Running only 5 days per week?

Masters Running

6 years ago 04/18/2018 9:37am EDT

I would like to hear if any of you masters have had success with running only 5 days per week. I have gone through far too many injuries these past years. I am now over 50, and wonder if running 5 days a week with one big workout, one big long run, some other runs mixed in the other three days...then adding a good cross training day like cycling in there. The 7th day either completely off or in the gym...or even another day of cross training. I'm about to try anything, but can't get the "weekly miles" thing out of my head from 20-30 years ago. Seems like it could be a way to stay healthy. But has anyone raced successfully off a system like this?

6 years ago 04/19/2018 8:44am EDT

re: Masters/Senior Question

6 years ago 04/19/2018 8:53am EDT

re: Masters/Senior Question

Back when Running Times was around they would focus on one Master's runner per issue. A great number of them either cut their days back or replaced those days with some form of "active rest" i.e. something that is not running.

As with any training we are all an experiment of one and what works for some may not work for others, but cutting back is not unheard of on the Master's scene.

6 years ago 04/19/2018 9:55am EDT

re: Masters/Senior Question

What are your goals? You can stay reasonably fit on just a couple days of running and some cross-training per week. But to be competitive, you may need five or six days.

At 57, I ran only two or three days a week, never two days in a row. I averaged 20 miles a week. I biked once or twice a week, one or two hours total. I ran a 3:25 marathon and 20:xx 5K. Decent, but not age-group competitive.

At 58, I doubled my mileage to 40 mpw, running five or six days, occasionally substituting a bike ride for an easy run. I ran a 3:07 marathon and 18:58 5K, times which typically place well in the M55-59 age group.

My training was based on a 9-day cycle to accommodate additional recovery days between long runs and workouts.

6 years ago 04/19/2018 11:03am EDT

re: Masters/Senior Question

Having struggled with calf injury in my older age, my routine is now run, ride, run, off. It takes me 4 weeks to go through a cycle. So, that is 14 days of running, 7 days of riding, and 7 days off every 4 weeks. The 14 days of running include 3 long runs, 3 tempo runs, 3 track sessions, and 5 easy days.

I recently ran a 4:59.9 mile on the track and an 18:45 5k park run. But I'm more of a mid-distance guy. The mile /2-mile is probably my sweet spot.

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