4/5 runs a week

[Johnnylewis]

When do you think it's OK to do 4/5 runs a week. It long ones. 5k or less?

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

The usual advice is to wait at least a year before doing back to back days. I think the pace is more of an issue than the distance once you have 5k consolidated into the legs then it can be an easy run... the key to back to back days in my mind is the ability to control the effort level and run 4/5 out of 10 effort... and that’s what I’ve read, and been told is a “recovery run” a run that gets the blood flowing to the muscle to repair the damage faster while doing little or no extra damage. It needs very conditioned muscles and good discipline.

Hope this helps mate.

[Johnnylewis Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yes it does. Just planning my new year and wa hoping to mix everything up. Also staying in the 'don't pay for it' zone. Was thinking of adding in a Wednesday morning run, yes no pace just to recover as such. Tuesday and Sunday runs may turn into pacey runs.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Johnnylewis]

Mixing it up is good... I was running a plan on NRC that did just that and you could choose how many running days... I’m looking at the 3-4 version as it also adds in workouts that aren’t running, so it’s 3+1 in effect then after 6 months of that I’ll be a year in and can start 4-5 day plan and this time next year 5-6 is possible.

It’s also good to not run speed sessions while adding a day, and also remember that average mileage per run needs to drop when adding one.

Wayback when, I used to add a day in January to be ready to run at speed again for the season.

[Johnnylewis Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

What is nrc? I'm sorta in limbo, need to change it up a bit. I'm not in for races etc. I'm. Just doing this for me. Most of park runs are on Saturdays which I work. The longer distances are on hold till I get my foot sorted. So in meantime was thinking of just working harder on the 5k and try a bit of fast slow pace in a run or 2. Cycling wise it's too dark and icy. It's on. Hold till better weather.thats why I'm hoping to run 4 times a week. 1 or2 of them. Just being a very slow and high miles run.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Johnnylewis]

Nike Run Club... free race plans 5k, 10k, 15k HM and marathon and guided runs too which are with a coach, short runs, speed runs, long runs, fartleks, you name it they have a run for you! Also a better athlete plan which doesn’t up the distance so much as the race plans but cross trains you more. Whole app is free and they’ve moved the clothing ads to a screen you don’t actually ever have to view and on your run stats page you’d have to scroll down to see them. Tomorrow starts a new set of challenges, first is 15k in January to go in the draw for their new expensive trainers up to 60k in May... complete all months and you get put in a draw to go to Oregon and meet the coaches at the HQ.

[Johnnylewis Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Just downloaded it. On the plan can I move them to days that suit me.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Johnnylewis]

Yeah... only on the current week for some reason... there’s an edit button above the schedule. On a Sunday it will ask if you want to adapt your plan... you click yes and the rest of the plan changes so sometimes you run less, sometimes more, sometimes a long run changes to a speed session, all based on your running.

[Johnnylewis Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yeah think I could give this a go. Might just do the running part. I go to gym twice a week and I'm on a plan with them. I find that alot of them stretches etc needs to be done with somwone watching to make sure your doing them right. (well me anyway)

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Johnnylewis]

I often feel I’m not doing the exercises right when it goes well... the days they hurt I know I am 😂

[Johnnylewis Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Set up plan for 5k, there's a 5k run on 3rd March, so thinking it could get me ready. But I looked through the plan, it has me doing 12k long run. My foot wouldn't hold out to that.... Can I change these

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Johnnylewis]

You don’t have to run any of the runs... so when you get to it just dial up a guided run or a QuickStart and run the run you can do... when you finish it will ask you to assign it to a run, so apply it to that 12k and it’s good. Doing that will make the next adapt rewrite the plan based on your mileage, so it will still improve your running.

The six month 5-6 run version of 5k from 0 start hits 10 mile runs!

[Johnnylewis Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Oh interesting. OK I'll start tomorrow

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Johnnylewis]

👍