UKH

Someone showed me the annual distance ran on Strava the other day which I never knew was there, and I've also discovered the csv export on MapMyRun which allows you to look at some very interesting stats in Excel.

Turns out I've ran about 400km this year, so I thought about setting myself a target of 1000km next year.

This year's running has been distributed: no running at all in Jan and Feb then up from 20km in March to 70km (so far) this month. Since 2016 I've ran 200km a year on average (that includes 1 marathon distance).

Is there anything I need to consider if I start trying to consistently run 2 x 10kms or 1 x 10km + 2 x 5kms or 1 x 20km run a week, every week? Is this likely to increase my chances of injuring myself or something? The goal is for it to help me lose weight and run further and faster.

Thanks all!

In reply to elliot.baker:

Progression needs to be slow. A rough rule I've seen many times, never more than a 10% weekly increase, then 4th week is an easy week. Then build up again. 

4 x 5km will be better than 1 x 20, but to slowly get your legs conditioned to increased distances 2 x 5km and 1 x 10km would be better. 

Think of 5km as your recovery run between either longer, faster or hilly runs. Over time these recovery runs will increase in distance too, but should always be at an easy pace. 

Don't get to hung up if you don't have a perfect week, it's average consistency over many months that matters, the rogue week where you barely got out isn't a disaster. 

In reply to elliot.baker:

If you build slowly, than you should be fine. If you now only go for 1 run a week and start with 4 runs, than you will most likely injure yourself.

1000km should be very doable if you manage to stay commited.

In reply to summo:

That's good to know, monthly distance has increased steadily over this year from 20 to 70+km so I think I can just continue that progression into the new year so won't be any big jumps in distance.

What's the target after 1000km!

In reply to elliot.baker:

What are your aims? Do you race? If not, enter some races.

Unless your target is just to keep fit and burn off the pies, then train for something. The distance will build up as a byproduct of that.

In reply to elliot.baker:

Interestingly, your post prompted me to look at my stats for the year - after today's run I will have done over 1000km this year! I don't consider myself a "proper" runner, so that's interesting to see.

Good luck with your further challenge planning. Have fun on all your runs!

In reply to girlymonkey:

Likewise i dont consider myself  proper runner, certainly not compared to my wife or members of her run club and have only really been doing it a couple of years. However i set myself the exact same goal of 1000km for the year. Not going to make it as a hernia at the start of November and subsequent surgery stopped play. I did make it to 975km in that time. Agonisingly close but its very doable   

In reply to dread-i:

Not everyone is into racing, (I associate it with PE at school and bullying by teachers and other kids if you weren't quick enough). Joining a running club is a good motivator to get out once week though, as are parkruns.

OP: Just looked at my Strava profile. 995k this year as a not particularly motivated or high mileage runner, so you should be fi e with a 1000k target.

As others have said, you just need to take it steady. Also don't try and increase speed and distance at the same time, do dedicated speed work sessions if you want to get faster, rather than combining it in a long run.

Above all, enjoy it.

In reply to elliot.baker:

Yeah just increase steadily but not continuously, I find do it in steps, 2-4 weeks at each load and see how it feels, give time for issues to develop. 15 miles a week so you shouldn't get injured if you are already active.

I'm at 5063 km this year but currently have some injury I knew was coming and didn't back off.

In reply to elliot.baker:

Hi. I seem to have run 903k in 11 months (had to have 2 months off last Dec/Jan) by mixing 5k parkruns with progressively longer runs on road, trails and hills. I use parkrun as a race and the long hill days as slow distance. I also use the treadmill at the gym for steady pace running on the flat, wearing a heart monitor strap, to assess improvement. Getting back into proper running with a view to full days on the hills next year, which will be my 70th...

In reply to elliot.baker:I used to go running with a pretty decent group and it came up in conversation that a bloke called El Tel once ran 217 .iles in one week .

He had 2 years of glandular fever for that...

In reply to elliot.baker:

Some rambling thoughts from my own very similar experience.. 

I did 327km in 2018, entirely casually with my (now) wife who is the 'proper' runner. I'm reasonably fit through climbing anyway but decided to 1000km this year, and have just 42 to go. All my running this year has continued on a casual basis, no training plan or anything.. just running when I feel like it. It's probably important to realise that you'll run less in Jan/Feb and Nov/Dec just because the weather and darkness tends to impact on motivation so don't be too downbeat if you don't get off to a good start - the miles will come with the longer days! Don't underestimate the short 5km runs if you can get out for half an hour, they all add up.. even better if you can add an extra k on with a loop of a park or something if you're feeling good. Do that ten times and suddenly you're a whole 10km run down! I've put a 'countdown' in to my Strava updates so I have an in my face reminder of how well (or not!) I'm doing - it was hard after my first 6km of the year when I had 994 remaining but when you do a good long run it feels great knocking off 20 or so in one go. If you haven't already, get a dog. They always need a good run.. hundreds of my kms have probably happened because it's quicker to do a lap with them than it is to walk them to the park! 

In reply to mrphilipoldham:

I reckon you will be fine. 1000k is just over 50 mile a month or 13 miles a week. You can set weekly and annual goals in Strava and see the progress coming. 

As others have said just build up slowly and have some rest weeks every 3-4 weeks when you drop you mileage right down. 

In reply to elliot.baker:

My advice would be not to follow any rules like 10% rule etc. 

Listen to your body, you have some experience running and you will be able to tell when you're knackering your body. 

1000km a year is considered low mileage. If you're trying to increase the volume just drop the pace. There is so much literature that supports the easy miles theory for getting faster, building endurance and of course building a base. 

I have had weeks where I've gone and doubled (or more) my mileage the next week, but then weeks where I cut mileage considerably.

Inconsistency over the short term is normally what it takes to be consistent over the long term.  Interesting post by Geoff roes about this http://akrunning.blogspot.com/2011/08/consistency.html

In reply to girlymonkey:

Gulp, looked at mine too. 666miles (so 1000k+) and 65000ft of height gain. 

I run  bit and pretend to be an ultra runner about 3 times a year, but that's further than I thought I had run! 

In reply to Delbiz:

Works fine when you are young, come back in a few decades time and see what your view is then. I'm pretty sure we all felt invincible when 25, but I think you need to play the long game to remain active and as injury free in later years. Those bits of scar tissue, tendon strain etc.  you brush off in your 20s will come back to haunt you in years to come. Imho

In reply to elliot.baker:

I enjoyed running but I got injured. I was running 60-70 miles per week. I got a back injury. 

I think that it was brilliant while it lasted. I will probably try again in a year so 2 years off, 5 physios, stand up desk and chair needed for work Learning stretches to release then releasing daily and living with pills for periods was/is very hard but is slowly getting a lot better. 

if your going to run I’d recommend a commitment to Pilates x2 a week, a commitment to sleeping and eating well and getting a coach so you can learn to repair, recover and increase your mobility

Im not alone. Be careful as you might not realise till the sciatica starts. 

Good luck. 
 

In reply to elliot.baker:

I’m on 985k this year and taking care of a sore knee. 1000k has been this year’s target.  Climbing is my main sport and I play football. Best to build up gradually. I just run as I feel but need to work on injury prevention. I think I’ll aim for 1200k next year........

In reply to elliot.baker:

It’s doable. Other things to consider to avoid injury:

- you are more likely to get injured if you go at top speed all the time. Mix slow runs in. Do some fast stuff in moderation. 
- don’t do 1000km on tarmac; in my experience you’re less likely to get an injury in hill running because each step is unique so you don’t stress the same bits of your joints with each step.

- if you can run to and from work a few days a week then you’ll probably get close to 1000 just on these commute runs. 
- your shoes matter: get good ones and don’t worry about spending the money- I compare my shoe costs (about 3 pairs a year) to gym membership to justify the expense. Run in different shoes on different days. 

- your running motivation will fluctuate - I consider that normal and won’t try to fight it. The running “mood” will come back. 

In reply to elliot.baker:

I'd say it's doable (heading the advice above).

I went from 530km in 2011 to 795km the next year, and two of those runs were the welsh 3000's and what is now Kong's Lakes 10 peaks. And I did virtually nothing in Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov or Dec.

This year I was aiming for 3000k, and was ahead of schedule until injury struck in August (so I started climbing). Am on 2342.2 (83,087m) for the year to date.

Just looking at my stats and I did 534 km in June!! only 3 days when I didn't run, and I went out on the bike on one of those! No wonder by August I had a suspected stress fracture of a metatarsal...

In reply to elliot.baker:

Just reached 1600.00km today, another 9.5 km to equal 1000miles. My advice would be to buy up mileage in the bank when you can in case of injury later in the year. I ran 21km in November due to climbing injury but as I had spare miles saved up I am still on target.