I am running 5k xc in the fall and want to build up my mileage this summer. I only want to do easy-moderate mileage on my own as I'll have 15 weeks of workouts with my time before peaking. I wasn't sure what the appropriate number of doubles is for 80mpw, so I'd appreciate it if someone would lay out a basic plan. Thanks!
I averaged 80 mph last summer/fall, so I have some insights:
I ran 6 days a week, which helped me recover on the of day. If you want to run 7, I would run light on the seventh day, something like 5 miles. I would double 4 days a week.
I did something like this:
Am 4 easy. Pm9 easy
Am 4 easy. Pm11 workout
Am. 4 easy. Pm 9 easy
Am. 4 easy. Pm9 easy
Am. Rest. Pm workout 11 miles
Am. 15 mile long run pm rest
REST
like 5 days a week probably.
MONDAY: 10 mi AM easy/PM easy + strides
TUESDAY: 11 mi AM workout/PM easy + strength
WEDNESDAY: 12 mi midweek
THURSDAY: 10 mi AM recovery/PM recovery/xtrain/OFF + strides
FRIDAY: 11 mi AM workout/PM easy + strength
SATURDAY: 10 mi AM easy/PM easy
SUNDAY: 16 mi long run
Start at a base mileage you feel comfortable at and build up at a rate you feel comfortable doing. Down week every 4th week, then continue building from the peak you reached. At around 65 MPW, start to incorporate doubles, up to 5 days a week. You can do singles if you need to, but if you have the time I highly recommend doing doubles. Continue building using the build-build-build-down model until you hit 80, then hold there for 3, down 1, adjusting as need be. Don't need to hit 80 every week but make sure that's the goal.
You can split it up however you want, work out Tuesdays and Fridays, recover Thursday, Monday, or Saturday. Cross train on recovery days if you want or take off if you're too dead. Down week every 4th week or during a race week.
If not working out, still split it up the same, make sure one double is longer than the other unless you want to split them up evenly, that's your call.
AM 4-8
PM 4-8
Appropriate amount of doubles? Every day if possible.
In the last 7 days, I've ran 136 km(84 miles). Last seven days have looked like:
Wed am 3 km pm 10 km
Thurs am 12 km pm 12 km
Fri 13 km
Sat 13 km ( 5-10 km was up tempo, finishing last kilometer hard. 3 km cool down throwing in a few strides)
Sun am 16 km (threw in a few hard kilometer surges. A few strides at the end) pm 12 km
Mon am 12 km pm 10 km
Tues am 13 km ( track session of 8 x 300 on/ 100 shuffle) PM 10 km
Other than my workouts, how far I run is decided based off of feel. Just try to get out the door twice a day, as many days as possible. Sure you can run 80 miles in singles. I have. But it is nothing compared to breaking it down into doubles. The feeling in your legs is much better. Workouts are done better. Race a lot better. And able to do more running at a good clip. And the best benefit I've noticed, mentally easier. Etc. Also, I didn't plan my exact my mileage. I train by feel. If I'm feeling really good, I'll put in a lot more mileage. If not, I'll take it easy. One thing I've learned over the years is don't set things in stone. One week you might run 70 miles, the next 90. For example, your desire to run 80 miles, why? It is just a arbitrary number. To quote Don Kardong, "Runners like to train 100 miles per week because it's a round number. But I think 88 is a lot rounder." Just aim to run a lot, twice a day most days. To quote Bruce Lee, "Don't think, feel". Just listen to your body, when you're hot, you're hot. Take it easy when you need to.
Did that today. Hit my first 40 last week (not big by LR standards) but was easy and injury-free. Previously for my halves I had done no more than 36 for the halves in 2017 and 2018. My goal is 65.
I ran 7 miles today in 84'F weather easy and it felt really good. No watch until the end and I got my time (58xx). Easy, 40% effort.
Maybe this doubles approach works for short races but it's terrible advice for long races. You are effectively making every run significantly shorter than a race (unless we're talking 5 or 10k) and the body gets used to being done running after a short period of time. It's far more beneficial for endurance and economy to run longer. I run 75 to 80 mpw when peaking, always in 6 days a week and always singles...never an injury of any significance.
AP5000 wrote:
Maybe this doubles approach works for short races but it's terrible advice for long races.
My best event is the marathon, so ...
The long run in marathon training is over emphasized. Long runs don't matter as much as people think. When I did my first marathon, the months leading up to it I do no long run. What I did do, was often running 70-80 minutes at a solid clip.
Fred Vandervennet, 2:12 marathoner never ran more than 80 minutes in practice.
https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=9170922Karel Lismont, a silver and bronze medalist at the 72 and 76 Olympic marathon and a 2:11 marathon PB. Never ran more than a hour in practice. Often doing triples(three runs a day).
https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=8160693&thread=8160693"there is little evidence that runs longer than 40-50 minutes are an efficient way to increase aerobic capacity."
https://canute1.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/the-training-of-yoshihisa-hosaka/Subibrother wrote:
I averaged 80 mph last summer/fall, so I have some insights:
I ran 6 days a week, which helped me recover on the of day. If you want to run 7, I would run light on the seventh day, something like 5 miles. I would double 4 days a week.
I did something like this:
Am 4 easy. Pm9 easy
Am 4 easy. Pm11 workout
Am. 4 easy. Pm 9 easy
Am. 4 easy. Pm9 easy
Am. Rest. Pm workout 11 miles
Am. 15 mile long run pm rest
REST
Yea I have a similar philosophy, big fan doubles and taking 1 day completely off per week. It's weird but I find the day after a rest day I feel a bit stale, but in the long run it has helped me avoid burnout. Only difference is I like doing one medium long run per week instead of a double.
M: 5/7
T: 4/12 (workout)
W: OFF
T: 13 (medium long)
F: 4/12 (workout)
S: 5/7
S: 15 (long)
Subibrother wrote:
I averaged 80 mph last summer/fall, so I have some insights:
I ran 6 days a week, which helped me recover on the of day. If you want to run 7, I would run light on the seventh day, something like 5 miles. I would double 4 days a week.
I did something like this:
Am 4 easy. Pm9 easy
Am 4 easy. Pm11 workout
Am. 4 easy. Pm 9 easy
Am. 4 easy. Pm9 easy
Am. Rest. Pm workout 11 miles
Am. 15 mile long run pm rest
REST
Definitely agree with this. Doesn’t have to be exactly this layout but the basic idea is to double 4-5 days per week, run two workouts (make them light because it’s summer though) and one long run, with one day either completely off or a light 20-40 minute run. I personally prefer to keep easy runs at 60 minutes or less because I don’t want to run out of glycogen on an easy run, but I don’t think it’s necessary (plenty of good runners I know do 70 minute easy runs).
gahagand wrote:
I personally prefer to keep easy runs at 60 minutes or less because I don’t want to run out of glycogen on an easy run, but I don’t think it’s necessary (plenty of good runners I know do 70 minute easy runs).
If you're running easy, your body is mainly using fat as fuel, not sugar. So, you shouldn't worry about glycogen depletion.