‘Maintenance’ Running

[Colinsmith]

More of a whimsical question than anything in need of an urgent answer, but thought I might as well ask it here as a lot of you seem to know your onions when it comes to training and plans.

I went out for my usual long run today, a fairly meandering HM at around 1 minute per km slower than my fastest pace for that distance. And it occurred to me that I don’t really know how often I ‘should’ be running that distance outside of training for a race. Is it just as often as I feel right doing it? Every week? Every other week? I quite enjoy running that far, but it does still take me a day or so to feel back to completely normal afterwards. Should I be mixing it up with 10k occasionally?

I’m just ticking over until the GNR in September, and have a couple of 10km races before then. Parkrun every Saturday and an occasional midweek run into work, which is around 12km. Any thoughts?

[Whatsapp Half Marathon]

You body, your way. The only other thing I would add is that you should be paring back every four weeks or so for a 'reset' week.

For me I always like to have a plan ahead, whether thats training for a HM of a fast 5k, I like to spend two-three months focusing on that event. So if I was in your position I would be planning towards the next 10k event.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

I agree with Whatsapp

Some other ideas:

Take a break - you have time to get away 😊

Google 'off season running training' - this is good time to build your aerobic fitness with long slow runs, work on your strength, build some good cross training habits.

Run longer - why stop at 21k? 😊😊😊

[misswobble Marathon in reply to roseabi]

If I do an unplanned long run it’s always slow and for fun. If you keep the speed way down low your recovery will be quick. Good meal waiting for you, bit of kip and you’re good to go

Good luck 😃👍

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Thanks. Funnily enough I feel really rough today, and can feel yesterday’s run in my thighs which never usually happens, despite having run slowly. Maybe just a bit run down or in need of a reset week as Whatsapp suggests.

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

I really need to do some core strengthening exercises but they’re just soooooo borrrrrrring.

I’ve got up to 25km so far, it just takes up so much of the day! That run felt pretty good though.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Colinsmith]

I don't mind weights but not been to the gym for ages since hurting my hand last autumn

[Lordi Marathon]

I'd run whatever distance you want to run. You are not a beginner so your legs are "built" so to speak, you just have to let them get used to more miles and avoid really overdoing it and injury. A joggy HM at 60-90s /km slower than "running" / race pace is an ideal approach imho.

I try to run a HM, 10km and 5km each week (normally) as a sort of tick-over set of winter runs. The HM used to give me stiffish legs the next day but I don't get that anymore unless I push it too much. i.e. running 1 min /km slower than race pace means no stiff legs, but I went for a HM PB a couple of weeks ago and was stiff the next day (90s/km faster than training pace). I run the 10k and 5k faster usually. My plan is to soon start running the 10k "fast" or at race pace and doing the 5k as a hard fartlek to develop speed.

I've got my eye on marathons this year so HM as a staple weekly distance seemed like a basic building block. If the HM is your target event then your run to work "the long way" to make it 16-17-18km is probably enough of a long run for HM training? If you like the sense of achievement when knocking off 21.1km training runs then run them! I know I do. If I get to about 17km there's no way I'm not running a bit farther to chalk up another HM!

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to Lordi]

Thanks for the reply Lordi. I’m very similar in that regard: I’m either going out for a 10km run, or if I’m going on past that I’ve got to get to 21.1! Anything in between feels like ‘cheating’. It’s ridiculous.

I was definitely just fighting off a cold at the start of this week, feeling much better now.