Practices

When you start training, you want to have pretty low mileage and then work up to higher mileage as the season moves on. In the beginning of the training season: Monday: three(3) easy miles. Tuesday: five (5) easy miles. Wednesday: nine (9) easy miles. Thursday: five (5) medium miles (roughly 6:30 pace). Friday: six (6) easy miles (about 40 minutes total). Saturday: five (5) easy miles. As you progress through the season, you want to up your mileage. This is so you are getting used to the higher mileage at the same pace and being able to hold that pace for the whole run. In the midle of the training season: Monday: seven (7) miles (Aerobic intervals)(get your heart pumping). Tuesday: seven (7) easy miles. Wednesday: fourteen (14) LSD miles. Thursday: seven (7) medium miles. Friday: two (2) mile tempo run (sub 11:20)(eight (8) miles total). Saturday: sixteen (16) easy miles (break up into 2 seperate runs in the day). Take Sundays off as a way to rest your body for the week to come. Another option is to take a few miles off of Saturday's run and run them on a Sunday to get the same workout but not have a day off. This way of training is to get your body in shape for the racing season to come. When you are getting ready for the big race of the season, you want to taper for that race. You are going to train hard and then for the week of the race, cut lots of mileage. This is so your body is still in peak condition but has less stress from running high mileage. After the race, begin slowly working your mileage back up.

Determining Skill-Level

You may be wondering how to rate yourself when it comes to running. You may be asking, "How do I compare to this blogger?". Well this is how. Go on a short three (3) mile run at a medium pace and time yourself. My postings and mileage are based on what I do (ex. 5:50 - 6:10 pace = medium run). Hard runs, like tempos, will be paced at roughly a 5:30 pace; these runs shouldn't be much further that four (4) miles at this pace. The easy runs aren't really paced, they are for recovery and base mileage (ex. Long Slow Distance runs (LSD runs)). If the pace is too much, I suggest adjusting the your pace and cutting a mile or two. Keep following for more running info and tips now that you've determined your skill-level!

Introduction

Hi, Running the Distance is all about the sport of distance running. It will explain practices, strategies, cross-training, how to determine your own skill level, and the upcoming state championship track meet this coming May. It will include photos and occasional videos relating to gear, routes, maps, and more. The practices listed will be done by myself as well, I will post how far to run, at what pace, and my results of the run. Skill-level will be determined as well, the practices will be based on my own skill-level and I will explain how to determine your own. Thanks for following!