140 miles a week and 40 hours a week

I did it because I learned over the years that I got faster as I ran more I kept increasing my volume. I figued I'd keep doing that until I was fairly sure adding miles was no longer making me faster.

I really didn't find that running 140-150 was doing more than 120-130 was so that's where I stopped. I also found that getting used to 120-150 for a time made it possible for me to run my usual 90-110 at faster paces as time went on. I sort of worked out a cycle where I'd work up to 120-150 at more or less the same paces I'd been doing for 100 or so. After about three months of doing that I'd come back down to 100 or so. The reduced miles felt much easier so I'd naturally run them at a faster pace and I'd spend most of the year at that level. Then, usually twice a year, I'd work back up to 120-150 at the "new," faster pace, then come back down to 100 or so and again find myself able to train a bit faster.

I never really had an end point in mind. I simply wanted to see hpw fast I could get by throwing myself completely into the whole business. Eventually I started to hope that I could qualify for an Olypic Trials marathon but that didn't happen. I loved the whole process and have never been able to understand why people would rather focus on careers and having families when they're young. Anyone can do that and they can do it in middle age.

to each his own.

If you don't have to work and you like slogging out a ton of miles, I'd so go for it.

If you must work, and don't have the resources for a couple of massages/adjustments a week, nutritionist, mid day naptime, etc, can't imagine that anything over 90 is going to be healthy or rewarding in the long run, unless you are going to end of at least national class.

There is a reason the best distance runners in the world don't have jobs.

legally blonde wrote:

If you must work, and don't have the resources for a couple of massages/adjustments a week, nutritionist, mid day naptime, etc, can't imagine that anything over 90 is going to be healthy or rewarding in the long run, unless you are going to end of at least national class..

"massages/adjustments a week, nutritionist, mid day naptime"

What a joke. The roads are free and there are 24 hours in a day.

Uh, I had a job through all of that. I was a teacher at times and did have summers free. But I also followed that schedule in college and worked summer jobs.

If you properly build up to the high mileage, there is absolutely no reason that you need a "couple" of massages/adjustments per week or a nutritionist in order to still be healthy. That is ridiculous.

Need a massage? Foam Roller. Nutrition? Educate yourself. Midday nap? What are you like 5?

PRs and consistent running are rewarding enough. I'm averaging a PR every 2 years since 2000 and I'm 30 now. I can think of countless COUNTLESS other runners who ran well for a year or two after college never set another PR and just continued to "stay in shape" on an hour a day. That ain't me. To each his own. 90 miles is only 90 minutes a day. If you can't find 90 minutes, hell or even 120 minutes, a day where you are doing nothing but being lazy then you aren't trying. Countless other Joe Blows and Blowettes find that kind of time to come to the gym and workout. That's why I have a job...:)

You don't need a track. You don't need anything special. Two shoes, one road, get going. And who's slogging 90 miles or 140 miles a week? You don't get in the miles just to get them in. That would be pointless. Add miles while maintaining your intensity....that is the hard part and the part that most people miss. If you can run 100-140 miles a week while "running hard" every other day you will get in great shape.

Alan

At age 43 life got in my way, I own a business and am a single Dad with 3 sons.

However, if I had to do it over I would NOT have been in such a hurry to "grow up" and get a job when I was in my early 20's.

I still workout about an hour a day. It is the high point of the day for me.

I inwardly laugh at my obese friends and co-workers that "never have time" or are too busy to workout. Yet they watch 3-4 hours of TV a night, golf on the weekend for hours etc.

Again, if I was single, without kids it would be desirable and doable to do the mileage and pursue what has always been enjoyable and a passion for me...the only benefits I ever got from my running were internal reward.

oh malmo and runningart, you're so insecure.

all my 100 mile week friends who were practically crippled by age 40, I love to sit and listen to their stories of knee surgeries and such or how they never ran another competitive day in their life past age 35, and oh, how they wish they could.

malmo, you were a great runner - so there is room for your criticism....

runningart, not so much.

legally blonde wrote:

oh malmo and runningart, you're so insecure.

all my 100 mile week friends who were practically crippled by age 40, I love to sit and listen to their stories of knee surgeries and such or how they never ran another competitive day in their life past age 35, and oh, how they wish they could.

malmo, you were a great runner - so there is room for your criticism....

runningart, not so much.

ok, i get it. you didn't have the work ethic or guts to give 100% to the sport so now you are trying to rationalize it. ok. whatever keeps you going.

I still can run about as much as I want. I can't run as fast as I'd like to and yes, at 55 and with over 170,000 lifetime miles things hurt.

But LOTS of people have things go bad later in life. My dad's knees were bad from about fifty on and he never ran a step.

[quote]legally blonde wrote:

oh malmo and runningart, you're so insecure.

all my 100 mile week friends who were practically crippled by age 40, I love to sit and listen to their stories of knee surgeries and such or how they never ran another competitive day in their life past age 35, and oh, how they wish they could.

I put it on the line when it counted. (high school thru post collegiate for 5 years). I ran many 100 mile weeks. I have no knee problems. I am NOT interested in competing past the age of 35 with the doctors and lawyers and guys who never ran in high school or college and now like to run around bragging about their times in the 40s and 50s. oooookkaaayyy.....

legally blonde wrote:

oh malmo and runningart, you're so insecure.

Stephanie Agosta, you're the one who's insecure. That's why you enlisted your creepy masters friends to stalk Sarah Stiner on this website, going so far as to boast that no one would believe them if they reported your harassment?

Runningart is right on the mark, you are way off base, and downright scary.

uh not exactly wrote:

I put it on the line when it counted. (high school thru post collegiate for 5 years). I ran many 100 mile weeks. I have no knee problems.

Outside of Osgood's Schlatters when I was 15, I've never had a running-related knee problem in my life.

One man's "freakish obsession" (you sound like one of those non-runners)is another man's dedicated hobby. If someone wants to run 140 miles a week to test his limits and improve his times, what's it to you? Maybe, he'll never be elite, but he's working for it. I have an uncle that gardens 5 hours a day. He may be obsessed, but f***, what a garden. And it makes him happy. You know, when you feel good at doing something you love? Remember that feeling?

malmo wrote:

uh not exactly wrote:

I put it on the line when it counted. (high school thru post collegiate for 5 years). I ran many 100 mile weeks. I have no knee problems.

Outside of Osgood's Schlatters when I was 15, I've never had a running-related knee problem in my life.

I had that too. mostly from about 5th grade thru 9th. getting down on my knees on that hardwood gym floor in gym class was excruciatingly painful. still have the bumps there. still hurts a little to get down on knees on those bumps; but the osgood s. problem never affected my running.

note to the broad who was pooh poohing high mileage: I would NOT recommend high mileage (over 100) for most women; their bodies and bone density is not as able to take it, as the male bone structure is. of course there are always exceptions, but i would say 80 mpw is high mileage for most women unless they are world class marathoners who HAVE to push the mileage envelop to compete and win; but you can see all of the problems it can cause too...deanna, paula, etc, etc. high mileage for women is a tricky proposition.

I have been posting this response for a few years now on these types of threads, and I swear I am not a spammer for patagonia...

I am not very competitive anymore, although I once was rather good in college. I live on the West Coast, so I am not sure if the East Coasters can do this type of thing, but it is worth a try.

Go to Patagonia, or get their catalog and look at their running packs. They make one called the Houdini Pack that is basically weightless. It has room for one outfit, and some necessities like keys, wallet, etc.

Here is what I do...

I keep a pair of brown shoes and a pair of black shoes at the office, under my desk. Everyday, I get up, brush my teet, shave, throw on my running clothes and pack a pair of suit pants/khakis, underwear, socks and an oxford shirt into my Houdini Pack. It then weighs like 5 pounds. I put it on, and I run 8 miles to work. It takes just under an hour. Driving, it would take me at least 45 minutes and I would have to pay $14 a day to park my car.

Instead, I pay $50 a month to join a gym across the street and end my run there, shower, hang my shorts and shirt in the locker and take my bag and running shoes with me to the office. I start work around 8:00-8:30am.

At the office, I choose the appropriate pair of dress shoes and leave my running shoes in a closet across the hall that no one has ever opened except me.

At 5:30-6:00pm, I take off my office shoes and leave them under the desk, grab my running shoes and take my bag back to the gym, get back into my smelly running clothes (dry by this point) and re-pack my office clothes into the bag. I run the 8 miles home and get home MUCH sooner than I would driving.

I do my long run on Sunday, and since i don't really do track work much anymore, it is kind of a non-issue. If I did still do it, I would just hit the track I pass on the way home.

I have been doing this almost daily for 4 years. My average is about 115 miles a week and I can honestly say it feels much easier than the 90 mile weeks I used to put in during college, post-college, etc.

Some evenings I go out with work folks, and just cab home, but most of the time if I have plans, I get home quicker running anyway, and just take a quick shower and meet friends after the PM run.

I see more of my family since running just replaced my commute, and now I don't need to go after work. i get home by like 7:00-7:30 every night and get to hang out with the kids and everything.

I am not saying I am special, but just pointing out that if you are creative, and look at your options, it is actually pretty easy. I had no idea how close I was to the office until I tried running one day. I just presumed it was like 20 miles b/c of the way I had to drive. Google Maps helped me a little, but basically one morning I just made a B-Line for the office and realized it wasn't very far.

Best to everyone out there.

Just one more note, because I have been asked this questions before...

No, it does not seem to hurt my stride, pace or form. That is why i advocate the Houdini pack and not just a normal backpack.

I actually bet other companies like Nike, Asics make good packs too.

If they hug your back and are not too big, they don't even bounce and you will not know they are there...

http://www.patagonia.com/euro/en_GB_NL-/product/product_focus.jsp?OPTION=PRODUCT_FOCUS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&catcode=MAIN_SP_EU.CLOTHING_GEAR.PACKS/TRAVEL_GEAR.PACKS&style_color=48038-155&ws=

The link says "hydration pack" but they dont have tubes or anything, just an extra pocket to add a water pack if you like that thing, which I don't. It doesn't come with any water packs or anything. I keep my wallet in the place where the water would go.

malmo wrote: The problem with all of this tough guy talk of 140mpw, is that most people are in reality running "up to 140mpw" leaving the impression that they are running 140s regularly....

k state wildcat wrote: true. up to 140 per week in the fall...

Reminds me of the joke, An alcoholic is anyone who drinks more than me.