too much

Hi all,

        I would like some advice, can you run to much and if so what is to much per week.

A little background i completed a half marathon early July, have nothing much planned for this year. I run about 3 to 4 times a week, weight train 2 to 3 times a week with 1 days rest, average miles around 25 per week.

Mnay thanks.

Everybody can train too much. I have and I have suffered misrably from it. If your banging out 25 miles comfortably a week, upping it and doing 35 would be too much. With running its all about slow progress. 10% is the norm to up it each week. But you need to listen to your body.

I started off feeling great and I thought I'd bang out some crazy miles and I got shin splints from just doing too much too soon. I can now do 30mile weeks no problems but I am slowly upping it. But I did decide to up it alot thinking after 7 months of good running my body can take it and here I am resting my shin splints. Take it slowly!!!

General guideline for most is to up by no more than 10% per week to prevent injury and that goes for speed or distance, not bot at same time. No extra miles and doing them all faster if you want to improve and enjoy. There are exceptions, just listen to your body. Broken the rules a few times and mine said "Ouch"

Thanks. So as long as i dont increase more than 10% I can continue week in week out.

How do you split your miles between those 3 or 4 runs?

Hi, 7 miles monday & wednesday around 8.5 mph pace 10+ miles fri or sat.. Some week if i have time fit in extra day at gym speed or incline work. 

Straycelt wrote (see)

General guideline for most is to up by no more than 10% per week to prevent injury and that goes for speed or distance, not bot at same time. No extra miles and doing them all faster if you want to improve and enjoy. There are exceptions, just listen to your body. Broken the rules a few times and mine said "Ouch"

 

Indeed - 'ouch' to the extent of having a lengthy enforced break for a knee problem!  From now on, if my body says 'cut it short and go home', I'm going to obey it!

What pace is 8.5mph for you? Is it easy/steady/HM/threshold???

 I would say threshold

If you aren't regularly doing speedwork, I would start by turning one of those threshold runs into a fartlek or progression run - in the former you are varying the tempo up and down, and possibly incorporating drills/hills/gym type work, in the later you are starting steady and upping the pace at intervals. This way you will not lower your mileage, but you will start to regularly include some speedwork and hills into your weekly training as part of that run, rather than as an added extra.

Think you might be doing just a bit to much. Thats my opinion though!

I have got the pace wrong above, shorter runs are 8 to 8.5 mins per mile. slower runs are a minute slower. I think i have it right now. run speed at HM to Threshold around 7 mph slower runs about 6.5 mph.