Don't enjoy high mileage

"Running well is a matter of having the patience to persevere when you are tired and not expecting instant results. The only secret is that it is consistent, often monotonous, boring, hard work. And it's tiring." - Robert de Castella

That's interesting. I thought you high mileage guys really, really enjoyed it.

I guess DeCastella didn't. But understand, he running at such a high level that it was bound to suck some of the enjoyment out of it.

Sometimes I love doing high mileage. I'll go for weeks like that. Then I'll go for weeks where I hate it.

Has anyone felt the way I do, started increasing their mileage and then found at that the more they ran, the more they loved to run?

yes

I felt that way when I really started upping my mileage last year. I've generally felt that way most of the time since.

But I'll never compete at a very high level. Perhaps I would feel differently if I did.

Average_Joe wrote:

I felt that way when I really started upping my mileage last year. I've generally felt that way most of the time since.

But I'll never compete at a very high level. Perhaps I would feel differently if I did.

Felt that you don't like it as much or that you now like it?

Sorry to be vague. To clarify, I felt that as I increased my mileage, I liked running more and more and so wanted to do even more mileage.

With the exception of a few bad times (particularly one week where I just plain overdid it), I've generally felt that way all the past year.

I do really high mileage (95-110 per week) only for about 4 months out of every 18 months when I'm either training for a marathon or just trying to increase fitness. During this time I usually hate the long runs. I would say that probably 1 out of three runs over 15 miles for me are enjoyable the whole time. Once in a great while (1 out of 10 long runs maybe?) a long run is great and I run it while thinking the whole time that I can't imagine wanting to do anything else.

The only people I know who love to run and look forward to every single one of their runs are people who run about 3 miles a day. Proper training for a 10K even and on up requires the daily grind including the long run, and it is a pain in the ass sometimes. No one said running had to be fun all the time. It is hard work. If it weren't, everyone would be doing it.

No pain no gain. High mileage is why my high school records are still standing after over 20 years. In todays fast food instant gratification xbox society people aren't willing to work as hard. I had marginal talent and would not have made it to college without the work ethic to put in 100 plus miles and weight work in HS. Yes it is boring sometimes but I often thought about my competition slacking off while I pounded away.

If it wasn't tedious and long and tiring then everybody would do it.

It's nice to know that others see it as drudgery some times. Maybe I just need to set some higher goals.

Let the sense of accomplishment once you've finished a long run be your reward. Head out into the world after than 20 miler and look at all the others who didn't and know that you are more fit than they are. Toe the line at your next race knowing that you are prepared to run your best, and then just do it.

you've got to be kidding. 100+mi a week in high school is crazy. if your body can handle it then i guess it's okay, but no one on my team ever reached above 45 and we had guys on our team running 4:20's. nothing spectacular, but i would love to hear what those 20yr old records are and if you were injury free.

Check out Dick Bearsley's autobiography. The parts where he discusses his running will really make you want to just go out there and run. That guy absolutely loved the training. He couldn't wait to get out there and put in the miles -- even when he was doing high mileage.

He's probably the exception, not the rule, but the attitude is contagious.

I ran a 4:15 and 9:26 in HS (I only ran the 2 mile once in HS). I remained injury free until I was injured in a non running accident in College. The 4:15 was a good time but not spectacular as there were at least a half dozen guys that ran faster in my STATE that year. There is no doubt that you can run fast on a LOT less miles - with talent. The top guy in the state that year 1980 did (Zishka). But as I said I had marginal talent (i.e not sub 52 quarter speed). I see guys qualifying for the state in the mile that aren't too much faster than my mile split in the 2 mile. I'm not blowing my horn - I am dissapointed. I stand by my statement.

I enjoy about 80-90% of my training. Some of the long runs though are pure drudgery, especially when it comes at the end of a high mileage week. I usually do my 20 milers Sunday evening and there are times I spend all Sunday curled up in the fetal position thinking about how much I don't want to do it. Last night was fine until about 14 miles. The rest of the way in I dragged ass and was hating it. The funny thing is after it was over I felt good and was glad I did it and was even looking forward to the next one to see if I would feel any better. Strange obsession we have here.

The 15-20 ,ilers are a lot less painful when runing with a group.

After some looking, I can't seem to find any evidence of your prowess. You were from Ohio (John Zishka tipped that off) and ran 4:15 and 9:26. I've been looking and don't see anything. Proof?