible to get your run in first?

Why is Adderall great? How are Amphetamines good for so called ADHD people?

That was meant to be a bit tounge and cheek. I'm not a doctor so I can't speak to the medicinal benefits of Adderall when prescribed to address various conditions.

Recreationally, Adderall is great if you need to deep clean your house.

I don’t think you mentioned how long it’s been since you started running, so I don’t know what kind of strength you’ve built up. In the past, when I’ve resumed running, I often injured myself by doing too much too soon, so, if I were you, I would err on the side of caution, follow your plan, and mostly run the 11 minute miles. I imagine you’re fairly early in the process, since you haven’t managed to quit vaping. Kudos on your overall health kick, though. Now that I think more about it, I would definitely wait until you kick vaping before you pick up the pace. Continued vaping AND an increased pace sounds like a prescription for injury.

Good luck.

Probably yes wrote:

BILL SLOWSKY wrote:

It could be the watch is off or it could be HR is unusually elevated from the adderall. The watch also says my cadence is around 170 for those 11 min miles and around 190-200 for 8 min mile.

Do you run in the mornings? Adderall is great and all but would it be possible to get your run in first?

I love adderall but my perscription is for something else. I was concerned with the long term effects of daily adderall use. I usually run on my lunch break from work or after work if I don't have time during the day.

I made this thread a few days ago and since then I've just been doing my runs at 8:30-9 min pace, doing a mile or two faster if I'm feeling good and then ten minutes slower at the end as a cooldown. I haven't felt sore and it doesn't really feel that much harder than training at those slower paces. I'm gonna say screw it and run by feel for now.

Get a chest strap HRM or ignore the heart rate data. My Garmin 235 seemed really good 95% of the time on a day to day basis, but once I got the strap I realized that it was giving me all kinds of spurious information while I was running.

Go by your breathing. If you can converse comfortably and it feels easy, then it is easy! Adderall might well be pushing your heart rate up. If you are going to quit some unspecified "white stuff", you ought to skip the Adderall as well. It's the same damn thing, and it just delays the inevitable reconciliation with reality. I speak from some considerable experience here.

Run easy, run hard, run in between. Just stay uninjured and run a lot. Your heart rate will likely come down a bunch while your pace increases. I decided when I started "running" (at 50, and after a decade of abuse) that I would run at least 5000 miles before I even pondered the wisdom of it or my longer term plans. I'm pushing 3000 miles now with off and on injuries, and my heart rate is way down.

I appreciate the perspective and congrats on switching things up and hitting 3000. I am still younger, in my late 20s. It's still been a slow start for me since April because I was overweight and still am but 38 lb lighter and have been building up milage since then

I'm at 137 miles for these last 4 weeks, 113 for the four before that, 109 before that, 102, 86, 65, 31.. so it's been a slow build up. I think it has taken all this time just to get to the starting line so to speak. Now I'm ready to really start training

Should someone who has not run for a long time or is a novice start with easy kilometres? Definitely yes, but you should start small and gradually increase the volume, especially to give your muscles and tendons time to adapt. When you've had a certain amount of time and a decent volume, then you should introduce some slightly higher intensity training.

One comment mentions something about overweight people. Running is not suitable for everyone, a person who is excessively overweight should lose to an appropriate point before starting to run.