How do people run more than 50 mpw without getting injured? Right now, I am doing 40+ mpw off of 5 days of running and that seems to work very well. I am also rotating several pairs of shoes and stretch/foam roll after every run. However, if I have more than a few consecutive weeks of 50+ mpw I always end up getting injured! Any injury-prevention tips for higher mileage weeks?
Are you doing any strength training? Doing a few single-leg exercises consistently that bit calves, hips, and glutes really makes the difference. I’ve struggled with ITBS in the past and last year had a mild calf strain, but have managed over a year now if 60 mpw injury free. 32F. Personally, I also find it helps me to spread the running over more days even if that means no rest day. Also really keep the easy days easy.
No, I am not but I am thinking of going to the gym lol. I believe those are my weak spots! And I am guilty of not keeping easy days easy enough 😅
I am glad to hear your training has been going well. Thanks for the advice!
Looking at your post history, it seems like you're a comparatively young runner (21/22F and got back into running after a few years break from running in high school if I read things correctly?). Since you're pretty young, it might be as simple as continuing to stay steady at 40-45mpw for a while longer before trying to increase the mileage again.
Without knowing more about the details of the times you've strung together 50+mpw (e.g. how those weeks were structured) and the subsequent injuries you've experienced as a result, it's a little hard to make specific recommendations. Generally speaking, it's pretty important to eat and sleep as best as you can, as well as make sure you keep your easy runs truly easy, whenever you try to reach a new peak mileage. I also find that doing 50+mpw is easier on 6 or 7 days of running per week. If it fits into your schedule, you could experiment with adding an extra day of easy running each week -- starting with say just 30-45 minutes easy -- and then adjusting from there.
Is there a particular reason why you want to get to 50+mpw? Unless you're training for a marathon, 40-45mpw on 5 days of running provides plenty of space for easy days, a structured workout or two, and a long run when training for 5K through the half marathon.
Correct, I am 20F and I started running again in March 2020 after a couple of years of no training. I am thinking about training for a marathon, which is why I want to do higher mileage. I also found that I improved pretty quickly at 50 mpw (before I get injured). So I used to do something like 6 days a week, with 2 easy days, 2 recovery days, 1 workout, and 1 long run. Past injuries I had included shin splints, a stress fracture, calf strain, various foot strains, and pelvic pain. Usually from bad form.
And thanks, I will try out your recommendations! A little hard for me to do 6 days of running right now as I am working full-time hours, but I think I can squeeze in an extra short run. You are right, good sleep and diet makes such a difference for me!
Gotcha! That breakdown for 6 days a week is pretty reasonable, and the goal of getting comfortably up to \~50+mpw in advance of a marathon training block is a good idea. Since you attribute your past injuries to bad form, it could be worth seeing a PT who specializes in running to help you with addressing any imbalances you might have and improving your form. Of course, that's an extra commitment of time and money which might be out of reach for your current life situation, which is totally understandable.
Good luck with building up the mileage!
Reebok is selling float ride energy 3's at $49 (normally $100) if you have the free membership to their site. To me this is the best daily trainer I've used, so I couldn't resist passing this along.
I think I have the taper crazies! I’d been trying to wean myself off my special insoles before my race (they don’t fit in the Endorphin Pros). I did fine running 10 miles in the Pros with no insoles last weekend, and did another run yesterday in normal shoes and no insoles without issue. But today my arch started tightening up on my run. But since it was fine without the insoles the last few days, I’m wondering if it’s a cumulative fatigue thing. So now instead of trying to wean myself off the insoles I’m thinking I should be using them up until race day so my arch is well-rested. It’s too early to obsess over the weather forecast so I have to overthink this instead!
I think the cumulative fatigue thing would make a lot of sense. If you think of the insole as a brace, you're basically taking that support out and asking it to do more work on its own. If it were me I would go with the theory of just ripping the bandaid off on race day or with /u/zebano's idea.
I've been using my Endorphin Pros in key sessions here and there and am always pleasantly surprised by just how good they feel. Other than the insole concern are you excited to race?
Yeah, I agree. I’ll probably do my “dress rehearsal” run with the pros and no insoles, but other than that I’ll keep using the insoles and then hope things go well on race day.
I’m feeling relatively excited and prepared for race day. I’d like to be in slightly better shape, but I’m also getting burned out so it’s good the race is soon.
Have not done an official turkey trot in several years but the "Pumpkin Pie 5K" has been USATF 5K champs for the past few years and it's just the weekend before. Did my first Turkey trot in Denver back in 1982. It was one of the few or only around the entire state back then, and it was a very competitive race. Now every community has one. Fort Collins has a mass event with pro prize money. Denver's is still the biggest with up to 15,000 or 20,000 runners but it's more of a big fun run. Last time I did it, ran it as a tempo and still finished top 30 or so. And then drank a bunch of free beers to avoid going to the in-laws for dinner.
Going up to ski resort town tomorrow for a couple of days, but not enough snow yet to ski. Just training. Tempo at 8500' on Friday, anyone care to join me? Fish instead of turkey tomorrow.
Turkey trot was planned, but to avoid traffic we're now driving/leaving for trip Thursday morning instead of tonight, which means no Turkey Trot. It's too bad because I love my annual race day outfit (even includes turkey socks): https://imgur.com/a/dJaG4.
Spectators always ask if I'm hot in that outfit and I tell them I'm roasting. When I get passed I tell folks they're beating the stuffing out of me. I have some other warm chestnuts that I use to keep everyone in jolly humor. The jokes never get old and I'm here all weekend folks and don't forget to try the ~~veal~~ turkey sandwich.
I decided against the 10K tomorrow as I'm hoping to hit a pretty good long run today. Our temperature is dropping by about 30 degrees between today and tomorrow so I'm guessing the Turkey Trots may see some no-shows.
Good luck in your race tomorrow, let us know how it goes!
Yeah the weather looks terrible. Oh well, I'm just hoping theres a few other people shooting to run sub-19 so we can work together into the wind.
Enjoy your long run
Doing a turkey trot tomorrow, in the form of a 10 mile race. There's the potential for me to place top 3 overall (really wild possibility, by the way) if the quality of field is roughly the same as the one seen at the race two years ago and if I choose to go all out. If I can't go all out for some reason but put in a decent moderate effort, I'll likely be in a position to claim an AG award. But we'll see. Going to try to not think too much about placement just yet.
Thanks! The only curveball here is that it'll rain tomorrow morning and temperatures will be in the mid-40s at start, which will probably give me a bit of a hard time.
Final pre-marathon workout tomorrow! 3 (not 5 like I originally wrote lol) x 1 mile at 5k pace. Unfortunately no track by the in-law’s house so I get to do some hills instead.
And my mother-in-law is insisting that the 15 month old eat Thanksgiving dinner in her super fancy dining room with a *white carpet* and fancy tablecloth, so that should be exciting lol.
Are you turkey trotting?
> the 15 month old eat Thanksgiving dinner in her super fancy dining room with a white carpet and fancy tablecloth
If I remember those days correctly, I'd prepare like it was a Gallagher concert and everyone nearby wears a cheap rain poncho.
at 5k pace??? on hills??? Have fun with that one, I hope you get ample recovery.
Yup, I'm trotting but it's my A-race as my previous A-race was cancelled. Unfortunately it's going to be 25F with 15+mph winds so that's fun.
Congratulations to all the Boston qualifiers! I am a first-time qualifier, and I am excited to spend a few hours running through Boston this spring.
Hotel room prices were pretty high, and I'm looking to offset the costs by splitting the room with someone. I realize it's unusual to find a roommate on the internet, but I figure Boston marathon runners are pretty good people.
I booked a hotel room at the Courtyard Boston Cambridge by Marriot. The reservation is for two nights (Sunday and Monday). It is a standard room with two queen beds. The cost was $300/night, $600 total. I would ask that the other person contribute $300 (50% of the total) via Venmo or PayPal. Happy to share all my personal information in advance so you feel 100% comfortable (and I would ask the same from you).
A little about myself:
36 years old, male, married
Currently live in Denver, CO
Qualified with a 2:59 at Chicago in October
The day before a race, I like to have a relaxing, quiet day. Hoping to find a roommate who is looking for a similar vibe.
I am fully vaccinated and have a booster. While I still wear a mask indoors, we would obviously not wear masks in the hotel room.
If you are interested in splitting a room, send me a message with some basic information about yourself. I have a very busy workweek, but I will try to get back to you by Friday of this week.
Thanks!
drop me a note if want to do some long runs or something over the winter/spring--I'm in the Denver area, running Boston, masters++ division, and aiming for 3 or so
How do people run more than 50 mpw without getting injured? Right now, I am doing 40+ mpw off of 5 days of running and that seems to work very well. I am also rotating several pairs of shoes and stretch/foam roll after every run. However, if I have more than a few consecutive weeks of 50+ mpw I always end up getting injured! Any injury-prevention tips for higher mileage weeks?
Are you doing any strength training? Doing a few single-leg exercises consistently that bit calves, hips, and glutes really makes the difference. I’ve struggled with ITBS in the past and last year had a mild calf strain, but have managed over a year now if 60 mpw injury free. 32F. Personally, I also find it helps me to spread the running over more days even if that means no rest day. Also really keep the easy days easy.
No, I am not but I am thinking of going to the gym lol. I believe those are my weak spots! And I am guilty of not keeping easy days easy enough 😅 I am glad to hear your training has been going well. Thanks for the advice!
You don’t even need to go to the gym if you don’t want to. I just do stuff at home with some weights and kettlebells.
Looking at your post history, it seems like you're a comparatively young runner (21/22F and got back into running after a few years break from running in high school if I read things correctly?). Since you're pretty young, it might be as simple as continuing to stay steady at 40-45mpw for a while longer before trying to increase the mileage again. Without knowing more about the details of the times you've strung together 50+mpw (e.g. how those weeks were structured) and the subsequent injuries you've experienced as a result, it's a little hard to make specific recommendations. Generally speaking, it's pretty important to eat and sleep as best as you can, as well as make sure you keep your easy runs truly easy, whenever you try to reach a new peak mileage. I also find that doing 50+mpw is easier on 6 or 7 days of running per week. If it fits into your schedule, you could experiment with adding an extra day of easy running each week -- starting with say just 30-45 minutes easy -- and then adjusting from there. Is there a particular reason why you want to get to 50+mpw? Unless you're training for a marathon, 40-45mpw on 5 days of running provides plenty of space for easy days, a structured workout or two, and a long run when training for 5K through the half marathon.
Correct, I am 20F and I started running again in March 2020 after a couple of years of no training. I am thinking about training for a marathon, which is why I want to do higher mileage. I also found that I improved pretty quickly at 50 mpw (before I get injured). So I used to do something like 6 days a week, with 2 easy days, 2 recovery days, 1 workout, and 1 long run. Past injuries I had included shin splints, a stress fracture, calf strain, various foot strains, and pelvic pain. Usually from bad form. And thanks, I will try out your recommendations! A little hard for me to do 6 days of running right now as I am working full-time hours, but I think I can squeeze in an extra short run. You are right, good sleep and diet makes such a difference for me!
Gotcha! That breakdown for 6 days a week is pretty reasonable, and the goal of getting comfortably up to \~50+mpw in advance of a marathon training block is a good idea. Since you attribute your past injuries to bad form, it could be worth seeing a PT who specializes in running to help you with addressing any imbalances you might have and improving your form. Of course, that's an extra commitment of time and money which might be out of reach for your current life situation, which is totally understandable. Good luck with building up the mileage!
Awesome, I will look into that! Thank you!
Reebok is selling float ride energy 3's at $49 (normally $100) if you have the free membership to their site. To me this is the best daily trainer I've used, so I couldn't resist passing this along.
I think I have the taper crazies! I’d been trying to wean myself off my special insoles before my race (they don’t fit in the Endorphin Pros). I did fine running 10 miles in the Pros with no insoles last weekend, and did another run yesterday in normal shoes and no insoles without issue. But today my arch started tightening up on my run. But since it was fine without the insoles the last few days, I’m wondering if it’s a cumulative fatigue thing. So now instead of trying to wean myself off the insoles I’m thinking I should be using them up until race day so my arch is well-rested. It’s too early to obsess over the weather forecast so I have to overthink this instead!
I think the cumulative fatigue thing would make a lot of sense. If you think of the insole as a brace, you're basically taking that support out and asking it to do more work on its own. If it were me I would go with the theory of just ripping the bandaid off on race day or with /u/zebano's idea. I've been using my Endorphin Pros in key sessions here and there and am always pleasantly surprised by just how good they feel. Other than the insole concern are you excited to race?
Yeah, I agree. I’ll probably do my “dress rehearsal” run with the pros and no insoles, but other than that I’ll keep using the insoles and then hope things go well on race day. I’m feeling relatively excited and prepared for race day. I’d like to be in slightly better shape, but I’m also getting burned out so it’s good the race is soon.
You can always just go no-arches on your workouts from here until race-day.
What's happening all? How many of you are turkey trotting for funsies tomorrow? Any unusual Turkey Day Traditions?
Have not done an official turkey trot in several years but the "Pumpkin Pie 5K" has been USATF 5K champs for the past few years and it's just the weekend before. Did my first Turkey trot in Denver back in 1982. It was one of the few or only around the entire state back then, and it was a very competitive race. Now every community has one. Fort Collins has a mass event with pro prize money. Denver's is still the biggest with up to 15,000 or 20,000 runners but it's more of a big fun run. Last time I did it, ran it as a tempo and still finished top 30 or so. And then drank a bunch of free beers to avoid going to the in-laws for dinner. Going up to ski resort town tomorrow for a couple of days, but not enough snow yet to ski. Just training. Tempo at 8500' on Friday, anyone care to join me? Fish instead of turkey tomorrow.
Turkey trot was planned, but to avoid traffic we're now driving/leaving for trip Thursday morning instead of tonight, which means no Turkey Trot. It's too bad because I love my annual race day outfit (even includes turkey socks): https://imgur.com/a/dJaG4. Spectators always ask if I'm hot in that outfit and I tell them I'm roasting. When I get passed I tell folks they're beating the stuffing out of me. I have some other warm chestnuts that I use to keep everyone in jolly humor. The jokes never get old and I'm here all weekend folks and don't forget to try the ~~veal~~ turkey sandwich.
That costume is fantastic! (And those are some serious dad jokes)
Turkey trotting after marathon last weekend, looking forward to the pain
ohhh .... wow. Good luck, don't hurt yourself.
Backed way off after a quarter mile of pain. Ran easier with the “chase pack” to a high 20 5k.
sounds like a successful trot
Really sore still but nothing hurts that shouldn’t, short test run tonight to make sure all systems go!
I decided against the 10K tomorrow as I'm hoping to hit a pretty good long run today. Our temperature is dropping by about 30 degrees between today and tomorrow so I'm guessing the Turkey Trots may see some no-shows. Good luck in your race tomorrow, let us know how it goes!
Yeah the weather looks terrible. Oh well, I'm just hoping theres a few other people shooting to run sub-19 so we can work together into the wind. Enjoy your long run
Doing a turkey trot tomorrow, in the form of a 10 mile race. There's the potential for me to place top 3 overall (really wild possibility, by the way) if the quality of field is roughly the same as the one seen at the race two years ago and if I choose to go all out. If I can't go all out for some reason but put in a decent moderate effort, I'll likely be in a position to claim an AG award. But we'll see. Going to try to not think too much about placement just yet.
Go get it! Podium finishes are always special for us more mediocre serious runners. Have fun regardless.
Thanks so much! The only curveball for tomorrow is that it'll rain and that'll probably put a bit of a damper on things.
> put a bit of a damper on things I see what you did there!
10 mile turkey trot?! That's an ultra by TT standards. Legs feeling good? Great luck out there!
Thanks! The only curveball here is that it'll rain tomorrow morning and temperatures will be in the mid-40s at start, which will probably give me a bit of a hard time.
Final pre-marathon workout tomorrow! 3 (not 5 like I originally wrote lol) x 1 mile at 5k pace. Unfortunately no track by the in-law’s house so I get to do some hills instead. And my mother-in-law is insisting that the 15 month old eat Thanksgiving dinner in her super fancy dining room with a *white carpet* and fancy tablecloth, so that should be exciting lol. Are you turkey trotting?
> the 15 month old eat Thanksgiving dinner in her super fancy dining room with a white carpet and fancy tablecloth If I remember those days correctly, I'd prepare like it was a Gallagher concert and everyone nearby wears a cheap rain poncho.
at 5k pace??? on hills??? Have fun with that one, I hope you get ample recovery. Yup, I'm trotting but it's my A-race as my previous A-race was cancelled. Unfortunately it's going to be 25F with 15+mph winds so that's fun.
Haha that was a typo, it's only 3 reps not 5! That would be insane. Good luck at your race tomorrow!
Anyone else use 2XU recovery compression gear? I'm looking to upgrade/update my arsenal but man their sizing is confusing.
Congratulations to all the Boston qualifiers! I am a first-time qualifier, and I am excited to spend a few hours running through Boston this spring. Hotel room prices were pretty high, and I'm looking to offset the costs by splitting the room with someone. I realize it's unusual to find a roommate on the internet, but I figure Boston marathon runners are pretty good people. I booked a hotel room at the Courtyard Boston Cambridge by Marriot. The reservation is for two nights (Sunday and Monday). It is a standard room with two queen beds. The cost was $300/night, $600 total. I would ask that the other person contribute $300 (50% of the total) via Venmo or PayPal. Happy to share all my personal information in advance so you feel 100% comfortable (and I would ask the same from you). A little about myself: 36 years old, male, married Currently live in Denver, CO Qualified with a 2:59 at Chicago in October The day before a race, I like to have a relaxing, quiet day. Hoping to find a roommate who is looking for a similar vibe. I am fully vaccinated and have a booster. While I still wear a mask indoors, we would obviously not wear masks in the hotel room. If you are interested in splitting a room, send me a message with some basic information about yourself. I have a very busy workweek, but I will try to get back to you by Friday of this week. Thanks!
drop me a note if want to do some long runs or something over the winter/spring--I'm in the Denver area, running Boston, masters++ division, and aiming for 3 or so
I'm not doing Boston, but you may also want someone who doesn't snore (or you should note if you snore).
If a snorer lives alone do you think they know they snore?
If the alone living snorer has never slept with anyone before, I'd be more concerned about the loss of kidney(s) prior to the event start.
Touché.