RunningBezaleel

I Started running six days a week, one year ago, and I have not stopped since. My first run was from one lamp post to the next. I did not even think I had it in me to do this, but I made it. I was 54 years old and 70 lbs. overweight. I have not run since I was 21 years old (ran Briefly.) It took me 29 minutes to do a mile (once I could make it a mile.) As hard as it was I instantly knew that I love to run. No words to explain it. For the first couple of months I ran wrong and had big shin and knee problems. I was so devastated at the thought of stopping that I kept going and hobbled around miserable and cried for about a month. The day I said "I can't take it anymore" I had a breakthrouth: I learned how to run properly for me. I have not had a single ounce of pain anywhere since.

One year later I know I can run.
I am 30 lbs. from a healthy weight.
Running has changed my head as much or more than my body.
I run about a 10.6 mile on a three mile run. (Yea!)

My current routine is this:
Monday: walk 1.5 miles / 3 mile hard run
Tuesday: walk 1.5 miles / 2.5 miles of sprints and run
Wednesday: walk 1.5 miles / 1.5 mile hard run
Thursday: walk 1.5 miles / 3 mile hard run
Friday: walk 1.5 miles / 2.5 miles of sprints and run
Saturday: walk 1.5 miles
Sunday: walk 1.5 miles / long run (this week 7 miles)

My question is this: 5 weeks ago I was running 3 miles on Sunday and have been adding about .75/mile each week to make a once a week long run. I am doing well, but can feel it takes more out of me. I am thinking to keep increasing until I get to 10 miles and then top off. Is this 10 mile run every week to much and is there to big of a gap between the distances I run the rest of the week and the long one? I have been so injury and pain free that I am cautious to not set myself up. Any tips would be appreciated.


Hello!

From what you have told me, you are being very cautious. I wouldn't fret as long as your legs are doing fine. Keep upping the miles on your long run, and don't change the rest of the weeks workouts yet.

One simple change that you can make though that will help you to get to the goal of completing the 10 mile run would be to cut back a few of the other workouts the two weeks before this run.

For example, your schedule has you doing a three mile hard run on Thursdays. The week where you get to nine miles, turn this into a three mile easy run.

The week where you are going to do the 10 mile run, don't run at all on Thursday. We call this "tapering" when we are getting ready to run a big race.

You want to have all the life and energy that you can get in your legs for this big run. This might help you to feel a bit better. To be honest, it will make you tired, and it should. Running that far should take some out of you. That's how you improve at running anyways. You push yourself hard, and then you let your body recover and build itself back up stronger!

One other idea would be to run on a nice trail instead of the pavement for the longer runs. Where I live, there are some very nice gravel trails that are flat. I run longer runs on here to save my legs from the hard pavement. If you have this option, look into it. That can help too.

Tell me how it goes in the next couple weeks. You're on the right track already. Here is an article I already wrote that might help you as well on your long runs.

Long Run

Happy Trails - Coach Tief