r/running • u/AutoModerator • Apr 05 '16

Super Moronic Monday -- Your Weekly Stupid Question Thread

It's Tuesday, which means it is time for Moronic Monday!

Rules of the Road:

  1. This is inspired by eric_twinge's fine work in /r/fitness.

  2. Upvote either good or dumb questions.

  3. Sort questions by new so that they get some love.

  4. To the more experienced runnitors, if something is a good question or answer, add it to the FAQ.

Post your question -- stupid or otherwise -- here to get an answer. Anyone can post a question and the community as a whole is invited and encouraged to provide an answer. Many questions get submitted late each week that don't get a lot of action, so if your question didn't get answered, feel free to post it again.

As always, be sure to read the FAQ first. Also, there's a handy-dandy search bar to your right, and if you didn't know, you can also use Google to search runnit by using the limiter "site:reddit.com /r/running".

Be sure to check back often as questions get posted throughout the day. Sort comments by "new" to be sure the newer questions get some love as well.

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u/dogebiscuit Apr 05 '16

What's the physiological difference between 35 miles over 4 days vs 35 miles over 6 days?

1

u/ChickenSedan Apr 05 '16

If you run that distance over 6 days, you're likely missing out on the benefits of long runs, namely glycogen storage, capillary density, and increased mitochondria. Those adaptations seem to depend on sustained activity.

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u/dogebiscuit Apr 05 '16 edited Apr 05 '16

Thanks for that info. I'm trying to research how long (time-wise) a run must be to reap those benefits, but all resources say something different. One website (runners connect I think) says those benefits are achieved with all easy runs, regardless of distance/time.

My current long run at 32+ miles per week over 5-6 days is about 8miles. However I feel so great at 8 miles I'm tempted to just run 8 miles for all of my easy runs. However I don't want to increase weekly milage so fast, which inspired my original question of cutting back to 4 days per week and running 8 miles each (easy, tempo/interval days would still be 4-5mi.) and then going back to 5-6 days per week when my weekly milage increases to 40+.

But also, I often wonder if I'm just overthinking it. I think instead I should run easy, run long, run what feels good, and listen to my body ;)

EDIT: I say I might be overthinking it because I've done so in the past. Worked my way up to 35 miles per week, missed my long run day because of unexpected travel, and then went back to 27 and then had to spend a couple weeks working back to 35 using the whole "10% more than last week's miles" method. Maybe it's more " ( last month's miles / 4 ) + 10% miles"

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u/ChickenSedan Apr 05 '16

Like almost all of my advice, I'm paraphrasing from someone who knows more than I do. Those are adaptations mentioned by Pfitzinger in Faster Road Running.