CAN everyone handle high mileage?

I'd say that just about anybody could build up to it, especially if they could run on an ideal surface such as a flat trail, but it would definitely be tougher for slower runners because they would be spending more time running.

So a 300 lbs. couch potato could do it eventually with the right surface?

What is your point Miles?

MHO,

Not everyone can handle that kind of mileage. I think that many, many more people than currently do, could handle 100MPW. I attended a lecture where Mark Wetmore was a speaker. Despite being a proponent of high mileage, he did say that there were some people who began to break down above a certain number of miles.

Most distance runners could. But some would be going real slow and would find their abilities to run fast deteriorating. Others would find themselves getting much fitter and would find their abilities to run fast increasing.

More runners would fall in the first category than the second. But the best of the distance runners would be in the second category and that comes as no surprise, does it?

I tend to agree with you and say not everyone can do it, but I'm thinking of people who have structural problems or other moderate to severe physiological abnormalities. For example, the 300 pound couch potato might be able to, after years of building slowly and losing weight. Then again, if said couch potato was 300 pounds because they had sort of problem, how would they possibly be able to run that much?

Keep in mind, however, that a lot of obese people have "bad joints" because of the stress of the extra weight.

From the research I've read, I don't think everyone can handle the same milage. This is why I laugh when some high milage guys see themselves as 'just untalented, hard workers'. I see running high miles as a talent in itself. Sure, even the 300 lb. couch potato can build to it cardiovascularly, but their muscles, ligaments, fatigue levels, and structure may not agree. Everyone has to trial and error to some extent to find 'their' milage. Don't get fixated on what others do or say, but find your own optimal milage level, have confidence in it as well as your training, and be patient enough to let your body adapt. It sounds like you are motivated to improve which is the top consideration, so good luck.

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

You know what? Your 5k sucks compared to your mile/1500. Maybe some people are more concerned with 5k-marathon, in which case your PR's don't prove much except you're very talented.

Hey Whatever, just generating some interesting discussion, isn't that what we are here for?

By the way I am not talking about myself, I have run 140 mpw. But I used to think anyone could build up to 100 mpw, but my opinion has recently changed. I don't think that some people can make it up to 100 mpw, even with years of building. Some people just get injured too easily to make it, I think. Just my 2 cents.

Eventually, he wouldn't be a 300 lb. couch potato!

My sanity gene is telling me that not everyone could handle 100+ mpw even with no other responsibilities. I am referring to relatively young people, say less than 40. I think it's obvious that many older folks couldn't do it.

And let's be honest about this, I don't think you can fully separate the physical from the mental. Even if someone had no biomechanical shortcomings that doesn't mean that they have the mind to handle 100 mpw. It might be excrutiatingly boring for them by the time they hit 50 mpw. Maybe they just could bring themselves to go that far. How many of us have heard non-runners gasp and look at us like we're insane when they find out that we run 18-20 milers for training? (And then their eyes cross when they find out that we do it every week or so.)

I think there are enough variances in biomechanics across the species that it is safe to assume that there are people who will never be able to do 100 mpw without breaking down.

Yeah 13:45 sucks. What are you the world record holder or something? I would kill for a 13:45, I wouldn't have to train for marathons anymore, ha.

Well, the 300 pound couch potato would probably slim down to 180 or so during the build up, so the weight doesn't really make a difference. I just think that MOST people, if their lives depended on it could get to a point where they could DO ONE 100 mile week. Probably something like 3 runs a day of 5 miles would be the easiest way.

Though I agree that many definitely could not handle the body stress of sustained 100 mile weeks.

Most distance runners (5K and up) could run 100 MPW if they:

Gradually build to it

Run twice per day

Run EASY miles for recovery (think 7-8 min. pace vs. 6 min. pace)

Spend 60-75% of those miles on grass or trails

Approach quality work thoughtfully

I'd love to take a few 30-40 years olds with 'thon PR's around 3:00 - 3:20 and normal training weeks of 40-50 miles, train them for two years with progressively higher miles and see what they could do. I'd bet they run in the 2:30 range and recover very well. They would likely have less injuries also since they are moderating their efforts.

sorry!!!!! i only run 5k for streangth trainning and it was my first 5k ever, at the time i made a bet with the guys on my team that i can run a good 5k.........imagine if i have trained for it!!!!!

Theoretically, I think that anyone can handle big miles if they build up gradually enough and run easy enough. But really, not everyone has the patience or temperment or desire to build up slowly enough and run easily enough and I think this is especially true of someone who has been successful, however they're determining success, on a lower mileage routine.

I took to high mileage because I had very little improvement on low volume "quality" work and didn't really like it at all. So I was a natural fit for a volume routine.

After being a college sprinter, I hit age 50 with fragile achilles and a lifetime of 30-40mpw and never more than 75m in a single week. I moved up to 60mpw average last year. So far this year I've hit 75mpw average and a high week of 90. I'm planning to get to 100/wk for 4-6 weeks during my base work if job and family permit. All it takes is commitment, patience and some common sense.

I don't think all it takes is some commitment, patience, and common sense. Obviously you have a little more than that if you are close to 100 mpw for the first time at 50 years old. I think it takes more than that for everyone. I do think that MOST could do it, but not everyone. Some people have a tendency to break down and get injured, even when increasing slowly over years. Just my opinion.

Not everybody can or should run high mileage. One year I had two women marathoners. One was a 41 year old who ran 2:46 in her first marathon. She avereged about 55 miles per-week. She was a speed type runner who just broke down if we ran her anymore. You could make the argument that more miles would make her faster but her delicate body just wouldn't take the load.

The other ran 2:52 doing 80+ miles per-week. She was a strength type runner and she thrived off of mileage. I suspect if her job schedule allowed she could have handled more.

When I was coaching high school girls the mileage ranged from 30 to 60 per-week. I had 30 mpw runners run just as fast as the 60 per-week. It was just that some could handle more and others could not.

My two cents on the mileage debate is that it is an important factor but so many of you seem to think that it is the only factor in training. It is not. There are other factors. Quality matters too. You can run a four minute mile off of 100 miles per-week of 6:00 minutes per-mile running.

As others have said, if mileage were all there was to it we would not have to hold races, just collect the training logs and hand out the medeals.