How do you guys who can't run more than 30-40mpw train?

I maxed at 32 miles training for 3 marathons around the 3 hour mark... I used the Run Less Run Faster method.

https://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/run-less-run-faster

Long term, I don't think it's the best approach but it can work if you're short on time , injury prone or like cross training.

I wrote a book about my experiences marathon training with low mileage using this programme

https://www.amazon.com/Run-Endure-Story-Training-Better-ebook/dp/B077WXMTT4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513235466&sr=8-1&keywords=run+to+endure

Strip out the miles that matter less. Swap out some easy miles for the eliptical and when possible, warm up, cool down on the thing. Bike everywhere, and ride like you need to get somewhere.

I'm one of these guys. I'm 40, have two kids and a full-time job, so not a lot of time to train. The best I've done for a marathon training cycle has been about 45 mpw for 15 weeks or so. Over the course of the year, I've never averaged more than 40 mpw, and usually 35-38. Been running for about 5 years (after running XC/track in high school a million years ago).

Within that training, I mostly do easy runs (8:00-9:00 for my fitness), the occasional long run (10 miles when not training for a marathon, maybe 12-18 when doing so) and a rare tempo or track workout. Probably like 2 workouts a month.

So, my marathon results aren't great, but my shorter stuff isn't bad for a guy my age on this amount of training. My PRs are around 19-flat, 40:30 for 10k, 88-flat for half marathon.

I personally think 40mpw is quite a lot

I used to run much less than that and got down to 3:50 for the 1500m.

The race is 4 minutes long, you don't need 90 minute long runs and whatever else people do. Not if you train your speed anyway.

A 45 minute long run is plenty when combined with tough endurance sessions during the week that work at a pace which is more relevant; 1ks at 5k pace or 600s/800s at 3k pace.

You won't run a great xc, but who actually cares? That's so far from being relevant to an 800/1500/mile guy it's like encouraging sprinters to run the 800m in winter.

I'm 38 married with three kids, full time job and weekend business.

Sunday was 13.1 miles @ 6:29 pace

Monday off

Tuesday 10 miles hilly @ 6:58 pace

Last night 6 mile progression (6:32, 6:18, 6:02, 5:51, 5:42, 5:30)

Tonight 6-8 miles easy (7:20ish)

Friday off or 4 miles

Saturday off

This Sunday is 20 miles @ 7:00 flat pace.

In shape to run sub 2:50 in the marathon and sub 36 in a 10K.....

Hills! Basically, I do a progressive 35-40 minute run on a hilly trail course every morning. The hills allow me to get strength work, to vary my paces, and I don't get bored because I'm on trails and running through the woods. I usually start around 6:50 pace and work down to 6:00 pace. Every 7-10 days I throw in a 10-12 miler, I toss in some repeat 2 minutes on/ 2 minutes off at 5:30 pace every once in a while, and then take a day off every 10 days or so.

im kinda injury prone too, but a 40 mile week for us looks like

sun - 8 miles

mon - 3-4 miles

tues - 3 miles in the morning, a workout in the afternoon that is more than 3 depending on what we are doing, so for example mile repeats. usually ends up being around 9-10 miles for the day

wed - aqua jogging so 0 miles

thurs - same as tues

fri - 3-4

sat - 5k race day. the race + warmup + cooldown is 5-7

(thats not exactly 40, but that's the basic schedule). we're a high school girls team who got 8th at state this year, if that helps for comparison

Post college I was building my business. I ran only 20 - 25 mpw , 5 - 6 miles a few times per week. I'd let the flow take over. About half the time, I'd run so hard I didn't know if I could hold it to the finish. It was fun.

Ran 26:31 over 5-mile, 33:52 for 10k. Nothing special, but a nice break after running the 800/1500 in college.

Island wrote:

Yo dont need high mileage to be good. I am very successful with 40mpw (;

Exactly, I have PRs of 5K 23:45, 10K - 47:31 and a marathon PR of 3:54:36. on 40 MPW, I'm fairly successful.

Smoove wrote:

I was a 40 mpw guy my freshman year and at various other periods in college, and for most of my adult life.

Nothing terribly surprising about what I did. I typically ran 5 days a week, looking something like this:

M - 6 miles with a 20 minute tempo mixed in

Tu - 6 miles easy

W - 6-8 miles with a track rep or interval session

Th - easy 6

F- off

Sa - 10-12 mile "long" run

Su - Off

I wasn't in peak shape with this kind of schedule, but I feel like I was able to get a reasonable amount of fitness from it.

What were your PB with this training?

I'm 50 and run around 17:30 for 5k on 35 miles per week. Which is about what I've run for the last 10 years - not slowing down is a victory at my age.

But I have 35 years of aerobic development in my body...different than a 28 year old. I don't think I get much fitness out of another easy run.

So I focus on the high intensity workouts most - if I run 4 miles on easy days, who cares. As long as i get in 2 hard workouts each week.

I also lift and do some indoor rowing for strength.

I follow the lowest mileage plans in Pfitzinger's Faster Road Racing book. I cross train once or twice a week, sometimes swimming, sometimes biking. When the weather is half decent I'll go for a 3 or 4 hour ride on the weekend. I also run lots of hills; this is incidental based on where I live. I'm pushing 40 with two kids and run about as fast as I did in high school, so I figure I'm doing ok, not great. I struggle with plantar fasciitis and other foot problems even at 30 to 35 miles per week.