CAN everyone handle high mileage?

I just checked my original post and yep it's in there. I made sure to say that this topic is not about if people SHOULD run high mileage, it's about COULD everyone run high mileage. We have had the debate a million times about if people should run high mileage vs. quantity.

I hear you Miles and Miles.

I thought your original post was good but quickly replying to the subsequent post about a 300 pound couch potato quickly to it into the bullshit zone (in my opinion).

In my mind though a hell of a lot of people could run 100MPW+ without any physical problems. The problem is their head can't handle the mileage. Those that get injured often just don't know how to read their body or simply can't control the urge to "run with the boys" versus doing a recovery run, etc.

Hope you show up in Chicago, I'll introduce myself if we cross paths.

I already got my flight, hotel, and race entry. So I will be there one way or another.

I am sure there are plenty of people that can't handle the mileage mentally, but I have to believe that some people's body just breaks down after a certain point. I have seen it. People that are mentally ready and do the slow increase over years and still get hurt time and time again, even just running easy.

Just think what you could have run off of 100mi/wk.

That being said, I haven't encountered anyone (excepting those with severe biomechanical difficulties) that was incapable of sustained high mileage. As long as the gain is gradual enough, the intensity low enough, and minor aches and pains looked after, then all is well.

I was an 800/1500 runner at 1:49/3:42. 5'8" 127 lbs

The highest mileage week I ever had was 73 miles and I probably had only six 70 mile weeks in 4 years of focusing on the 1500. There were weeks where I was on pace for 70 but was forced to take a morning or a day off because I was hobbling. I was a toe runner, not only in races but on distance runs and I put a serious strain on my calves.

Now, could I run a 100 miles in one week?

Yes, but I would have had to change my running style and my training regimen completely and give up on the 1500. My 5 and 10 K times wouldn't be comparable beacause I couldn't sustain the training and I am not efficient running flat-footed.

I think that quite a few distance runner's can do it for at least a short period of time, but when we ask if most people can do this type of milage for months and years, then the answer is no. Just looking at women, there are quite a few who lose their periods at 30 mpw. This will lead to injuries over time--stress fractures. Also, if one is not bi-mechanically "perfect" for running, this will lead to injury oer time.

ccolenso:

> all i do is short but fast stuff<

all you do? can you elaborate?

ccolenso wrote:

my friend, high mileage is not for everybody. what you need to do is to look at you season and select the meets you want to run and work from there if you are not a high mileage guy. i am not a high mileage guy but i have run 3:38 1500m and 3:54 mile, 13:45 5k. 1:48 800m. all i do is short but fast stuff......oh did i mentioned that i was a NCAA 1500M Champion

Has it occured to you that if you had trained with more volume (keeping the quality) your PR might be closer to 3:30? Does Steve Scott ring a bell, anyone?

i dont run based on miles instead i run based on time. every morning i run for 40min at 6min per mile. for my long run which is every sunday i only run for 90min at 7min per mile. and my fast workout i would do stuff like 8x60sec at 100% effort the goal is to run past the 400m mark with 90sec recovery. and my longest speed endurance is the 10x1000 at 2:40 followed by 90sec recovery.

Some people are just not built sturdily enough to handle 100 mpw. I tend to get injured when I go above 50, although I'm sure I could hit 100 if I had to. But there are lots of people who could never do it under any conditions. I would say that at least 75% of Americans are capable of it from a purely physical standpoint, although most would have to cut back significantly on the Big Macs and time in the recliner and make a big mental shift away from sloth and laziness. Probably less than 1/2 of 1% ever will do it, however.

Amen! brotha

toro wrote:

I was a toe runner....I am not efficient running flat-footed.

Toro,

You may have posted this elsewhere sometime, but what kind of shoes do you train in? I am also a toe runner. Just curious.

I think we have a problem here: is 100 miles a week high mileage? What is high mileage?

If we are saying 100 miles a week is high mileage then I think just about anyone could get up to that given time. Heck, you could do that on just singles. It's when you get up to 120-140+ miles a week and have to do doubles is when things get difficult. I think the ability to run high mileage of that sort (120-149+) is somewhat of a talent. Some people simply have stronger bones and connective tissue and can handle the pounding better. I know a runner who is pounded by a 2 hour run and we are of relatively the same ability but a 2 hour run to me isn't that difficult and doesn't leave me that pounded. So what's the difference between me and him? Certain runners through training, nutrition and genetics can simply recover better and handle more pounding than others.

Alan

>i dont run based on miles instead i run based on time. every morning i run for 40min at 6min per mile. for my long run which is every sunday i only run for 90min at 7min per mile. and my fast workout i would do stuff like 8x60sec at 100% effort the goal is to run past the 400m mark with 90sec recovery. and my longest speed endurance is the 10x1000 at 2:40 followed by 90sec recovery.<

Looks familiar. translates to perhaps 80 miles weekly average. (presuming you do an evening workout/short fast stuff.

The majority of your running is not "nothing but short fast stuff" as you idicated in your initial post.

If you have the time, can listen to your body, and treat recovery hours properly, 100 ia a cinch and 120 is manageable. I'm talking about a base phase. Recovery is tougher when you are throwing in hard sessions.

High mileage starts at 140 miles a week, and a smile starts

when someone differetiates between 70 and 80 miles a week.

Without getting into the debate of what constitutes "high" mileage, I'll sound in with my opinion.

I've slowed my typical pace considerably and quite comfortably managed to ratchet slowly upward to "higher" mileage (90-100 mpw these days, all in singles, as compared with 35-40 this time last year). I don't think I'll ever really try for "high" mileage (140+), but believe I COULD, all things being equal, if I had 25 hours in a day, or won a lottery.

My wife, on the other hand, has struggled with getting over 35 mpw, with a fairly conservative approach to increasing the volume, and a concerted effort to run easy most of the time. While she's managed a steady increase on the weekly long run, she hasn't been able to get over 35 mpw for two weeks in a row without getting injured. And while she's never had any intention of reaching for 100 mpw or more, I don't expect her body would let her if she wanted to.

So my vote would be that not everybody COULD run "high" mileage.

i agree with you.....what makes you qualify to validate the idea of high mileage is because you have witness this unfolding right infront of your eyes. i hope people can think like you do. unfortunately eveybody likes to show off. for some reason if you are not on high mileage you are not a real distance runner.

Miles and Miles,

I'm gonna say NO. I'll use myself as an example. I did high mileage for a few years - pretty much ran 100+ from summer of 1989 to fall of 1994. I took recovery weeks in there of course, but for the most part I was running 100+, and for a while I was even topping 120 MPW - all singles too.

During that time I had a few injuries (partially torn IT band, muscle strains, etc.) but nothing that kept me out of the game very long. Now that I'm older (just about 37), I find that I can't even get close to running 100 MPW. I slowly built up to 50 MPW and then got what has turned into a chronic injury. I've had injuries since 1998 that have kept me from training as I would like to. And while I'm older than I was when I was running that mega mileage, I'm certainly not OLD - many people my age and WAY older run 100 MPW.