Results of a year running nothing but base building mileage

I had basically the opposite. I have been running a single 4:45 mile everyday for a year. When I recently ran a 5k, I could only hold 9:00-11:30 pace!!

Assuming a linear, and there is no compelling reason not to do so, continue your base-only program. Next year, you'll be doing a 12:45. What's your name? I'll keep my eye out for you on the Diamond League.

pmrunner4usmc wrote:

I run 10 miles a week and can run a sub 18min 5k. I run my 10 miles generally no slower than 6:15 pace though.

Your mom must be so proud. Where do you find the space to keep all your trophies?

A couple years ago I decided to start running easy mileage. I ran 30mpw for 6 weeks. At the end of it I ran a 5k and ran 16:10 on a grassy parkrun.

I win.

Sure...this is similar to training principles in Nordic skiing. I believe it is thought that the best way to create more ATP/larger mitochondria is to really focus on aerobic capacity. The reason why most Nordic skiers exercise like 20+ hours a week is that 1st if they crosstrain by running it's done quit slowly and 2 because they can ski that much and not get injured. If a runner tried to run that much at the "jack Daniels" recommended easy pace or 1-2minutes off race pace theory....they couldn't do it without either burning out or getting injured. That's why most runners don't train as much as skiers unless they REALLY slow down thus preventing injury/burnout. If this post is true it is quit interesting/a big commitment as you were training 3+ hours a day some weeks. Did you crosstrain at all?

Troll who can't math wrote:

So 164 miles in a week at 11:30 pace is 4 hours everyday plus 5 hours on Saturday and Sunday?

OP is running 8hrs/day in place of full time job, so the mileage must be much higher than 164 or maybe even slower than 11:30. Good catch.

Great results OP!

I know that you are probably just a troll but just on the slight off chance that you're serious, I'd like to see pictures of your training logs. If you are a troll then nice work. I think you got more people curious than they'd like to admit.

Maybe they don't own a gps watch and they're under estimating their pace and are actually running around 8 minute pace. Add in no girlfriend/wife in their life and this just might be real.

Even if this is a troll which it might not be, imagine what you could run by adding just 1 quality session a week.

Zee wrote:

Sure...this is similar to training principles in Nordic skiing. I believe it is thought that the best way to create more ATP/larger mitochondria is to really focus on aerobic capacity. The reason why most Nordic skiers exercise like 20+ hours a week is that 1st if they crosstrain by running it's done quit slowly and 2 because they can ski that much and not get injured. If a runner tried to run that much at the "jack Daniels" recommended easy pace or 1-2minutes off race pace theory....they couldn't do it without either burning out or getting injured. That's why most runners don't train as much as skiers unless they REALLY slow down thus preventing injury/burnout. If this post is true it is quit interesting/a big commitment as you were training 3+ hours a day some weeks. Did you crosstrain at all?

Actually, I don't think nordic skiing training proportions are all that different from standard distance running protocols. See for instance this survey of elite nordic & biathlon athletes:

About 90% low intensity (zone 1 or 2) by volume, but HIT workouts throughout the training cycle (23% of workouts). 36% of workouts were non-specific (i.e., not roller-skiing or xc skiing). I don't see these proportions as atypical for serious nordic skiers.

C'mon, HRE!

The example runner you cite is in the top 1% of the talent pool. He would perform extremely well off any sensible training

Bad Example wrote:

C'mon, HRE!

The example runner you cite is in the top 1% of the talent pool. He would perform extremely well off any sensible training

So? I posted that in response to someone who said it was "literally impossible" to run a 5k in the 16:00s, if you never train faster than 8-9 minute pace. There was no mention of where "you" fit in the overall talent pool. Burdett proves that it's not literally impossible at all. Of course that doesn't mean that everyone can do what he did, but also remember that he was well beyond 40 when he ran those times.

And while I probably should leave things right here, I won't. What isn't sensible about his training? You'd like him to be more ambitious maybe, maybe throw in some harder and faster stuff? He's very clear that he gets hurt and can't run when he does that sort of thing. So what's not sensible about arranging your running so you can keep running and racing?

PS

On re-reading your post it doesn't seem like you're implying that his training isn't sensible which is how it seemed the first time I read it.

Whenever there is a post related to high mileage, marathon training, or what runners did in the past, I know that HRE will give some very interesting ideas on the subject. So I always check to see his ideas.

Thank you!

Was pretty much an LSD type runner back in the day. Did get hurt a some, but it was related, I think, to trying to run too fast too much, despite mostly LSD type running. was able to get down to 2:32, Boston 83, on that type of training. I have continued to run with main idea of, "don't get hurt, slow and steady" Mostly was 2:40 type runner on LSD type runs. I continue to run today, since 69. On a 15 month streak of running everyday.

Skiers in general....train a much higher volume than runners. I'm assuming cyclists are similar. These athletes are able to handle such volume simply because their sport is not as jarring. The OP is using similar principles but in running. His easy runs are TRUE easy runs. If they were not he would have over trained for sure or gotten injured.(this is assuming he's not a troll). But the proportions of how much aerobic/anaerobic/race intensities may be similar.

Zee wrote:

The reason why most Nordic skiers exercise like 20+ hours a week is that 1st if they crosstrain by running it's done quit slowly

That's not correct. All the Nordic skiers I've met out on the trails do hard steep uphill running.

I went to goodwill and got myself a trophy case. Everyone asks me how I do it and I just tell them I know the race director.

A CA masters guy named Rich Burns used to post on the masters' thread, and he ran U.S. AG records fro M55 1500/mile, not just off easy running (he did modest track sessions) but did moderate mileage very slow (10-11 minute miles). He had great talent, and his main challenge was to avoid injury, and running very easy was his way of doing so. As recently as last year he was still running 2:20/4:39 age 61.