What is the best time period for conveying how much mileage you are running?

Training Advice/Discussion General

5 years ago 04/16/2019 7:03pm EDT

People tend to say "I have been running XX miles per week", but that could mean a lot of different things. For example 100 miles a week could mean 100 miles per week a couple isolated times during a buildup cycle with lower weeks otherwise, or could mean you have cranked 100 miles/week the past 3 weeks.

Recently I have started thinking about what the best time period is to measure how much mileage I have been running lately. 7 days feels too short since you don't truly feel the effects at that point - I think something like 21 days is the best measure.

Have others thought about this? What's the best time to show sustained mileage while also capturing recency?

5 years ago 04/16/2019 7:19pm EDT

re: Miles and Trials

For describing a particular training period (like prep for a marathon), I might go back four months: "16 weeks, averaging 45 mpw, with a peak week of 60."

For describing a particular moment in time, I might say: "Last week I ran 50 miles, after building from 30 mpw a couple months ago."

5 years ago 04/16/2019 7:41pm EDT

re: Miles and Trials

Garmin has three ways of putting it:

1. Yearly, that is how much you have averaged for the year.

2. Last four weeks, that is how much you have averaged in the last four weeks.

3. Weekly, how much you have run in the last week.

5 years ago 04/16/2019 10:11pm EDT

re: Miles and Trials

I use a 28-day rolling average. so the mileage is expressed as per week, but is calculated as the average of the last four weeks.

but I am much more interested in pace than in the mileage itself.

cheers.

5 years ago 04/17/2019 1:00am EDT

re: Miles and Trials

You average your base weekly miles as one stat and avg your main chunk of weekly training for the race buildup and don't count taper.

So some could say they ran 45 miles a week for three months build up but that could have a peak week of 60 miles.

Then they say they ran 60 miles a week for 12 weeks but that could have an 80 mile peak week.

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