Training Lessons from an Olympic Runner: Adding Mileage
My husband and I first met in 2006 when we were college athletes - I was a runner and he was a rower.
We went for a run together and I was surprised as a non-runner he was able to keep up over 6 miles (~10km) on a hilly route. We averaged under 7:00/mile (4:10/km) pace and he was comfortable!
The next day, however, he was injured. IT band. (Thankfully, this run took place after his rowing season was over.) Rowers train incredibly hard - high volume and high intensity - so he was FIT. But impact in rowing is very low and the movement pattern is quite different than running.
The Lesson
Even for a very fit athlete, a fast 6 mile run is not an appropriate “getting started” choice. (Nor is it a good “step forward” for experienced runners.) The tendons, muscles, and bones in our bodies must be allowed time to adapt to the repetitive impact of running.
A wiser choice? An easy 2 mile jog, for example. Even though it wouldn’t have been a challenging cardio workout for my husband, 2 easy miles would have been a significant dose of training load on muscle and bone. A short easy run would not have injured him, but he still would likely have experienced some muscle soreness from using his body in a different way than usual.
Increasing Volume
Simply adding a fast 6 miler is not recommended even for experienced runners because we want to keep injury risk low. Initially, volume increases should be done at an easy effort to see how the body handles it. If no issues, proceed by increasing the quality (effort) of those miles gradually. Training goes smoother when we take baby steps forward rather than a big step forward and then being forced to take a step back.
Runners who want to run more and start doing some workouts should consider their training capacity. Depending on your current lifestyle and level of training, it might be necessary to make adjustments to accommodate more running or the addition of workouts. (Read more here.)
Read Intensity and Recovery to learn about the balance between running lots and running hard/high effort.
New To Running?
New runners (regardless of fitness level) should consider walking as a valuable part of their training. Walking is lower impact than running and is a wonderful way to bridge the gap between no running at all to running. Start with short walks, then long walks, then add in 1-5 minutes jogging at a time, depending on your ability. Schedule walking breaks, and over time make the walking breaks shorter and less frequent. As a rule, be conservative. (If your lifestyle already includes a lot of walking, start with short bouts of jogging.)
Related Article: Walk to Run Faster
Looking for Individual Guidance?
While there are a ton of training plans available online, there’s no “one size fits all” for runners who want to dial up their training. As a personal running coach my top priority is to help runners improve as quickly as possible while avoiding injury. Whether you’re starting from scratch or want to step up your running, I can help you make smart training decisions as you work toward your goals. Connect with me today!
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.